The tube does not run in a straight line. Every curved element is an opportunity to absorb thermal expansion. Imagine bending a metal rod into a curve in your h

The tube does not run in a straight line. Every curved element is an opportunity to absorb thermal expansion. Imagine bending a metal rod into a curve in your hands, which remain at fixed point, while it sits on a table. Then it gets very hot, and the metal rod has expanded. If your hands have remained at the same points, the arc of the rod has gotten slightly bigger. The pipe itself has moved laterally from its prior path. This is why the lateral and vertical dampeners assist in absorbing thermal expansion.