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Material Data Paper: Gimbaled Pantograph Expansion Joints

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Danielle Stephens
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71 views2 pages

Material Data Paper: Gimbaled Pantograph Expansion Joints

PDF

Uploaded by

Danielle Stephens
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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MATERIAL DATA PAPER

GIMBALED PANTOGRAPH EXPANSION JOINTS


The Best Design for Supporting the Center Spool on FCC Standpipe Expansion Joints

The standard UOP design for FCC stand pipe expansion For a 48” diameter by 120” long standpipe expansion joint,
joints includes a pantograph assembly on each side of the a .75 inch movement perpendicular to the plane of the pan-
universal expansion joint to provide support for the center tographs would result in .375” of interference between the
spool. Typically, the pantograph is pinned to the expansion pin on the trunnion and the center of the pantograph on a
joint at three points on trunnion type support, similar to the simply pinned system. The .375” of distortion could buckle
photograph below. This configuration demands that the the pantograph linkages or severely distort the bellows.
lateral offset is parallel to the plane of the pantographs. If
the lateral offset is 90 degrees to the plane of the panto-
graphs, a simple 3-pin pantograph will bind and become
highly stressed.

Senior Flexonics Pathway’s solution is to provide a gimbal


on the center support for pantograph type expansion joints.
The gimbal feature shown in the photograph above allows the
Excessive stresses in the pantograph will result in buckling standpipe expansion joint to move freely in any direction with-
of the pantograph bars, bending of the supports, or unan- out binding. Based upon field experience, use of the simply
ticipated distortion of the expansion joint bellows. These pinned pantograph is a calculated risk. For the small cost of
conditions should be avoided if possible. the gimbaled pantograph and high cost of an unplanned out-
age due to an expansion joint failure, it is probably not worth
A typical standpipe specification requires that the expan- taking. In certain eases where there are known movements
sion joint be designed for .5 degrees of end rotation in any perpendicular to the plane of the pantographs, there is really
direction and .5” to .75” of lateral offset perpendicular to the no other solution.
plane of the pantographs. These movement are generally
not real and it is fortunate that they do not occur in most A users list of customers who have purchased the gimbaled
cases. pantograph style of support is available on request.

Although, the use of simple 3-pin pantographs has been


satisfactory for most of the standpipe expansion joints, there
have been some noteworthy cases where the pantographs
have buckled due to “excessive rnovements” perpendicular
to the plane of the pantographs. The amount of “excessive
movement” is always difficult to determine.

2400 Longhorn Industrial Drive, New Braunfels, Texas 78130


Ph: (830)629-8080 Fax: (830)629-6899 email: [email protected]
Copyright © 2001 Senior Flexonics Pathway. MDP 13
Elevation view of universal expansion joint
with a pantographic linkage.

Plan view of expansion joint above without


any lateral motion.

Plan view of universal joint with out of plane


lateral movement and no gimbal ring. Note
failure of the centerspool bunion due to
binding of the pantograph.

Plan view of universal joint with out of plane


lateral movement and gimbal ring. Note
that the gimbal is free to rotate about the
centerspool and therefore binding of the
pantograph does not occur.

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