STUDY OF ELASTIC BELLOWS COMPENSATOR

Abstract

During the operation of equipment, it is subject to various loads that cause the failure of its individual components. To extend the service life of such elements, various compensator designs are used to reduce the impact of loads. The most common expansion joints are bellows expansion joints, the main part of which is an elastic corrugated shell that can stretch, compress or bend under the influence of loads. It is worth noting that bellows can be made of various materials: steel, rubber, plastics, etc. Since bellows can also be used to compensate for the pressures of liquids and gases, it is advisable to use them in oil and gas equipment, namely, for the gearboxes of rocking machines. This will prevent moist air and contaminants from entering the gearbox and reducing its service life. The paper investigates an elastic bellows compensator to determine the change in the internal volume of the bellows from the action of a pressure of 0.01 to 0.4 atm on its internal surface and its different diameters (80, 100, 120, and 140 mm). Using simulation modeling, the stress-strain state of the bellows compensator was determined and it was found that the maximum stresses arising in it under the action of the maximum pressure are within the permissible limits. It was also found that an increase in the diameter of the bellows at constant pressure and its wall thickness leads to stresses in it that are greater than those permissible for the material used. Therefore, it is inappropriate to increase the volume of the bellows by increasing its diameter. Based on the results of simulation modeling, graphical dependences of the change in the internal volume on the pressure acting on its internal surface were constructed, taking into account different bellows diameters.