Selecting Pipe Flange Gaskets

Selecting Pipe Flange Gaskets – tips and common standards

M Barnwell Services supplies and distributes pipe flange gaskets in a broad range of sizes and materials. Custom made bespoke gaskets can also be produced.

Pipe Flange Gasket Types

The most commonly used gaskets in pipes are standard flange gaskets in either fibre, spiral wound or rubber. Furthermore, for very large pipes, gaskets can be made in units of rubber, and linked together.

Dimensions

Pipe Flange Gaskets are manufactured to fit the dimensions of typical flanges and types. Most popular standards are BS10 (British/Australian), PN/DIN (European), ASA/ANSI (USA), and JIS/KS (Japanese/Korean).

Dimension tables for Pipe Flange Gaskets can be downloaded below:

Selection of Material

Pipe Flange gaskets can be produced from a number of materials. The adequate article to use relies upon the installation and media in which the product will be utilized. Furthermore, another very important circumstances to consider when choosing the right material are content of the pipe and the range of stresses in which it will operate. Specification of the material should also take into account the flange being used.

A non-asbestos graphite or fibre material can be used in steam installations. A non-asbestos fibre or high-quality nitrile rubber should be used for diesel and other fuels. This is because of further corrosive additives in modern fuels, lower grade nitrile can collapse.

Minimum/Maximum Thickness for Pipe Gaskets

The thickness of a pipe flange is specified by a number of factors. The surface condition of the flange face is one of the factors to consider. For a poor-quality surface, a thicker gasket is recommended, as it will flow into and takes up the distortions of the face securing a good seal performance. For a smooth and clean surface, a thinner gasket can be used. Other important factors are media and pressure. Fixing a gasket that is too thick will increase the surface area that the stress can operate upon. Standard gasket material for pipe flanges thicknesses is 1.5mm and 3mm.

Types of Gaskets

2 types of gaskets are Full-Faced or Inner-Bolt-Circle (I.B.C). Full faced gaskets have bolt holes and cover a big section of the flange face. I.B.C gaskets are also known as Ring-Type and Raised-Faced-Joints, they rest inside the bolts, fastening the pipe flanges.

Pipe Gasket Standards

BS10:2009: British standard specification for flanges and bolting for pipes, fittings, and valves.

DIN – Detsches Institut fur Normung (German Institute for Standardisation)
ANSI – American National Standards Institute
ASA – American Standards Association
ASME – American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ISO – International Organisation for Standardisation
JIS – Japanese Industrial Standards

British & European Standards

The present UK and Europe standard for use is BS EN 1514-1:1997

Further Standards

BS EN 12560-1:2001 – ‘Flanges and their joints. Gaskets for class-designated flanges. Non-metallic flat gaskets with or without inserts.’

BS EN 12560-2:2013 – ‘Flanges and their joints. Dimensions of gaskets for Class-designated flanges. Spiral wound gaskets for use with steel flanges.’

BS EN 12560-3:2001 – ‘Flanges and their joints. Gaskets for Class-designated flanges. Non-metallic PTFE envelope gaskets.’

BS EN 14772:2005 – ‘Flanges and their joints. Quality assurance inspection and testing of gaskets in accordance with the series of standards EN 1514 and EN 12560.’

Made to Measure Flange Gaskets

Some tanks or pipes are produced for specific purposes and do not comply with dimensions and standards as such. Therefore, for these circumstances, we supply custom-made pipe gaskets.

Enhancing Chemical Resistance

The chemical reluctance of a pipe gasket can be increased by being lined with a bore-liner or PTFE envelope. This is a less expensive option than applying a solid PTFE gasket. The PTFE envelope fits over the pipe gasket and assists to shield it from decay by the corrosive chemicals in the pipe.

If you require additional information about our range and/or services, download our catalogue or contact a member of the team.

E & OE. M Barnwell Services endeavours to make sure that all the content is correct. Information has been gained from manufacturing partners.