Large Expansion Joints Built for RFCCU in Korea

After many successful contracts, Senior Flexonics Pathway has established itself as the leading supplier in the international expansion joint market. Senior Flexonics Pathway reinforces it’s position with the award of two contracts to provide expansion joints for the Honam Oil Refi nery located in Yocheon, Korea.

In February of 1994, Senior Flexonics Pathway was requested to supply two process expansion joints, including the spent catalyst expansion joint. Both expansion joints utilized two ply testable bellows construction and Senior Flexonics Pathway Red Tops allowing simultaneous inner ply leak detection and, if necessary, continued safe operation while planning for repair of the leaking bellows. The cold shell spent catalyst design also utilized a pantograph to equally distribute the movement between the bellows elements while supporting the weight of the centerspool section (photo above features a 50” OD spent catalyst expansion joint with pantographic linkage, SO #E531 0).

In November of 1994, Senior Flexonics Pathway once again teamed up with Honam to manufacture 13 fl ue gas expansion joints to be used in the installation of a new power recovery system. Senior Flexonics Pathway accepted the contract with the understanding that timing was critical due to extensive competition in Korea with other new refi neries. Lucky Engineering in Seoul, Refi nery Technologies in Houston, Texas and Senior Flexonics Pathway worked together to successfully ship 500,000 pounds of expansion joint hardware by mid-April, 1995. The 13 expansion joints ranged in diameter from 51 “ to 107”.

Design media temperatures and pressures ranged for 970OF and 3 psig to 75 psig respectively.