Metraloop Expansion Loop

Compensate for thermal expansion and/or seismic pipe movement with the Metraloop expansion system

The Metraloop expansion joint compensates for thermal expansion and seismic pipe movement without thrust loads and requires little or no guiding. The Metraloop flexes before the pipe begins to bow and before any significant loads are imposed at anchor points to the building.

The old way

Traditional expansion jointmethods, bellows or hard pipe loops, require either tremendous space or significant additional engineering.

Thrust loads, created by bellows type joints, are transferred to the pipe and in turn to the structure. Accommodating these loads require engineered anchors and exacting pipe guide placement.

The Metraloop expansion system offers the path of least resistance for engineers, contactors, owners and your piping.

By placing bellows perpendicular to the pipe run and enclosing them in flexible stainless steel braid, no pressure thrust loads are imposed on the piping when the system is pressurized.

The MetraLoop bellows (legs) see only lateral movement and the forces required to move the legs laterally (lateral spring rates) are extremely low. The MetraLoop becomes the path of least resistance for thermal expansion or seismic movement.

The MetraLoop flexes before the pipe begins to bow and before any significant loads are imposed at anchor points to the building. This is a crucial consideration for seismic bracing.

The number of pipe guides, if needed at all, are significantly reduced and anchor design can many times be left for a field fabricated solution.

All metallic, all welded construction, MetraLoop expansion joints are available with almost any end fittings and sizes up to 24-inches in diameter.

Metraloop® Joint vs. Bellows Expansion Joints and Hard Pipe Loops

Metraloop reduces overall project costs.

One of the greatest advantages of the Metraloop joint design is how it reduces overall project costs. Take a look at the example shown here - a typical installation in a commercial building with operating conditions of:

• Pipe – 6 inch schedule 40
• Movement – 4" axial compression
• Pressure – 150 PSI
• Temperature – 300° F
• Length of run – 177 feet

Metraloop joints anchor load is just 202 lbs. – 74% less than hard pipe loops (780 lbs.) and 98% less than bellows-type expansion joints (a whopping 12,800 lbs.) That means no expensive thrust blocks or heavy-duty main anchors are required.

Reduced Anchor Costs

In this situation, only two pipe guides are required per Metraloop, compared to four – or even more – required for bellows-type expansion joints. The result is...

There's no limit to the seismic applications that Metraloop can handle. It can even be designed with lined hose for high velocity, double-braid for high pressures, and all stainless steel construction for media compatibility.

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