Expansion Compensators
Expansion Compensators are essentially a bellows that is protected by and guided within a pipe housing, and designed to give improved stability.
Bellows are externally pressurized. 3.5 Minimum Safety Factor for both Bellows and Housing. They are available with threaded nipple ends (ECMN), floating flanges (ECFFL), copper sweat ends (ECCPS) and weld end grooved nipples (ECWGN).
Mason Improvements
• Good operating clearances to prevent binding.
• A much better looking mechanism that can be used to partially compress joints prior to installation to allow for contraction as well as expansion on installations with temperatures below ambient when in service. The locking device is a permanent part of the construction. They can always be tightened to hold the expansion joint in a particular position for removal while piping is serviced.
• A depth gauge on the moving end to monitor movements, make certain that joints are at the 0 position before installation, or used to pre-set joints in some preferred position.
• Great attention to canister and pipe welding details.
• Internal and external clearances to prevent bellows wear because of rubbing.
• Safety factors between 3.5 and 4 compared to others at 2.25. Double drains on most designs, generous lifting near the centre of gravity for easier handling.
• A raised face flange and a floating flange on all flanged products for easier installation and bellows anti-torquing protection.
• Grooved fittings are beveled as well to allow welding into pipe lines as an alternate method. (Mason does not recommend welding.)