In industrial plants and in many HVAC applications, there are pipes that connect the units to each other for the passage of water or gas. In this type of installation, we tend to use anti-vibration mounts to isolate the machines, but we always forget to analyze the vibrations transmitted to the pipes that, remaining without anti-vibration mounts and/or joints, can create problems for the entire system, causing in some situations even breakage or detachment of the pipe.
Soleco, a leading company in vibration isolation and anti-vibration design, studies ad hoc systems for its customers who need to isolate the entire system, from the machine to all rigid connections at the input or output. The proposed solution is based on the use of spring suspensions and anti-vibration joints that make the entire system flexible so that in the event of oscillations due to lateral thrusts, such as in the event of an earthquake, the entire system can move freely and there are no breakages between the connections. In the OIL&GAS sector, the systems have significant dimensions and the loads to be supported increase in capacity. For this reason, pipes have significantly larger dimensions compared to standard industrial systems.
For this special application, Soleco technicians have developed springs with high deflections capable of supporting greater loads. In the event that the pipes exceed one meter in diameter, a normal anti-vibration device is supplied that is sized specifically for both structure and spring height, which is not used for traction, as in the case of suspensions, but works in compression like a normal spring anti-vibration device. Teflon sheets have been applied to these special anti-vibration devices that are able to slide the pipe over the device and ensure the return to stability following lateral thrusts due to vibrations generated by the system and its operation or by unpredictable events such as earthquakes. Another case in which Soleco selects the type of suspension spring anti-vibration devices for its customers is when the unit is installed directly on the ceiling or anchored to small structures.
As an example, we can take the ventilation units present inside highway or subway tunnels. In these places, which are surrounded by people every day, fires can break out or emergency situations can arise. The fans, more precisely called jet fans, are essential to ensure air circulation inside the tunnel even in the event of emergencies. The ventilation units can be installed at different distances from each other and depending on the power of the air flow they must produce; they can have different dimensions. Generally, all fans produce vibrations that can be included in the low frequencies, as the rotation speed of the motor is less than 1500 rpm. To isolate the vibrations generated, it is no longer sufficient to use rubber dampers, but it is necessary to provide high deflection spring systems.
In the case of jet fans, Soleco proposes the use of suspension spring anti-vibration mounts. This type of anti-vibration mount can be studied in the design, using an external steel case to not only isolate the vibrations of the unit, but also ensure stable support for the machine and prevent it from being damaged or, in the worst cases, falling. In particular applications, where seismic certification is required, Soleco has supplied the anti-seismic series Certified for traction use, adding components to the external structure and thus transforming a compression anti-vibration mount into a spring suspension. It is also possible that there are special requests if the installation takes place in particular environments. Soleco can supply suspension spring anti-vibration mounts completely in stainless steel, including the spring or with special painting.