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FALNGE MANAGEMENT
PROCEDURE

Contract No.: 031-SC-21

Date Sign
Code I Information only Submission - Accepted
Rejected – Major Comments – Data Provider to revise and re-
Code R submit. Work should NOT proceed in the affected areas until
comments are resolved.
Comments Returned – Data provider to revise and re-submit for
Code C the further review.
Code A Accepted – Approved – No further submission required
Review Code and Status

2022.06.26

D01 22-06-2022 IFA Yousef Ahmed Hythem

D00 14-06-2022 IFA Yousef Ahmed Hythem

REV Date Issue Status Prepared By Checked By Approved By
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DOCUMENT REVISION HISTORY SHEET

Rev REVISION DATE ISSUED UPDATE / AMENDMENT DETAILS

DESCRIPTION

FLANGE MANGEMENT
D00 14-06-2022 ISSUE FOR APPROVAL
PROCEDURE
FLANGE MANGEMENT
D01 22-06-2022 ISSUE FOR APPROVAL
PROCEDURE
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CONTANT

1.0 ACRONYM 4
2.0 SCOPE 4
3.0 REFERENCES 5
4.0 RESPONSBILITES 5
5.0 PROCEDURE 6
5.1 Principles of Flanged Joint Assembly 6
5.2 Torqueing Specific 7
5.3 Gaskets 7
5.4 Bolting 8
5.5 Alignment 9
5.6 Tightening Procedure 11
5.7 Tightening of bolted joints 12
5.8 Flange Mark Details 15
5.9 Inspection, Recording and Reporting 16
6.0 HSE 16
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1- ACRONYM

Acronym Description / Meaning

ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ITP Inspection and Test Plan
HSE Health, Safety and Environment

2- SCOPE
The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that flange installation & bolt tightening and
tension activities are performed, controlled and recorded as per project specifications,
Company Requirements and approved ITP’s.

This procedure provides a framework for the management of bolted joints, the
Scope of this procedure details and identifies the basic structure of the tightening & torque of
high, ordinary strength bolts works used for the successful completion of the general
Instructions for the installation of process pipe, and pipeline connections activity works in
workshop and site. This procedure shall not be used for vendor supplied packages, heat
exchangers, vessels or using stainless bolts or other exotic materials. Torque and/or tension
requirements should be as recommended by the manufacturer.
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3- REFERENCES
Industry Codes and Standards
ASME B31.3-2016 Process Piping
Guidelines for Pressure Boundary Bolted Flange Joint
ASME PCC-1-2019
Assembly
ASME B16.5-2020 Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings
ASME B16.47-2020 Larger Diameter Steel Flanges
ASME B18.2.1-2012 Square and Hex Bolts and Screws
ASME B18.2.2-2015 Square and Hex Nuts
ASME B16.20-2017 Metallic Gaskets for Pipe Flanges

ASME Sec. VIII, Div.1-2019 Rules for Construction of Pressure Vessels

4- RESPONSBILITES
1. Fabrication Engineer shall be responsible for the following;

a. Focal point and responsible to ensure that bolted flange connections are tightened as per this
procedure.

b. Focal point and responsible to ensure that bolted flange connections are tightened as per this
procedure.

c. Coordinate with construction Engineer and QA/QC Engineer on day to day activities.

d. Keep all the flange management records, maintain a database updated on a daily basis

and report progress.

e. Ensure that the flange management check sheets are handed over for each completed
system.

f. To act as the coordinator for any necessary training required to monitor/improve the

competency of site personnel in flange execution.

g. Coordinate with QA/QC after receiving hydro test pack isometrics to number the flanged joints
and form the database.

2. The QC Engineer is responsible for witness and review the data sheets, daily

log sheets toensure implementation of this procedure.

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5- PROCEDURE
QC personnel will be responsible for executing the proper joint make-up as per the below
guidelines and ensure protective materials required to prevent damage to joint components (e.g.
flange face covers) are used.

The assembly drawings will indicate the bolt length, diameter and material type and rating.

Flange faces shall be cleaned to remove preservations and the gasket surfaces shall be
inspected for defects. Any rust or burrs shall be removed using a hand wire brush and / or a hand
file. Particular attention shall be paid to seating for ring type joints.

5.1 Principles of Flanged Joint Assembly

1. Flange faces and bolts holes are correct and free of any foreign material.

2. Bolt holes of mating flanges shall be aligned using a spud wrench or similar tool. Lateral
alignment shall be checked by considering that bolts and studs can be inserted without force and
that the alignment tool is not required to impart a significant force to achieve alignment.

3. Sealing faces flat, parallel, aligned properly and in good condition and free of defects.

4. Gasket of the correct type shall be used and shall be in proper position. Type, pressure rating,
material and size of the gasket shall be checked.

5. Correct stud and nut material; correct stud length and size shall be used.

6. Free-running studs and nuts, in good condition, free from corrosion and thread damage shall
be used.

7. The remaining bolts and nuts shall be installed and hand tightened with the flange faces
parallel. Care should be taken to assure proper seating and centering of the gasket within the
allowable tolerances.

8. Bolts shall be tightened by torque wrench and inspected for tightness in accordance with this

Procedure. The requirements in ASME BPVC Sec. VIII and ASME B31.3 are based on
completethread engagement for the full depth of the nut. Excess thread protrusion should be
minimized because it can hinder joint disassembly due to corrosion, paint, or damage. A
practice that facilitates joint disassembly is to fully engage the nut on one end (no bolt projection
beyond the nut) so that all excess threads are located on the opposite end (to be minimized as
possible).
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9. All flanges will be aligned so that the bolt holes straddle the natural center line.

10. The gaskets are then to be centered between the flanges. Nuts shall be hand tightened to
hold the gasket in place. When flanged joints are in horizontal lines gaskets without centering
devices such as ring joints, shall be lowered to the bolts for retention and then raised into
position.

11. No additional torqueing of bolts whilst piping systems are under pressure during hydro test
shall be applied if leaks are found, pressure to be released and joint re made.

5.2 Torqueing Specific

1. Sequential tightening, in stages to 100 % of specified full load, using the cross-bolt tightening
method.

2. Flanges checked for sureness after each pass.

3. Final tighten at 100 % of full load.

4. In case of using hydraulic bolt tensioning equipment, the bolt tensioning operation must be
carried out in accordance with the tension equipment manufacturer's specified procedure and
the load loss factors should be recorded. Ideally tensioning should be applied simultaneously to
all studs in one operation. Where this is not possible, tensioning should be applied in phases
using different pressures as per supplier's guidelines.

5.3 Gaskets

Gaskets shall be checked for size, rating, material specification and cleanliness before installation
by qualified pipe fitters. Remove any grease, burrs and rust from the gasket and trial fit against
the flange gasket seating surface. Under no circumstances should gasket compound or grease
be applied to the gasket or flange faces.

Spiral Wound Gaskets shall not be re-used, since not enough resilience is left in the gasket
material to give a leak-proof joint when compressed second time.

Gasket Preservation: Gaskets and seal rings shall be;

1. Stored in their original packing until to be used

2. Kept horizontal and flat

3. Where applicable, left on their original packing until to be used

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Installation of gaskets: After pipe fitting, the two flange ends of a flanged joint are to be checked
for alignment. The lower bolts are first placed in place then gasket will be placed from the upper
Side. If the gasket does not fit smoothly into position pipe alignment is to be re-checked. Gasket
shall never be forced into position.

Insulating Gasket Sets: Insulating kits generally require a lesser bolt load to create an effective
seal as a result of the specially designed gasket, with spacers and washers playing an integral
role. It is essential that all components of the insulation kit are fitted to ensure the integrity of the
joint and the manufacturer's recommendations are followed when tightening the joint. The correct
torque must be used for insulation kits to avoid cracking. If cracks or damage occur whilst
tightening the insulation kits must be replaced.

5.4 Bolting

Bolts shall be checked for correct length, diameter and conformance with drawings or proper
documents. Studs and nuts shall have an approved lubricant (if any required) installed before
installation.

Only clean rust-free stud bolts and nuts should be used for making up the flange joint. Bolts and
nuts can only be reused if it is known that they have not been overloaded or exceeded their yield
point. Ensure that nuts are installed in the proper orientation.
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5.5 Alignment

1. Out-of-tolerance conditions should be corrected before the gasket is installed to avoid

damaging it. Only minimum or reasonable adjustments should be made after the gasket is
installed.

2. When aligning requires more force than can be exerted by hand or common hand and hammer
alignment tools such as spud wrenches and alignment pins, consult an engineer.

3. Proper alignment will result in the bolts passing through the flanges at right angles and the nuts
resting flat against the flanges prior to tightening.

4. Before using jacks or wrench devices, a pipe stress analysis may be appropriate, especially if
the pipe is old or it is suspected that the walls have thinned from use.

5. If the flanges that are in need of aligning are connected to pumps or rotating equipment, great
care must be taken to prevent introducing a strain into the equipment housing or bearings.
Measuring the movement in the equipment to ensure that its aligned condition is not disturbed is a
common and necessary practice.

6. The best practice is to repair the misaligned component by replacing it correctly, removing and
reinstalling it in the properly aligned position, or using uniform heat to relieve the stresses.

7. In joints where one or more of the flanges are not attached to piping or vessels, such as cover
plates and tube bundles, use ample force to accomplish the best aligned condition.

8. Once the flanges are aligned, install the gasket and tighten the fasteners completely, and then
release the aligning devices. Follow this rule as closely as possible. External forces have less
effect on properly loaded joints.
9. Centerline high/low Tolerance is usually measured by placing a straight edge on the outside
diameter of one flange and extending it to or over the mating flange. This is done at four points
around the flange, approximately 90 deg from each other. The tolerance is 1.5 mm (1⁄16 in.) at any
point (see Figure E-1).

10. Excessive spacing or gap: a condition where two flanges are separated by a distance greater
than twice the thickness of the gasket when the flanges are at rest and the flanges will not come
together using reasonable force (see Figure E-2).
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11.Parallelism: the alignment of piping or vessel flanges so that there are equal distances
between the flange faces at all points around the circumference of the joint, therefore making
the flange faces parallel to each other.

The tolerance is usually determined by measuring the closest and farthest distances between
theflanges and comparing. An acceptable practice is a difference no greater than 0.8 mm (1⁄32
in.) at
The O.D. of the sealing surface, achieved using a force of no greater than 10% of the
maximumtorque or bolt load for any bolt (see Figure E-3).

12.Rotational-two hole: the alignment of piping or vessel flanges so that the bolt holes align
witheach other, allowing the fasteners to pass through perpendicular to the flanges.

The tolerance is measured by observing a 90-deg angle where the fastener passes through
theflanges or the holes are within 3 mm (1⁄8 in.) of perfect alignment (see Figure E-4).
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13. When no external alignment devices are used, the flanges should be brought into contact with
the uncompressed gasket uniformly across the flange faces using less than the equivalent of 10%
of the total target assembly bolt load. When aligning the flanges, no single bolt should be
tightened above 20% of the single bolt maximum torque or target bolt load.

14. When external alignment devices are used, the flanges should be brought to the compressed
gasket thickness uniformly across the flange faces using an external load equivalent to less than
20% of the total target assembly bolt load.

5.6 Tightening Procedure

Torque wrenches shall be calibrated as per calibration schedule and have a valid certificate that
must be revalidated after the wrench has been inspection and recalibrated. There are various

types of tools available to achieve the proper torque value. The manufacturer’s instructions shall

be followed for the operation and maintenance of all Torque wrenches used to perform tightening.
The pressure on the gasket shall be uniformly distributed in order to provide sealing requirements.
To make sure that, the bolts shall be tightened in the following sequence;
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1. Hand-tighten all nuts.

2. Tighten bolts according to proper star pattern sequence indicated in procedure at 30 % of
torque value.

3. Tighten another pair of bolts approximately 90° further round the circumference.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to 60 % of the required bolt stress.

5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to 100 % of the required bolt stress.
6. Flange alignment is completed, inspected and accepted, gasket can be placed in position,
and then tightening the flanges...

5.7 Tightening of bolted joints

Generally, bolted connections can be tightened by means of spanners, impact tools, manual
torque wrenches, hydraulic torque wrenches or hydraulic bolt tensioners. Manual torque
wrenches with multiplier can be used to meet higher torque value settings. The relevant
equipment to be used shall be calibrated before commencing to the bolt tightening/tensioning
activities.
The correct bolt tightening sequence is also of fundamental importance in ensuring an efficient,
long-lasting, leak-free joint.
Controlled bolt tightening shall be carried out using either manual or hydraulic torque wrenches.
The chosen method depends to tightening rates, access and location of the relevant bolts.
It is importance to ensure that the correct bolt torque figures are available prior to making up a
flanged joint. Torque values for particular bolt sizes shall be taken from project specifications or
from referred standards and procedures mentioned in Section-3 of this procedure.
The table below shows tightening sequence for cross bolt torqueing. The number of passes
required will be influence by the type of joint and its gasket type. For example, ring type joints
Can be considered as ‘hard’ gasket type, whereas spiral wound gaskets can be considered as
Soft gasket type. A soft gasket type may require more passes to reach the required torque.
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Flange Type Tightening Sequence (Numbered clockwise around the flange)

4 Bolt 1,3,2,4
8 Bolt 1,5,3,7,2,6,4,8
12 Bolt 1,7,4,10,2,8,5,11,3,9,6,12
16 Bolt 1,9,5,13,3,11,7,15,2,10,6,14,4,12,8,16
20 Bolt 1,11,6,16,3,13,8,18,5,15,10,20,,12,7,17,4,14,9,19
24 Bolt 1,13,7,19,4,16,10,22,2,14,8,20,5,17,11,23,6,18,12,24,3,15,9,21
28 Bolt 1,15,8,22,4,18,11,25,6,20,13,27,2,16,9,23,5,19,12,26,3,17,10,24,7,21,14,28
32 Bolt 1,17,9,25,5,21,13,29,3,19,11,27,7,23,15,31,2,18,10,26,6,22,14,30,8,24,16,32,4,20
,12,28

In order to achieve uniform tightness the nuts and bolts are tightened as follows and values given
in below table

a. 1st Pass: 30 % of specified torque value

b. 2nd Pass: 60 % of specified torque value

c. 3rd Pass: 100 % of specified torque value,

d. Final Pass: This will be a repeat pass followed by clockwise direction at 100 % of specifiedtorque
(Attachment-1) value to verify that required torque has been evenly applied throughout.
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2. After fit the flange and put the gasket between the flange. The Bolt should tight by Torque
Wrench.
Calculation of the minimum torque value
Target torque is given from the formula in Appendix K of ASME PCC-1-2019:
T = K x D x F/1000 or 12 N.m or ft-lb
Where
T= Target Torque, N m (ft.-lb)

K = nut factor
D = nominal bolt diameter, mm (in)
F = Target bolt load, N ,(lb)

F=As σy P%
As: t e n s i l e stress area of the thread, mm2 (in.2)

σy minimum yield strength of the bolt material, N/mm2 (lb/in.2)

P-percentage utilization factor for material yield strength (default value typically
50%; i.e., P% = 0.5)
Bolt torque load by bolt/stud stress for ASTM A193 (grade B7) bolt material (without
lubrication).
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ASTM A193 (grade B7) bolt material(without lubrication) in inches

%ROW'LH $V ơ\ ) 7 7 7 7

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5.8 Flange Mark Details

The flanged joints are uniquely numbered on isometric drawings according to hydro test packs.
The flanges need to be marked in order to be visibly traceable. Marking should be visibly and
clear for inspection, marking information below:
a. Line Number.
b. Flange Joint Reference and size.

c. Torque Applied.
d. Date.
e. Remarks (if any).
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5.9 Inspection, Recording and Reporting

A visual inspection shall be carried out from contractor on the flange sealing faces and
the bore of the pipe noting any damage or indication of corrosion or erosion. Any damage
notes shall be accurately sketched and where possible photograph taken for reporting.
Before bolting, mating gasket contact surfaces shall be aligned to each other within 1mm
in 200mm, measured across any diameter as per ASME B31.3-2016.
Flange bolt holes shall aligned within 3mm max. Offset as per ASME
B31.3-2016. After completion of the bolt torquing works flange joints will be
hydrostatically tested

6- HSE

Tighten the bolts should be carried out safely within a barricaded, signed area.
A toolbox talk shall be conducted prior to the start of tighten job to review the risks and
hazards and to remind the necessary precautions.