Bellows High Pressure Burst Testing

CRP has been undertaking a process of revalidating historic test work on PTFE bellows because of the improved performance achieved following recent changes to manufacturing methods and materials.  Key to this are pressure increase tests undertaken by TÜV, delivering pressure in small increments over an extended period of time at high temperatures.  These unforgiving tests replicate the effects of creep or cold flow of the PTFE over time and provide a measure of the potential lifetime performance of the bellows.
Part of the testing regime is a simple burst test, but there is nothing simple about testing a bellows at pressures approaching 30 Bar and waiting for it to burst, whilst planning not to shower the town in water!  Take a look at the photograph below.  This is what can be done to a DN500 (20 inch) bellows when we really try.
All this enables CRP to provide a sound foundation to base its claim that these really are high performance bellows.

And this is what happend to our test tank!