Elbow pressure balanced pipe expansion joint is really a combination of several types. Its purpose is to retain and balance the pressure thrust so that main anchoring of the pipe or adjacent equipment is not required, and forces and movements on attachment flanges of delicate equipment, such as turbines, are kept to acceptably low levels. The deflections to be accepted are handled by the proper type of pipe expansion joint, which normally, is a tied universal type to accept lateral movements. However, the pressure balanced elbow is usually required because axial deflections are also present.