Expansion constraint assembly and related methods

An expansion constraining assembly for industrial processing equipment for processing metal or other material, the assembly comprising:

• an outer constraining structure;
• an inner circular structure disposed radially inward from the outer constraining structure and within the expansion constraining assembly;
• a plurality of support structures arranged at an offset angle away from a radial direction of the outer constraining structure, extending between the outer constraining structure and the inner circular structure, and attached to at least one of the outer constraining structure or the inner circular structure;
• a first ring and a second ring within the outer constraining structure and disposed between the outer constraining structure and the inner circular structure, wherein the first ring is directly attached to the inner circular structure and isothermal with the inner circular structure, and wherein the second ring is directly attached to the outer constraining structure, the first ring comprising an outer surface and the second ring comprising an inner surface facing the outer surface of the first ring and spaced apart from the outer surface of the first ring;
• a plurality of first bases on the outer surface of the first ring, each first base of the plurality of first bases comprising an arcuate surface;
• and
• a plurality of second bases on the inner surface of the second ring, each second base of the plurality of second bases comprising an arcuate surface,
• wherein each support structure of the plurality of support structures extends between one first base of the plurality of first bases and a corresponding second base of the plurality of second bases, and wherein the plurality of support structures are attached to the outer constraining structure and the inner circular structure via the plurality of first bases on the first ring and the plurality of second bases on the second ring.

An expansion constraining method for industrial processing equipment for processing metal or other material, the method comprising:

• receiving an outer constraining structure and a plurality of support structures on an outer surface of an inner circular structure of the industrial processing equipment;
• resisting non-uniform expansion of the inner circular structure by at least causing an increase in a tension or compression of at least one of the plurality of support structures or causing rotation of the outer constraining structure around a central axis of the inner circular structure;
• causing a change in an offset angle away from a radial direction of the outer constraining structure of at least one of the plurality of support structures due to resisting the non-uniform expansion of the inner circular structure;
• providing a first ring and a second ring within the outer constraining structure and disposing the first ring and the second ring between the outer constraining structure and the inner circular structure, wherein the first ring is directly attached to the inner circular structure and isothermal with the inner circular structure, and wherein the second ring is directly attached to the outer constraining structure, the first ring comprising an outer surface and the second ring comprising an inner surface facing the outer surface of the first ring and spaced apart from the outer surface of the first ring, wherein a plurality of first bases are on the outer surface of the first ring, each first base of the plurality of first bases comprising an arcuate surface, and wherein a plurality of second bases are on the inner surface of the second ring, each second base of the plurality of second bases comprising an arcuate surface;
• and
• attaching the plurality of support structures to the outer constraining structure and the inner circular structure surface via the first ring and the second ring by extending each support structure of the plurality of support structures between one first base of the plurality of first bases and a corresponding second base of the plurality of second bases.