While pipe flange is a term commonly bandied around, especially in the chemical and petrol industries, if you’re not sure exactly what they are, you’re not alone.
Put simply, a flange is a collar, ring or disc that attaches to a pipe to give extra strength. But you may not have realised just how versatile these little gadgets are. They can also be used to block off a pipeline, or so that more things can be added to a pipe.
Flanges can also be fixed in many different ways, either with bolts and screws or by welding, and can be ordered according to your own needs or pre-published specifications.
Here’s a quick guide to some of the more common kinds of pipe flange – there are others:
• Weld neck pipe flanges: As the name suggests, these are welded to the pipeline at their neck, transferring stress from the flange to the pipe itself.
• Blind pipe flanges: These seal the end of a piping system or pressure vessel openings to stop flow. They are most often used to pressure test flow through a pipe or vessel, and give easy access for internal work.
• Threaded flanges: They are like their slip-on counterparts but with tapered threads.
• Slip-ons simply go over the pipe, as the name suggests.
• Lap-joint ones slide over the pipe and are most often put to use with Stub End Fittings.
Finally, for smaller sizes of high-pressured pipelines, you may want to consider socket-weld varieties of flange.
Learn more online about which product which most suit your requirements, and, remember, these handy devices can be customised to meet your needs.
