Knowing Your Way Around the World of Stainless-Steel Flanges Summary: This article covers everything about stainless steel flanges like the different types, of flange designs, the various facing types, and choosing the right ones for your respective needs. Stainless steel flanges are preferred for use in many industries, especially in piping systems, due to their resistance to rust and incredible strength. They offer greater resistance to corrosion than flanges made from other materials, thus making them ideal for use in industrial applications that could be exposed to water and chemicals. In addition to this, stainless steel flanges will not get affected when placed under extreme stress. This inherent strength and durability of flanges make it the most reliable option for many industries. It is a very reliable option for joining pipe systems to various other equipment. It allows easier disassembly and improved access to the system components. Types of flange designs The most common types of SS flanges are threaded flanges, slip-on flanges, socket weld flanges, blind flanges, lap-joint flanges, speciality flanges, and weld-neck flanges. Apart from these, there are other special types of flanges like Nipoflange, which is used for branched pipelines, swivel flange which is used for installing large diameter pipelines, weld flange, that is a combination of a weld neck flange and a branch fitting connection, reducing flange, that is used to decreasing the bore of the pipeline. expanding flange, that increases the bore of the pipeline and elbow flange and latroflange. Another way of classifying flanges is depending upon the material grade, by flange face type, by the finish and flange dimensions. Flange facing types ● Flat face: It features a flat and even surface combined with a full-face gasket contacting most of the surface of the flange. ● Ring joint face: It features a groove in which a metal gasket is placed to maintain the seal. these are used in high pressure and high-temperature processes. ● Tongue and groove: These types of SS flanges consist of matching grooves and raised sections that help them to self-align. ● Raised Face: It has a small raised section around the bore accompanied by an inside bore circle gasket. ● Male and female: This pair of flanges have grooves and raised sections that help to secure the gasket. They provide a better placement. Sizing and standards for stainless steel flanges The size of the flange completely depends upon the purpose. Some of the metal flanges are easy to replace with a stainless-steel flange if necessary. The stainless steel flanges manufacturer should make sure that the design of the flange meets a specific set of standards.
These standards need to be fulfilled to ensure that the flange design remains consistent and is capable of withstanding harsh environments and applications. Choosing the right dimensions The right way to choose suitable stainless steel flanges is by selecting the flanges with the right dimensions. It is the most important factor to be considered when designing, maintaining, or updating any piping system. The common factors that you must consider that will help you to choose a flange with the right dimensions are listed below: ● ● ● ●
Outside diameter: It is the distance between the two opposite edges of the flange face. Thickness: Take the measure of the thickness of the outer attaching rim. Pipe size: Check out the designation of the pipe size with which the flange corresponds. Bolt circle diameter: Measure the distance between the two opposite bolts from centre to centre. ● Nominal bore size: Finally, measure the inner diameter of the flange connectors. Conclusion Steel flanges are said to be a solid investment but choose your stainless steel flanges manufacturer wisely. Resource box: Viraj is one of the largest manufacturers of stainless steel products that exports its products like stainless steel wires, flanges, welding wires, and much more to many companies worldwide.