Buy Rubber Bellows Online in Australia
Rubber Pipe Bellows & Flexible Joints — Quick Reference
AAP rubber pipe bellows are used in industrial pipeline systems to absorb vibration, thermal movement, and minor misalignment between flanged pipe sections. Available in EPDM and NBR rubber compounds; sized DN 50 to DN 250 (2" to 10"); supplied with Table-E, ANSI 150 or BS 4504 PN16 flange faces to match common Australian and international piping standards.
| Spec | Range / Standard |
|---|---|
| Materials | EPDM (water, steam, chemicals) · NBR (oil, fuel, hydrocarbons) |
| Sizes | DN 50, 65, 80, 100, 125, 150, 200, 250 mm (2"–10") |
| Flange standards | Table-E (AS 4087), ANSI B16.5 Class 150, BS 4504 PN16 |
| Working pressure | Up to 16 bar (Class 150 equivalent) — verify per specific model |
| Working temperature | EPDM: –40 °C to +120 °C · NBR: –20 °C to +100 °C |
| Movement absorbed | Axial, lateral and angular — refer manufacturer's published values |
Materials — EPDM vs NBR
EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) rubber is the right choice for water service, cooling circuits, steam, and most aqueous chemical applications. EPDM resists heat, weathering, ozone and dilute acids well. It is NOT suited to mineral oil, fuel or hydrocarbon service — those will swell and degrade EPDM rubber.
NBR (Nitrile / Buna-N) rubber is the standard for oil and fuel service — diesel, hydraulic oil, lubricating oils, LPG and other petroleum-based media. NBR has poor weathering resistance compared to EPDM, so for outdoor pipework carrying water, prefer EPDM. For chemical compatibility queries on specific media, call our team — material selection on bellows is critical because failure typically means a leak and downtime.
Flange Standards — Table-E vs ANSI 150 vs BS 4504
Table-E (AS 4087) is the Australian water industry standard for cast iron and ductile iron flanges. It is widely used in municipal water, wastewater, fire service and irrigation pipework. The dimensions differ from ANSI 150 — Table-E flanges will NOT bolt up to ANSI flanges of the same nominal size. Specify Table-E when matching existing Australian water pipework.
ANSI 150 (ASME B16.5 Class 150) is the US-derived flange standard common in process plant, chemical and oil-and-gas piping. It is the dominant standard for imported skid-mounted equipment, pumps and process modules. ANSI 150 covers up to 285 psi at ambient temperature.
BS 4504 PN16 is the European metric standard. PN16 = 16 bar nominal pressure. Common on imported European pumps, chemical equipment and process plant. PN16 dimensions differ from both Table-E and ANSI 150.
Applications
- Pump suction and discharge — absorbs pump vibration before it transmits into rigid pipework, extending pipe and fitting fatigue life
- HVAC chilled water and condenser circuits — accommodates thermal expansion across long pipe runs
- Cooling tower circuits — handles thermal cycling and equipment vibration
- Chemical process pipelines — absorbs movement at vessels, exchangers and pump skids
- Diesel and fuel transfer (NBR only) — pump skids, generator fuel lines, tank farm transfer
- Mining and quarry slurry circuits — vibration isolation for thickener and dewatering plant
Sizing & Installation
Bellow length and movement capacity are specified per manufacturer. Two common installation rules: (1) bellows must NOT be used to correct gross pipework misalignment — they are designed for movement absorption, not joint repair; and (2) anchor and guide brackets must be installed either side of the bellows to prevent pressure thrust extending the unit beyond its design movement. For high-pressure or large-bore applications, control rod assemblies may be required to limit elongation under fault conditions. For specification help, call (02) 9773 0122 or contact our team.
Companion ranges at AIMS
Rubber bellows sit within our broader pipes, tubes & fittings range. For threaded pipe connections, see pipe fittings. For sealing and gasket selection, see gaskets and our spiral wound gasket guide. For hose-based flexible connections (vs flanged bellows), see hoses and hydraulic hoses.