Leaking Metallic Bellows

1. Are you able to shut off the steam for any length of time?
2. Excuse the stupid question, but I guess there is no bypass line?
3. Can you install a temporary bypass line? Are there two closed valves to tie into?
   

Also,

• what's the steam temperature/pressure?
• What size of line?
• What flowrate?
• Did you just manufacture a sleeve yourself? Or did you have a professional job done by a company that specializes in leak sealing? For example (just random search):
• http://www.energy-designers-constructors.com/leak_sealing_equipment.htm

Cheaper option (comparatively):

Go for 'On-Line Leak Sealing (like Furmanite). Of course you may need to remove your present clamps which may lead to bigger leak and dangerous too.

Sure option: Make bypass using 'hot tapping' technique. You may have to isolate the Leakey spot after making the bypass which could be difficult.

In all cases take precautions of the 'primary purpose' of having this metallic bellow (for mis-alignment or expansion). Making this bellow rigid may affect the primary purpose of its existence.

make a hot tapping with a suitable valve, install a new metallic bellow and connect it to the system and if giving same required response, then we can isolate this defected bellow by its upsteam isolation valve if any; otherwise make another hot tapping upstream of the defected bellow and insert a ballon from suitable material to accomodate the steam presdssure and temperature and connected through control valves to the same steam.

Thanks

Medhat Ismail

A/Technical Manager

Emirates SembCorp Water & Power Co

Fujairah Water & Power Plant

P.O.BOX : 3020, Qidfa – Fujairah

Tel : Extn : 688

+971.9.2088988 (Direct)

+971.55.9905751 (Mobile)

Email : medhat.ismail@emsembcorp.com,

biomy56@hotmail.com

Pl contact us with the PID of the system.

B V RAO

PURNA DESIGN ENGINEERS PVT LTD

INDIA

EM: purna.design@gmail.com

Would self vulcanazing rubber tape help...? If not too much pressure it may be be a temporary solution untill you can fix permanently? Wangito.

Sounds like you need a stop gap fix until the system can be shut down and the bellows replaced.

1. Consider making a boot that could be placed over the bellows. A few calculations on pressure and size would have to be run to verify that the boot would be adequate.

2. Consider building a box around the leaking bellows and putting a lid. Either the box or the lid will require a valve. While installing the lid, the valve would be open allowing the pressurized steam to escape. After the lid is secured, close the valve. The box would have to be a pressure vessel.

I am sure that you that whatever you do, it will have to be done with great care as an error could be catastrophic or fatal.

This is cool!

I may highlight two (A)&(B)options:

A) By Ice Plugging:

1- isolate the process piping system from both ends and let it cool down.

2- Mark the leaking point/s.

3- jacket the near by ends to introduce external nitrogen to freeze and plug the internal fluid...

4- cut and replace the leaking part, you may use flange connections.

B) By Sleeving upon ice plugging both ends

after ice isolation took place, sleeve well the leaking portion by welding two halves pipe larger in diameter than the concerned leaking pipe.

There are lots of options, but due to limited given information, I hope I made my contribution clear enough for the above call.

Sami JR

TechExp, Director

www.techexp.co.cc

info@techexp.co.cc