Straight to the point: Stainless steel corrugated expansion joints are a type of metal compensator, but don't rush to equate
Two days ago, I met a customer who asked us with a drawing: "I want to buy a metal compensator. Can't your stainless steel corrugated expansion energy-saving one be used?" This kind of problem is not an isolated case. In fact, in the industry standard, metal compensators are a big category, just as "cars" and "SUVs" are both called cars. The stainless steel corrugated expansion joint belongs to a bellows type metal compensator, but the metal compensator also comprisesSleeve type pipe expansion joint、Rotary compensator、Non-metallic expansion joint(although non-metallic ones are not strictly "metallic"). So the answer is yes, but it depends on the situation-the metal compensator you buy doesn't have to be a stainless steel corrugated expansion joint, and vice versa.
From the structure: bellows is the core, stainless steel is only the material
A stainless steel corrugated expansion joint whose elastic element is a bellows, usually made of 304 or 316L stainless steel. The word "metal" of metal compensator emphasizes that the structural parts such as shell, end tube and flange are metal. Like ourUniversal corrugated expansion joint、High temperature axial expansion joint, all belong to this category. Conversely, likerubber compensator、PTFE compensatorAlthough they play a compensating role, they can't be called metal compensators because the main material is not metal. Is that the truth? To put it bluntly, structure determines attribution, and material determines performance.
Conceptual confusion in application scenarios: Why do people always mix these two words?
To put it bluntly, it's a matter of habit. In power station, cement, chemical industry and other industries, 90% of pipeline compensation requirements use bellows metal compensator. Over time, "metal compensator" has become synonymous with "corrugated expansion joint". But you look through our product list:directly buried expansion joint、External pressure single axial expansion joint、Compound hinge transverse expansion joint…These are all metal compensators, but their structures are quite different. Stainless steel corrugated expansion joint is just one specific form. Another exampleMetal Corrugated Expansion Joints in Cement IndustryAndCorrugated expansion joint for power station industryAlthough they are all called metal compensators, the design parameters are completely different.
Selection Trap: Stainless Steel Corrugated Expansion Joint ≠ Universal Metal Compensator
For example, high-temperature steam pipelines (such as above 500℃), ordinary stainless steel corrugated expansion joints can't bear it, so they have to be usedHigh temperature axial expansion jointOr with insulation scheme. Another example is the desulfurization flue gas system. The medium is highly corrosive. We specialize inDesulfurization flue gas baffle doorAnd a corresponding corrosion-resistant corrugated expansion joint. If you purchase with the general term "metal compensator", the supplier will ask you: medium, temperature, pressure, displacement? Not even one less parameter will do. Therefore, figuring out the concept is only the first step, and the key depends on the working conditions. LikeLarge diameter thick wall expansion joint、Straight pipe pressure balanced expansion jointThese are not ordinary stainless steel corrugated expansion energy-saving substitutes.
How to communicate with suppliers without making jokes? Give you three keywords
Material, construction, standard. Material – stainless steel or carbon steel? Structure – Single or Duplex? Axial or transverse? Standard-Is it JB/T 12235 for non-metallic expansion joints or GB/T 12777 for metallic expansion joints? Ask these three clearly, and no one dares to fool you. Our FAQ on our site also containsModel and size of expansion joint、Installation MethodFor details, you can refer to. Remember, stainless steel corrugated expansion joints are a subset of metal compensators, but the other way around is not true-you don't necessarily buy the right stainless steel corrugated expansion joint when you buy a metal compensator. So the next time someone asks, "Are stainless steel corrugated expansion joints metal compensators?" You can throw it at him: Yes, but you have to tell me exactly what you're going to do.