FLANGES

Flange is component which is used to connect the pipes, valves, pumps and other equipment
to form a Piping system.

Flange joint is made up of two flanges, one gasket and one set of bolts.

Flange bolts are always off-centre.

Flanges are used for avoiding removable spool and for ease of maintenance.

Flange bolts are multiple of 4 means 4, 8, 12, 16…, for equal distribution of loading.

Flanges are made from

1. Forgings: - Best Flanges for all services.

2. Casting: - Not used in piping because of Brittleness.
3. Plate Fabricated:- Used in general services like water etc..,

Flange, Gasket and Bolt/Nut should not be studied one at a time, because together they make
a joint and failure of any one of these shall lead to failure of joint. Hence Flange, Gasket and
Bolt/Nut should always be studied together where in:

 Flange should not fail in compression.

 Gasket should not fail in compression.
 Flange should not fail in bending.

Code & STD’s:-

Up to 24” - ASME B 16.5m

26” to 60” - ASME B 16.47 Sr. A (Earlier mss-sp44)

ASME B 16.47 Sr. B (Earlier API-605)

4” to 144” - AWWA C-207

Over that - Taylor Forge

Types of Flanges:

1. Socket welding Flange: -

 Used in small bore 150# & 300# with Non-metallic gasket. Avoided in food/
pharmaceutical/ highly corrosive fluids, because of stagnant of fluid.
2. Slip-On Flanges: -
 Used up to 24” Nps, to make joint stress free this flange is recommended to
use up to 2000C. Not recommended in Radiography application and cyclic
loading condition. Most preferred in 150# & 300# with Non- metallic gasket.
3. Plate Fabricated Flanges:-
 Plate fabricated flanges are used in general services like water, air, nitrogen
etc..,
4. Welding neck Flange:-
 Best flange for almost all applications and can be used in any size & any rating.
Best in radiography and cyclic conditions. Best for all type of metallic and non-
metallic gaskets. Because of butt welding joint, I is stronger than all other
flanges. Costly compared to other flanges.

Types of Flange Faces:

1. Raised Face (RF):- Default Choice
2. Flat Face (FF):- Used where the bending strength of flange material is poor. In plastic,
HPP, PPE etc..,
3. Male and Female: - Lesser Torque required due to placing of gasket near to bot as
compared to RF.
4. Tongue & Groove:- Torque is further reduced by reducing the gasket width. Used
where the high degree of Reliability is required.
5. Ring type joint (RTJ):- Gasket act as tongue and flange act as a groove, metallic gasket
give high elastic limit for gasket, so that it can give tightness and put enough load on
the flange face when they are separated under pressure.

Serrations:-
1. Spiral:- Default Choice
2. Concentric: - Used for low molecular weight gases which are flammable/hazardous.
For example, in hydrocarbon services if spiral serrations is used it might create a path
for the leakage of hydrocarbons in that case concentric serrations are used.

Face finish:-
1. Stock:- Only with Rubber Gasket having Max. 500 AARH.
2. Rough:- Used with Non-metallic gasket having 250-500 AARH.
3. Serrated:- Used with both metallic and non-metallic gasket having 125-250 AARH.
4. Smooth:- Used with metallic Gasket of having 125 AARH.

Slip-on Flange Threaded Flange

Welding Neck Socket welded Flange

Tongue & Groove Male & Female

Spiral Wound Gasket