Extending Expansion Joint Service Life Six Times in Ethanol Plant

The Style 204 family of spool-type expansion joints are manufactured with the industry standard narrow arch design. This style is intended to be used in dynamic conditions where both pressure and vacuum concerns are present.

Features & Benefits of Style 204 Expansion Joints

  • Fully laboratory and field tested for long life and exceptional reliability
  • High pressure and vacuum resistance offer increased safety and ensure suitability for a wide range of applications
  • Single and multi-arch designs are available for a range of movement capabilities
  • Concentric and eccentric reducing configurations can be provided to join piping of unequal diameters
  • Available in a variety of elastomers and fabric combinations to meet the varied demands of temperature, pressure, and media

INDUSTRY

Oil and Gas - Ethanol Plant

OBSERVATION OF ISSUE(S)

Mill personnel reported using expansion joints (non- Garlock) that were failing prematurely. The critical joints located on the discharge side of the evaporator system experienced failures in less than 12 months of service, sometimes as early as 6 months. These expansion joints often failed unexpectedly, leading to serious safety concerns and unplanned downtime.

COMPANY BACKGROUND

A large North American ethanol manufacturer, uses local non-food grade quality grain and corn to produce more than 130 million liters of ethanol annually. This ethanol is then utilized to manufacture various oil products such as asphalt, light distillate, and distillate kerosene.

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OPERATING CONDITIONS

  • Size: 12” ID x 12” Full Face
  • Temperature: 194 ̊F (90 ̊C)
  • Application: Evaporator pump (discharge)
  • Media: Sodium hydroxide, slurry (35% solids, pH around 4), 5% sodium hydroxide solution, 5-10% sulfamic acid solution, trace amounts of ethanol (negligible)
  • Pressure: 75 psi (5.17 bar)

SOLUTION AND BENEFITS TO STYLE 204

Upon reviewing the operating conditions, Garlock’s Application Engineering team identified abrasion and chemical compatibility as the most significant challenges to service life. To address this, they recommended Garlock Expansion Joint Style 204 with an EPDM tube for chemical compatibility and a stainless-steel flow liner for increased abrasion resistance.

After one year of service, the end user returned the part to Garlock for review and recommendations. It was determined that the joint exhibited normal wear and had not experienced any structural integrity deterioration. With routine in-service inspections, these expansion joints have seen a service life increase from 6 months to over 3 years, thereby reducing overall downtime and safety concerns related to joint failure.

The original content for this case study can be found on Garlock's website here.

For more information about expansion joints, or if you are interested in this product, contact Gallagher Fluid Seals today.