Flexible metal pipe is widely used in many fields, and its bending radius is an important performance indicator. The bending radius limit is closely related to the structural design of flexible metal pipe. In-depth understanding of this relationship is essential for the reasonable selection and use of flexible metal pipe.
Flexible metal pipe is usually composed of metal bellows, inner and outer protective sleeves and connectors. Metal bellows is a key component to achieve flexibility. It is generally made of multiple layers of metal sheets through a special process and has a certain elasticity and bendability. The inner and outer protective sleeves protect the bellows from external damage and corrosion, and can also enhance the overall strength of the pipe to a certain extent. The connector is used to connect the flexible metal pipe with other equipment or pipelines to ensure the sealing and stability of the connection.
The structural parameters of the bellows, such as wave height, wave pitch, wall thickness, etc., directly affect the bending radius limit of the flexible metal pipe. Corrugated pipes with larger wave height and wider wave pitch can provide more deformation space when bending, so they can adapt to smaller bending radius. On the contrary, corrugated pipes with smaller wave height and denser wave pitch have relatively weak deformation ability and require a larger bending radius to avoid excessive deformation or damage. In addition, the wall thickness of the corrugated pipe will also affect the bending performance. Corrugated pipes with thicker walls have higher strength, but relatively poor flexibility, and a larger bending radius limit; while corrugated pipes with thinner walls have good flexibility, but may not have sufficient strength, and are prone to local deformation or rupture when bending, which will also limit the bending radius.
Some flexible metal pipes have a multi-layer structure, and the number of layers is also related to the bending radius. The multi-layer structure can increase the strength and stability of the corrugated pipe, and at the same time share the stress when bending, making the pipe easier to bend. Generally speaking, flexible metal pipes with more layers can work at a smaller bending radius because the multi-layer structure can better withstand the tension and pressure generated when bending. However, too many layers will also increase the weight and cost of the pipe, and reduce its flexibility to a certain extent, so it is necessary to balance strength and flexibility to determine the appropriate number of layers and bending radius.
Although the inner and outer protective sleeves are not components that directly affect the bending performance of the flexible metal pipe, they also have a certain effect on the bending radius. The protective sleeve can limit the radial deformation of the bellows when bending, prevent it from over-expanding or contracting, and ensure that the bellows can work normally within a certain bending radius. At the same time, the material and structure of the protective sleeve will also affect the overall stiffness of the pipe. If the protective sleeve is too hard, it will limit the bending of the bellows and increase the bending radius; if the protective sleeve is too soft, it will not provide sufficient support, which may cause the bellows to be unstable when bending, affecting the lower limit of the bending radius.
The design of the connector will also indirectly affect the bending radius of the flexible metal pipe. Factors such as the length, shape and connection method of the connector with the bellows will affect the stress distribution of the pipe when bending. If the connector design is unreasonable, a large stress concentration may occur during the bending process, causing the bellows to be prone to fatigue damage or rupture at the connection part, thereby limiting the bending radius of the pipe. Therefore, a reasonable connector design should try to evenly distribute the stress and reduce the adverse effects on the bending radius.
The bending radius limit of the flexible metal pipe is closely related to its structural design. The structural parameters and number of layers of the corrugated pipe, the material and structure of the protective sleeve, and the design of the connector will affect the bending performance and bending radius limit of the flexible metal pipe in different ways. When designing, selecting and using flexible metal pipe, it is necessary to comprehensively consider these factors and optimize the structural design according to the specific application scenarios and requirements to ensure that the flexible metal pipe can work reliably and perform at its best under the premise of meeting the bending radius limit.
