Vibration Isolation and Thermal Expansion Absorption for Industrial Ducting

Skytech Ultrafab Flexible Fabric Bellow Connectors are high-strength expansion joints manufactured from coated woven fibreglass, silicone-coated fibreglass, neoprene, EPDM, or PTFE-coated fabrics to absorb thermal expansion, mechanical vibration, and misalignment in ductwork. Custom fabricated to any flange dimension, shape, and material specification, our bellow connectors prevent fatigue cracking of rigid ducting and reduce noise transmission across connected equipment.

What Are Flexible Fabric Bellow Connectors?

Flexible fabric bellow connectors (also called fabric expansion joints or flexible duct connectors) are sections of flexible, heat-resistant coated fabric inserted between two rigid duct flanges. They allow relative movement between connected duct sections — accommodating thermal expansion, equipment vibration, minor misalignment, and settlement — without transmitting mechanical stress to the rigid ductwork or connected equipment. In baghouse and dust collection systems, flexible connectors are used at fan inlets and outlets, at baghouse inlet plenums, and wherever ducting transitions between equipment with different vibration characteristics.

Features and Benefits

• Thermal Expansion Absorption: Flexible bellows accommodate duct elongation and contraction from thermal cycling — preventing thermal stress fatigue cracking of rigid duct sections and flange connections
• Vibration Isolation: Fabric bellow construction decouples rotating equipment (fans, compressors) vibration from connected ducting — reducing noise and preventing vibration-induced fatigue failure of duct connections
• Wide Temperature Range: PTFE-coated fibreglass covers -50°C to +550°C; silicone-coated fibreglass -60°C to +230°C; neoprene/EPDM for ambient to +150°C applications
• Custom Shape and Size: Manufactured in any cross-section — round, square, rectangular, oval — and any flange dimension, with bellows height and layer count specified for the required movement and pressure
• Chemical Resistance Options: PTFE-coated fibreglass for acid gas and chemical duct service; silicone for high-temperature clean air; EPDM for moisture and mild acid condensation environments
• Multiple Ply Construction: Single, double, and triple-ply fabric constructions for increasing pressure ratings — up to 250 mbar positive and negative pressure for high-resistance duct systems

Technical Specifications

Applications

• Baghouse and Dust Collector Ducting: Fan inlet and outlet flexible connections, baghouse inlet plenum connectors, and rotary valve discharge duct connections in industrial dust collection systems
• Cement and Minerals: Kiln, raw mill, and cement silo vent duct flexible connections — PTFE-coated glass handles the high temperature and abrasive dust in cement plant ducting systems
• Power Generation: Boiler flue gas duct expansion joints between ESP, baghouse, and stack ductwork — accommodating thermal growth of large high-temperature flue gas systems
• Chemical Industry: Acid and corrosive gas duct flexible connectors in chemical plant ventilation and fume extraction systems — PTFE-coated glass for full pH 0–14 chemical resistance
• HVAC and Ventilation: Fan vibration isolation connectors in commercial and industrial HVAC systems — neoprene and EPDM bellows for ambient temperature air handling systems

Why Choose Skytech Ultrafab for Flexible Fabric Bellow Connectors?

• Custom Fabrication Capability: Any shape, size, flange pattern, and material combination fabricated to drawing — no standard size constraint on flexible bellow connector production
• Wide Material Range: Five major material options covering -60°C to +550°C and pH 0–14 from a single supplier — the right specification matched to each duct service condition
• Pressure-Rated Design: Bellow layer count and fabric weight selected to meet the positive and negative pressure requirements of each duct system — not a standard one-size product
• Fast Delivery: Common round sizes in PTFE-coated glass and silicone fabric available from pre-cut stock for rapid delivery; custom shapes within 7–10 working days
• Installation Support: Technical drawings and installation guidance provided with every bellow connector order — ensuring correct fitment, bolt torque, and operational movement clearances