LITTLE P.ENG. FOR ENGINEERS TRAINING / Engineering Consultant

The proper selection of gasket is critical to the success of achieving long-term leak tightness of flanged joints. Due to their widespread usage, gaskets are often taken for granted. Industry demands for reduced flange leakage in environments of increasing process temperatures and pressures have led gasket manufacturers to develop a wide variety of gasket types and materials, with new gaskets being introduced on an ongoing basis. This rapidly changing environment makes, and w

Joint Stiffness It is important to recognize that the individual components of flanges, gaskets, nuts, and bolts operate together as a system. Gasket companies are continually fielding questions from concerned users about their ‘‘gasket’’ leakage. Gasket leakage is symptomatic of a broader problem. To focus exclusively on the gasket as the cause of the leakage fails to recognize that the flange joint operates as a system, and a systems approach should be used to design flange

The function of a gasket is to conform to the irregularities of the flange faces to affect a seal, preventing the inside fluid from leaking out. See Fig. A7.10 for a typical flange-gasket arrangement. The leak performance of the gasket is dependent on the stress on the gasket during operation. Each different type of gasket has its own inherent leak-tightness capabilities. The higher the gasket stress, the higher the leak-tightness capability. The ideal gasket is comprised of

Gaskets A gasket is a material or combination of materials designed to clamp between the mating faces of a flange joint. The primary function of gaskets is to seal the irregularities of each face of the flange, preventing leakage of the service fluid from inside the flange to the outside. The gasket must be capable of maintaining a seal during the operating life of the flange, provide resistance to the fluid being sealed, and meet the temperatures and pressure requirements. G

Since it is expensive to grind and lap joint faces to obtain fluid-tight joints, a gasket of some softer material is usually inserted betwee