You may perhaps own a business and may require replacing some essential tools for smooth functioning. One such tool is the gasket. There are different types and material combinations available in the market. Hence, it becomes essential on your part to do some research on them to make the right choice for your flanges.
Its use
Before you go ahead with understanding the selection process, you need to be aware of its use. Spiral wound gaskets can be termed to be a precision engineered solution meant for heat exchangers, flanged joints, manholes and boiler handholes. It is also used for high pressure and high temperature applications. Therefore, it offers resistance to almost every known toxic and corrosive element.
Know the different types
The spiral wound gasket’s sealing part is considered to be the winding. It is rather the stainless steel as well as the filler that is non-metallic tape. It is ceramic, asbestos-free, PTFE or graphite. When diverse flange faces are concerned, spiral-wound gaskets can be found to be of four major types.
What are the types?
These are: SWG having inner ring (referred to as RIR type), Basic SWG type (comes with filler and winding only), SWG with outer and inner ring (referred to as CGI type) and SWG having outer ring (referred to as CG type). There is also available spiral-wound gasket meant for special shape SWGs and heat exchanger.
How to select the right one?
When selecting hydraulic seals or spiral-wound gaskets, you should not rush with your selection process. Rather, it is essential to check carefully the flange’s sealing environment and standard. Depending on the flange’s faces and standards, it is necessary to understand the gasket’s type, standard and pressure rating. Also, depending on sealing environment knowledge (that is medium and temperature), you need to select the most appropriate material.
Special attention should be paid to the below-mentioned aspects to ensure the SWGs provided the perfect sealing function at all times.
· The gasket’s external diameter is to be much smaller when compared to the sealing face of the flange. On the other hand, the gasket’s inner diameter is to be much larger than the pipe.
· The flanges and gasket sealing face is to be clean. Moreover, the sealing faces should not have any spot or scratches on it.
· While installing the gasket on the flange, ensure achieving a symmetric and even force. It is not a wise idea to achieve at once the designed force. Rather, you need to screw it up for about 2 to 3 times to ensure a tighter fit.
· It is better to install the gasket right in the centre of the sealing face of the flange. This is more so for those raised face flanges.
· There is a need to first lower down the pressure. Then, the gasket should be properly adjusted or removed if any of the pipes start to leak.
· Avoid using metal-base or liquid-base lubricating or anti-sticking agents.
· Check thoroughly connection bolt torque and recalibrate as required after performing a single pipe and valve operational cycle.
The final choice
Once you have gone through the above guide and understood it properly, the next step will be to determine your specific requirements. This will help make the correct selection and avail value worth your investment!
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