Key Features
- Stainless steel construction
- Adjustable height
- Stable support
- Easy assembly
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Structure and Support
Structure and Support
Structure and Support
Structural support components for glassware systems and equipment.
Structure and Support Overview
Glass plants and associated pipeline assemblies require proper structural support to avoid undue stress on glass components. The support system must be rigid and designed so the glass remains under compression. A common solution is a framework of galvanized mild steel tubular structures connected with cast iron or stainless steel fittings. Such a modular frame offers both strength and flexibility for future adaptations. In practice, the support structure is rectilinear, braced to walls or rigid features to provide lateral stability. Glass columns are anchored at a fixed base that carries the column weight. To account for differential thermal expansion, above the fixed point, guides or sliding supports are used to permit vertical movement without inducing bending or stress in the glass. The structural tubing is available in sizes (½″, 1″, 1¼″, 1½″, 2″) and in materials including galvanised steel, epoxy-coated steel, and stainless steel grades 304/316. Tubes can be cut to lengths required for column uprights or frame elements, with rubber plugs fitted at open ends to prevent ingress of foreign matter.
Specifications
**Tubing Options**
– Sizes: ½″ (NB 15 mm), 1″ (NB 25 mm), 1¼″ (NB 30 mm), 1½″ (NB 40 mm), 2″ (NB 50 mm)
– External diameters: 19.5 mm, 32.5 mm, 41.5 mm, 48.3 mm, 60.3 mm respectively
– Material variants: galvanized mild steel, epoxy-coated mild steel, stainless steel (304, 316)
**Cut Lengths & Frame Elements**Â
– Vertical installation lengths up to 6,000 mm, depending on NB category
– Frame dimensions: multiples of standard sizes (400, 500, 600, 800, 1,000, 1,200, 1,500 mm)
**Support and Fittings**
– Fittings: cast iron, also available in stainless steel grades, sliding type with grub screws for adjustable positioning
– Base fittings include holes for foundation bolts
– Couplers, bends, tees, double bends, double tees, equal & unequal brackets, crosses, support clamps, plugs, studs are all catalogued for compatibility
**Design Guidelines**
– For each column diameter (DN) and vessel size, minimum structure depth × width dimensions are prescribed
– Channel frames (column base support frames) are supplied with full threaded jacking rods and U-bolts, with specific catalog references, PCD, L, H values for various sizes (e.g. FCSH225 through FCSH600)
Applications
This structural system is applicable for all glass-based industrial systems including:
– Support frameworks for vertical glass columns used in distillation, absorption, or extraction equipment
– Holding and bracing glass reactor and vessel assemblies, especially in modular or skidded installations
– Support for pipelines and glassware modules where rigid alignment is critical
– Retrofitting or expansion of existing glass plants where future modifications might be needed
– Cases where differential thermal expansion must be accommodated to prevent glass stress