1

Solon Belleville Springs®

Solon Flange Washers®

Solon Disc Springs®

Solon Manufacturing Co.www.solonmfg.com

2

Section I

What is a Belleville Spring?

Section II

Applications of Belleville Springs

Section III

How to Select a Belleville Spring

3

What is a Belleville

Spring?Section I

Comprised of 5 Main Components

1. Outside Diameter

2. Inside Diameter

3. Material Thickness

4. Overall Height

5. Deflection or Movement (h)

Typical Belleville Spring

OD

h

ID

H

Load/Deflection Curve

Typical Load Curve

for a

Belleville Spring

Other Multiple Load/ Deflection

Possibilities depending on the

design of the Belleville Spring

Single Belleville Spring

1500 lb. Flat Load

(Example)

0 10 15 200

500

750

1000

1250

1500

Load

Deflection

Belleville Spring with 1500lb/6889kg Flat Load

No Load

0%

0lbs/0kg

33%

500lbs/227kg

66%

1000lbs/454kg

1500lbs/680kg

Flat

100%

Stacking Arrangements

of Solon Belleville Springs

SingleSpecific load and deflection

SeriesDoubles deflection

No load increase

ParallelDoubles load

No deflection increase

Parallel / SeriesDoubles load

Doubles deflection

Flat load, deflection, or both may be altered by stacking Belleville springs in

various arrangements

Deflection Chart

Deflection

0 20 40 600

250

500

750

1000

1250

Lo

ad

Load vs. Deflection (Theory)

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

20000

0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.035 0.04

LO

AD

( L

BS

)

DEFLECTION (in)

LOAD vs DEFLECTION FOR SINGLE SPRING

Solon Specification Sheet

Load vs. Deflection (Reality)

0.0

5000.0

10000.0

15000.0

20000.0

25000.0

30000.0

0.000 0.005 0.010 0.015 0.020 0.025 0.030 0.035 0.040

LO

AD

(L

BS

.)

DEFLECTION (IN.)

LOAD / DEFLECTION CURVE

Typical OrientationBelleville Spring

with

No Load

0%

Belleville Spring

Flat

100%

16

Applications of

Belleville SpringsSection II

Flange Live Loading

Why Do Bolted

Gasketed Joints Leak?

Selection Factors for Flange Washer

Materials

Operating Temperature◦ ½ Process Temperature (non-insulated)

Gasket Material

Gasket Stress/Bolt Stress

Environment◦ Chlorides or Fluorides

Insulation

H-13 Tool Steel

17-7 PH Stainless Steel

Inconel 718

17-4, Waspaloy, Custom 450, etc.

Flange Washer Materials

Installation

Recommended with

bolt tension

Recommended for non H-13 Applications

with high load

requirements

Installation Using Tensioning

Flange

Washers

1. Create a More Reliable Flange Assembly

◦ Even load distribution

◦ Maintains residual gasket/bolt load

2. Simplified Installation◦ Can be used with any bolting technique (torque

wrench, tensioners, slug wrench)

Benefits to Using Flange Washers

3. Cost Savings◦ No need to hot tighten

◦ Reusable

◦ Longer gasket life

◦ Lower fugitive emissions

◦ Less down time

◦ NO LEAKS !!!!!

Benefits to Using Flange Washers

Valve Live

Loading

with

Belleville

Springs

What is Valve Live Loading?

The addition of Belleville Springs

to the gland follower studs

maintains the packing load of

the valve.

Frequently cycled valves

Operated valves (air or motor)

Critical applications

Safety or difficult location

History of packing leaks

Monitored valves

Which Valves are Candidates for Live

Loading?

Wrong packing for the application

Bent, scored, or pitted valve stems

Improper packing installation

Infrequent use

Frequent or high cycles

Loss of Packing Load

Reasons for Valve Leaks?

Live Loading Comparison

In - Service Consolidation (%)

Pa

ck

ing

Co

mp

ressiv

eS

tre

ss

(P

SI)

Pa

ck

ing

Co

mp

res

siv

e S

tress

(MP

a)

5000

3000

5 10

34.5

20.7

0

Without

Live Load

With

Live

Load

Alternative Installations

Alternative Installations

Other Live Loaded AreasLive Loaded Bonnet

Belleville

Springs

Ball ValvesLive Loaded Ball Seat

Seat Springs

Live Loaded

Gland

33

How to Select a Belleville

Spring ApplicationSection III

Considerations:

Bolt Material

Temperature

Environment

Application

Cost

Availability

Select Material

Most widely used

Operating temperature range

◦ -400ºF/-240ºC to 550ºF/288ºC

For indoor/outdoor service and corrosive

atmospheres◦ NOT recommended for extreme chloride or fluoride

applications without plating or reduced stresses

Suitable for cryogenic applications

Highly magnetic

Available Sulfamate Nickel plated (AMS 2424D)

17-7 PH Stainless SteelASTM A693

Operating temperature range

◦ -400ºF/-240ºC to 550ºF/288ºC

For indoor/outdoor and corrosive atmospheres

Slightly magnetic

Finish: scale-free and deburred

301 Stainless SteelASTM A666

Operating temperature range

◦ -400ºF/-240ºC to 1100ºF/593ºC

For high temperature or corrosive atmospheres

Indoor/outdoor service

Non-magnetic

Inconel 718ASTM B637

Operating temperature range

◦ Ambient to 1100ºF/593ºC

For indoor/outdoor, high temperature service

Fully magnetic

Finish: machined & lightly oiled

H-13 Tool Steel

ASTM A681

ID- Inside Diameter

OD- Outside Diameter

Stacking Constraints

Load

Select the Correct Size

1. Bolt Size

2. Bolt Material

3. Temperature

4. Environment

5. Application (valve, flange, other)

6. Size Constraints

7. Aim Preload

Questions We Will Ask

41

Fixture Screenshot

42

Thank you!

Solon Manufacturing Co.www.solonmfg.com

The data presented here is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, it is the responsibility of the product user to make the

determination that any Solon product is suitable for use in specific applications. For a recommendation and more information, contact the

Solon Manufacturing engineering support team at solon@solonmfg.com or 800.323.9717.

Copyright © 2015 Solon Manufacturing Company