INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, NIRMA UNIVERSITY, AHMEDABAD – 382 481, 08-10 DECEMBER, 2011
Design & Analysis of Bellows Free Cryogenic
Transfer Line
A. Amit Thakkar* and B. Mayank I. Vyas
A. M.E. Student, L.D. College of Engineering
B. Professor, L.D. College of Engineering
Abstract--Cryogenic transfer line is one of the major components
used in any cryogenic system. This transfer line is used to
transport cryogenic liquid from one system to the application at
very low temp. Due to low temp, the cryogenic transfer line tends
to contract. To avoid the thermal stress, bellows are generally
used. But there bellows are not very reliable under the cyclic loads
and they are weak points to have leaks. The reliability is essential
in case of space technology and other closed systems which cannot
be opened easily. To make the system reliable, bellows free
transfer line can be designed, which is now very challenging task.
This paper describes the Thermo Structural design & Analysis of
bellow free transfer line.
Index Terms--Ansys, Bellow free, Invar, Transfer lines.
I. INTRODUCTION
C ryogenic transfer line is one of the major components
used in any cryogenic system. This transfer line is used to
transport cryogenic liquid from one system to the
application at very low temp. During the flow of the cryo-
fluid, the transfer line should be well insulated otherwise
required condition of cryo-fluid at the application can’t be
supplied. The insulation to these cryo transfer line is
provided with the help of static vacuum. Among static
vacuum insulated transfer lines, there are many different
designs to choose from including flexible pipe, rigid pipe,
internal bellows, external bellows and Invar. The most
reliable transfer line is without bellows; which can be
produced by using the INVAR material. Invar material can
lead to bellow free transfer line. The unique feature of a
static vacuum bellow free transfer line is that the
performance over time does not change & there is no
possibility of leaking. This type of transfer lines are used in
small systems having very high reliability and within the
constrained space for installation.
1
Fig. 1. Difference between the Austenitic line and Invar Transfer line [1]
Austenitic
stainless steel
Invar Piping
II. INVAR – THE MATERIAL
The material has to be selected very carefully for cryogenic
applications because of following reasons (i) The strength of
the material changes. (ii) The thermal conductivity of the
material changes. (iii) The material contracts and produces the
thermal stress. (iv) Material modulus may change. (v) Many
materials undergo phase changes (i.e. becomes brittle) etc.
Hence all the above points should be checked as per the design
criteria to select the proper material. The material should also
be selected on the basis of fabrication, joining with other
materials, cost and compliance with regulatory codes.
INVAR is used to make the bellow free transfer lines. Invar,
also known generically as FeNi36 (64FeNi in the US), is
a nickel steel alloy notable for its uniquely low coefficient of
thermal expansion (CTE or α). It was invented in 1896 by
Swiss scientist Charles Édouard Guillaume. He received
the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1920 for this discovery, which
shows the importance of this alloy in scientific instruments.
"Invar" is a registered trademark of Arcelor Mittal, but
FeNi36 is also manufactured by Japanese companies. Like
other nickel / iron compositions, Invar is a solid solution; that
is, it is a single-phase alloy. The name "Invar" comes from
the word invariable, referring to its lack of expansion or
contraction with temperature changes. The invar material has
different composition as per their applications. Invar-36 is
used for cryogenic applications so It is used for bellows free
transfer line.
2 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CURRENT TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY, ‘NUiCONE – 2011’

TABLE I stresses, generally the bellows are attached with the lines
DIFFERENT GRADES OF INVAR MATERIALS
or sometimes bends have bend given in the straight line.
Different materials are also used at different
Grade Ni Co Fe
temperatures. As we have to design the bellow free
Invar 36 < 0.4 Remainder transfer line, so as per the literature survey Invar has to be
Invar- used.
36 < 0.2 Remainder
M93 Induced thermal stress can be calculated by the following
Inovar 36 < 0.1 Remainder relation:
Microvar 36 0.25 Remainder
Inovco 33 4.5 Remainder σ th = E.*εth

Where
E = Young’s Modulus
III. PROBLEM FORMULATION εth = Thermal strain, this strain can be found as
Transfer line is required to cater the liquid from the storage
ε th = α .(troom − tcryofluid )
tank to the point of application. Cryo transfer line can be from
few meters to hundreds of meter. But bellow free transfer is
generally used in the small length required by the system, α = Coefficient of thermal contraction
because it is not very economic. But small systems are using troom = Room temperature or atmospheric temp.
bellow free transfer lines due to its high reliability. tcyrofluid = Cryo fluid temp. or temp up to which it is
cooled
1) Technical specifications required
(After technical discussion with I.P.R. Taken Data) The change in the length due to thermal contraction can be
found out by
Type of transfer line : Bellow Free
Operating pressure : 2 bar ∆L = ε th .L
Operating temperature : 80 K Where
Cryo fluid used : LN2 L = Original Length of the process tube
Length of the transfer line : 5 m
Number of bends : Zero (Only straight transfer line) 4) Fluid Properties
Mass flow rate : 2000 litres/hour
Allowable pr. drop per meter : 50 Pa Liquid nitrogen is used as the working fluid, which is at
Insulation : Vacuum & MLI the sub-cooled condition. The fluid properties are taken at 2
Configuration : Rigid bar and 80 K. The following properties are necessary for the
Cryo fluid condition : Sub-cooled design point of view:
Max. allowable deflection : 1 mm
Density : 794.11 kg/m3
2) Assumptions Viscosity : 1.45E-04 Pa-sec
Velocity of sound : 825.95 m/sec
A. Single phase liquid i.e. quality of the liquid does not Specific heat (Cp) : 2.05 kJ/kgK
change Specific heat (Cv) : 1.06 kJ/kgK
B. Configuration of line should be completely straight
Gamma (Ratio of Cp & Cv) : 1.93
without any bends
C. Only MLI and vacuum insulated lines are considered.
No other type of insulation is considered.
D. Frictional, entry and exit loss is considered only

3) Design Methodology

When any transfer line cool down from room

temperature to the cryo fluid temperature then the 5) Results
transfer line contracts. If the ends of the transfer lines are
fixed then thermal stress are generated in the transfer TABLE II
line. The ends of transfer lines are fixed due to the Design summary & comparison of process lines designed
stationary systems attached at the ends. The contraction of for INVAR & SS
the lines gives the thermal stress to the transfer line.
Thermal stress must be taken care of during the
design of the transfer line. To overcome the thermal
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, NIRMA UNIVERSITY, AHMEDABAD – 382 481, 08-10 DECEMBER, 2011 3

INVAR
Sr. Parameter SS Transfer
Transfer
No. Name Line
Line
Contraction of
1 -1.79 mm -14.79 mm
the process line
2 Axial Stress 50.12 MPa 588.00 MPa
Bellow / U-Loop NOT
3 REQUIRED
requirement REQUIRED

IV. INPUT DATA FOR ANSYS ANALYSIS

1) Technical Specification required

A. Inner diameter of the INVAR line : 45 mm (45 x 10-3 m)

B. Thickness of the line: 1.65 mm (1.65 x 10-3 m)

Fig. 2. Max. Displacement at the free end of process line
C. Outer diameter of the INVAR line:48.3mm(48.3x10-3 m)
The maximum displacement at the free end as per above Fig-2.
D. Length of the INVAR line: 5m = -0.001784 m = -1.784 mm

2) Analysis 7) Thermal stress due to thermal contraction

A. Mode: Thermo - Structural For the thermal stress, the other end of the process line is
also constrained. The thermal contraction has to be restricted
B. Type: Static
to get the thermal stress.

3) Element

Solid45 element is used; this element supports the

thermal contraction, temperature and structural properties.

4) Model Statistics

Number of volume :1
Number of areas :6
Number of lines : 20
Number of key points : 16
Number of elements : 16000
Number of nodes : 32080

5) Loads

Loads are given as the body loads and defined in terms of the
of temperature because here temperature is decreasing from
300 K to 80 K.
Reference temperature of the process line: 300 K Fig. 3. Stress distribution of process line
Uniform temperature of the process line: 80 K

6) Material Properties

Material Number :1
Material type : Isotropic
Young’s modulus, EX : 140E+9
Poisson’s ratio, PRXY : 0.3
Thermal Contraction, ALPX : 1.62E-06
Density : 8118 kg/m3
4 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CURRENT TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY, ‘NUiCONE – 2011’

Ratio
FE
Parameter Analytical (Analytical
Analysis
/ANSYS)
Thermal
-1.79mm -1.784mm 1.003
contraction
Thermal
50.12Mpa 50.02MPa 1.001
stress
the type of transfer lines behaves same but the major difference
in both the transfer line is requirement of bellows only.
Fig. 4 Stress Vs Length graph of process line INVAR transfer lines do not require any bellow while the SS
transfer lines requires bellow or U-loop
The above graph shows that the stress varies from 32.98 MPa
to the 85.50 MPa. But these minimum and maximum stresses
are at the ends only; hence these stresses will not be counted
VI. REFERENCES
for the stress finding along the process line. The stress along
the transfer line is between 48.73 MPa and 53.99 MPa. The [1] “Realization of Invar Alloy LNG piping” by Takehiko Edamitsu; Osaka
exact value can be found out by checking the graph by Gas Co., Ltd. Shuji Yamamoto; Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. Muneji Ujita; Osaka Gas
Co., Ltd.; Taketo Yamakawa; Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.; Setsuji
magnifying the graph between the length 0.5 to 4.5 m and the Kishimoto; Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. Keiichi Nakamura; Sumitomo
stress value from 50 MPa to 52 MPa. Metal Industries, LTD. Keiichi Yamamoto; Sumitomo Metal Industries.

From range of 50 to 52 MPa; Stress value is
between the 50 MPa to 50.20 MPa, which is shown in the Fig
5.
[2] “Long, Bellows-Free Vertical Helium Transfer Lines for the LHC
Cryogenic s ystem” by Gruehagen H. LHC Division, CERN, 1211 Geneva
23, Switzerland, Posselt H & Weber J. LINDE AG, Linde Engineering
Division, D-82049 Hoellriegelskreuth, Germany., Ahlers H. BABCOCK
NOELL NUCLEAR GmbH, site D-46049 Oberhausen, Germany.

[3] “Cryogenic Engineering” by R.A. Barron.

[4] ASME Codes for the mechanical design etc.

[5]Technical Discussion with I.P.R BHAT Gandhinagar etc.

[6] Use analysis software ANSYS.

Fig. 5 Magnification of Stress Vs Length graph of process line

8) Results
TABLE III
Comparison of result between Analytical design & FE
Analysis for INVAR.

V. CONCLUSION
From the above result summary of design & analysis for the
cryogenic transfer lines, it can be concluded that the SS
transfer lines can be replaced with INVAR transfer lines. Both