The use of bellows expansion joints is an effective method to rationalize various piping systems in industry. In the structural design, the requirements for preventing failures such as ratcheting, fatigue, and buckling should be satisfied. The mechanisms of some failure modes of bellows are different from those of vessels and piping components, which makes it difficult to estimate the behaviors. In the case of high-temperature operation, creep behavior of bellows should be considered. In this paper, a simplified theoretical modeling of creep behavior of bellows is presented. The formulation is developed by using Norton’s law for creep property of bellows material and assuming meridional bending stress is dominant. According to this modeling, bellows convolution dimensions are considered directly. The excessive creep deformation problem of bellows under internal pressure and the elastic follow-up behavior problem of a piping system with bellows expansion joints are examined as the applications of this modeling. The results are compared with detailed analysis results by FEM, and the applicability and the validity of this modeling is discussed.
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Theoretical Modeling of Creep Behavior of Bellows and Some Applications
Kazuyuki Tsukimori, Senior Scientist,
Kazuyuki Tsukimori, Senior Scientist,
Structure and Material Research Group, O-arai Engineering Center, Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute, O-arai, Ibaraki-ken, Japan
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Kazuyuki Tsukimori, Senior Scientist,
Structure and Material Research Group, O-arai Engineering Center, Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute, O-arai, Ibaraki-ken, Japan
Contributed by the Pressure Vessels and Piping Division for publication in the JOURNAL OF PRESSURE VESSEL TECHNOLOGY. Manuscript received by the PVP Division, December 20, 1999; revised manuscript received August 3, 2000. Associate Editor: R. Gwaltney.
J. Pressure Vessel Technol. May 2001, 123(2): 179-190 (12 pages)
Published Online: August 3, 2000
Article history
Received:
December 20, 1999
Revised:
August 3, 2000
Citation
Tsukimori, K. (August 3, 2000). "Theoretical Modeling of Creep Behavior of Bellows and Some Applications ." ASME. J. Pressure Vessel Technol. May 2001; 123(2): 179–190. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1320817
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