Process Plant Articulated Bellow Replacement

During 2009 we were asked by First Process Engineering to look at a failed 200mm articulated bellow on the steam main at the Britvic/Unilever complex in Norwich.

This was an unusual length unit at 2065mm long and we could not quite fathom why. The only possible explanation, the plant had run in the past at a much higher working pressure on the steam, instead of the current 3.5 bar. With the HSE constantly assessing safety on the site this needed to be replaced ASAP. The failed unit had been built as a double hinge unit with twin tie bars and hinge pins. We made the new unit as a double tie bar unit with ball ended swivel nuts to be installed slightly differently with the BS10 table'F' oval flanges in the vertical. The photographs show the failed unit in situ from the tower scaffold, with the new unit outside the works awaiting shipment to site.