Flanges are helpful to connect pumps, valves, pipes, and other parts to form a piping system. Flanges are typically welded or thread screwed to connect. The use of flanges allows a person for maintenance and easy repair of the pipe system. Instead of taking out the whole pipe for inspection, the smaller section of the pipe can be inspected to find the fault with the help of a flange. The flange connection point allows for reinforcement of the system, as well as pipe cleaning and easy inspection.
You can join the two flanges together by bolts using a gasket between them for seal. Most steel flanges are used in the gas industry, oil industry, petroleum industry, and chemical industry. The essential types of flanges are threaded flange, lap joint flange, blind flange, socket flange, weld neck flange, and slip-on flange. Some special types of flanges are special bevel neck flanges, long welding flanges, nipoflange, reducing flanges, expander flanges, and orifice flanges.
High performance yield strength steel: ASTM/ASME A694 F42 , F52, F56, F60, F65, F70
Low temperature steel: ASTM/ASME A350 LF2.
Stainless steel: ASTM/ASME A182 F321-321H, F347-347H
Stainless steel: ASTM/ASME A182 F316-316L-316H-316LN-316N-316Ti
Stainless steel: ASTM/ASME A182 F304-304L-304H-304LN-304N
Chrome alloy steel: ASTM/ASME A182 F1-F12-F11-F22- F5-F9- F91
Carbon steel: ASTM A105, ASTM A105N, GB 20, C22.8.
The flange dimensions vary by style, and each flange type comes with a standard dimension definition. The dimension of the flanges is the same worldwide for repair and maintenance work and smooth operations. The dimensions are usually published in both inches and millimeters.
The basic dimensions of the flange consist of outside diameter, number of bolts, thickness, and hub detail. The bolts are usually located on the front outside the flange. The gasket used between the two flanges has the same bolt holes and size as that of the flange facing.
Even though you can find a specified application where the flanges and fittings are the only practical choice, flanges also provide benefits to the piping system that traditional hydraulic fitting types do not. For example, in the larger OD applications, flanges are often unable to connect to the pipe and component ports more easily compared to the adapters or threaded fittings. Most importantly, in most severe service applications on mobile construction equipment flange connections are suitable for:
1. Easy assembly at tight spaces where wrenches might not have clearance if you install traditional flange fittings. They are more easily assembled with moderate torque.
2. Hard-to-reach areas where you need flexibility, you can eliminate the need for adapters in the hose line, pipe, or tube.
3. Pipe connections, tubes, or large hose connections where you find high pressure, vibration, or shock pressures are present, that could more easily damage the traditional large hydraulic fittings.
4. Making connections allows for easy maintenance in rigid lines like metal tubes or continuous pipes.
5. Reduce the chance of components becoming loose in rigorous hydraulic applications.
The use of flange connections at high-pressure circumstances and larger size allows easy assembly of overusing the larger fittings. The flanges come with zero-clearance assembly, easy reconnecting and disconnecting for maintenance of hose, manifold, and tube connections could be much faster and provide the ability for more accurate torque of the bolts as opposed try achieve the proper torque of a large fitting. Flange fittings and flange connections are less likely to loosen compared to a standard hydraulic fitting when there is a proper load distribution of clamping around the flange head. You may think of it as bolting the wheel of your car onto the brake or hub drum disk. If you do not tighten the lug nuts, the star pattern wheel will not tighten and maintain a connection. It may cause warping of the brake drum, rotor, or brake disc.
Flange connections are one of the best options for pipe end connections that have bends that are subjected to very high lateral forces inclined to cause the loosening of the assembly. The five benefits mentioned above clearly define the key benefits of the flanges.
If you need assistance to know more about the flange bolt tightening or choosing the right type of flange, contact Texas Flange today!
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