What is a Steel Flange?

14 dicembre 2017 | Francesco Grillo | Informazioni tecniche, Notizie industriali, Materiali tecnici

Ci spiace, ma questo articolo è disponibile soltanto in Inglese Americano e Coreano.

A flange is a forged or cast ring of steel designed to connect mechanically sections of pipe or join pipe to a pressure vessel, pump, valve or any other piece of equipment.


The Basics Of Steel Flanges

Steel flanges provide an easy access for cleaning, inspection or modification. They usually come in round shapes but they can also come in square and rectangular forms. The flanges are joined to each other by bolting and joined to the piping system by welding or threading and are designed to the specific pressure ratings; 150lb, 300lb, 400lb, 600lb, 900lb, 1500lb and 2500lb.

A flange can be a plate for covering or closing the end of a pipe. This is called a blind flange. Thus, flanges are considered to be internal components which are used to support mechanical parts.

 

Materials

Each flange material is to be considered for its application prior to ordering, this is due to the structural integrity of the application that the flange will be used on.

 

copper-nickel-flanges

Copper Nickel Flanges

 

Currently, the most common materials for flanges are:

Carbon steel
  • ASTM A105/A266 Gr.2 (high temperature carbon steel flanges)
  • ASTM A350 LF1 to LF3 (low temperature carbon steel flanges)
  • ASTM A694 Gr. F42/F52/F56/F60/F65 (high yield carbon steel flanges to match API 5L linepipes)

Alloy Steel
  • ASTM A182 Gr. F1/F2/F5/F9/F11 Cl.2/F12 Cl.2/F22 Cl.3/F91 (alloy steel flanges)

Stainless / Duplex Steel
  • ASTM A182 F304/304L, 316/316L, 321, 347, 348 (stainless steel flanges), 904/904L
  • ASTM A182 F51 (duplex flanges)/F53-F55 (superduplex flanges)

Nickel Alloys / Superalloys
  • ASTM B166 UNS NO6600 (Inconel 600)
  • ASTM B564 UNS N06625 (Inconel 625)
  • ASTM B425 UNS-NO8800 (Incoloy 800)
  • ASTM B564 UNS N08825 (Incoloy 825)
  • ASTM B160 UNS N0200 (Nickel 200)
  • ASTM B564 UNS N04400 (Monel 400)
  • ASTM B564 UNS N10276 (Hastelloy C-276)

Titanium
  • ASTM B381 Gr.2 (Titanium)

 

But there are also flanges in:

Aluminium
Copper
Polypropylene etc.

 

Measurements

Flanges within the same standard can either be flat (commonly cast iron, ductile iron) or raised face (commonly cast steel and stainless steel). These flange tables cover the critical flange dimensions to help identify what standard you have.

 

measurement flange

 

Critical flange dimensions help to identify the standard

 

Pipe Size – Pipe flanges also have a corresponding pipe size, generally according to accepted standards.

Outside Diameter of Flange (OD) – this is measured from outer edge to opposing outer edge.

Pitch Circle Diameter (PCD) – this is a diameter that measures from the center of bolt hole to opposing bolt hole.

Flange Thickness – this measures only the thickness of the attaching outer rim, and does not include the part of the flange that holds the pipe.

 

 

Design

Manufacturers are able to custom design flanges to suit the desired requirement, they can include but are not limited to:

  • Weld neck
  • Slip-on
  • Socket Weld
  • Lap Joint
  • Threaded
  • Blind

 

types of flanges

 

Most common flange types

 

Custom shapes and sizes are manufactured by a large range of manufacturers, not only the popular ranges. Various flanges can include machining details such as gasket surfaces, facing details, non-standard drilling, bevel and radius edges, o-ring grooves and raised or recessed faces.

 

International Standards

Several organizations and associations have published specifications that provide dimensional information as well as pressure specifications at different temperatures.

 

DIN EN 1092-1

Many countries in the European Union (EU) mainly install flanges to the DIN EN 1092-1 (forged stainless or steel flanges).
This standard is very similar to the ASME flange standard. The EN 1092-1 standard incorporates a threaded flange to IOS7.1 instead of NPT. The different forms of flanges within the EN 1092-1 (European Norm Euro norm) is indicated within the flange name through the type. Different types of flanges have different standards, some are as follow:

 

Type of Flange
EN Standard
DIN Standard
Blind Flange Type 5 DIN 2527
Threaded Flange Type 12 DIN 2558, 2565 – 2569
Weld Neck Flange Type 11 DIN 2627 – 2638
Flat Flange Type 1 DIN 2573, 2578
Lapped Flange Type 2, 4 DIN 2641, 2622, 2655, 2656

 

ASTM

ASTM specifications regulate approved raw materials for which flanges can be made and specifications.

For stainless flanges are:

  • ASTM A.182 – Forged or Rolled Alloy Steel Pipe Flanges & Fittings for high temperature service

 

ANSI AND MSS SPECIFICATIONS

The standards govern the dimensions and tolerances to which fitting are manufactured:

  • ANSI B. 16.5 – Steel Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings (½ inch to 24 inch nominal diameter)
  • MSS SP.6 – Flange Facings
  • MSS SP.25 – Marking of flanges
  • MSS SP.39 – Bolts and Nuts for Flanges
  • MSS SP.44 – Large Diameter Pipeline Flanges. (Over 24 inch dia)
  • API-605 – Large Diameter Flanges for petroleum Usage. (Over 24 inch dia)

 

types of flanges

ANSI B16.5 / ASME B16.47 Flanges

 

ASME

The ASME Code is not a standard as such but section VIII provides the procedure for calculating dimensions for all pressurized vessels flanges.

The following are not flange specifications but they influence the manufacture of forged steel flange:

  • ANSI B. 31.10 – Code for Pressure Piping
  • ANSI B. 31.3 – Petroleum Refinery Piping
  • ANSI B. 31.4 – Oil Transportation Piping
  • ANSI B. 31.5 – Refrigeration Piping Systems
  • ANSI B. 31.7 – Nuclear Power Piping
  • ANSI B. 31.8 – Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping systems
  • ANSI B. 36.10 – Standard for Wrought Steel pipe
  • ANSI B. 36.19 – Standard for Stainless Steel Pipe
  • ANSI B. 16.10 – Valve Dimensions Face & End
  • ANSI B. 16.11 – Forged Fittings Socket Weld & Threaded

 

If you want to have more information about the article or you want to share your opinion with us, contact us at .

Please notice that you might be interested in the other product-related articles we’ve published:

  • What is Steel Forging?

  • The History of Steel Forging

  • Open Die Forging and Closed Die Forging – What’s the difference?

 

 


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References

 

Pipe Flanges & Type Of Flange Chamunda Industries – LinkedIn

A brief history of flat flanges – Intertubi

Types of Pipe Flanges Used in Piping Systems – Piping Engineering

Ulma Technical Handbook – Ulma

A Closer Look at 6 Different Types of Flanges – World Wide Metric Blog

Common Flange Types – Guenther Supply Inc.

Types of Flanges – HardHat Engineer

Definition and Details of Flanges, Types of Flanges –  Wermac

Definition and Details of Flanges – What is a Flange? – Wermac

Forged Flanges – All Metals & Forge Group

Flange Materials – Piping Online