Years ago I took a call from the supervisor of an installation crew who was installing FRP pipe we manufactured.  I could tell from the background noise he was in the field working with his team.  And he was upset; I mean he was livid.  He’d just discovered that most of the first dozen or so FRP flanges his crew had bolted up were cracked.  And he was looking to pin the blame on the manufacturer of those flanges.

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While I had him on the , I quickly looked at our QC documents.  All spools had passed with almost no re-work.  And I had a lot of confidence in my fabricating team and in-house QA inspector.  So I started asking questions:

Is this installation job going worse than the last FRP pipe installation his crew did?  “First time installing FRP pipe.”  Red Flag #1.

What tools are the crew using to tighten the bolts?  “Impact wrenches”.  Red Flag #2

Has this crew installed steel pipe in the past? “No, new crew from a temp agency”.  Red Flag #3

There were more questions but you can see where this is going.  After further discussion, he acknowledged that his installation team had not followed the correct procedures.  But, while I could rush replacement flanges to him, they could only be installed on the pipe ends by a crew that had been trained properly.  This was going to cost him money and a delayed installation.

Here’s two photos of FRP flanges that cracked from improper installation during two other projects.  The discoloring is due to the chemical attack from the leaked liquid.

Properly installing FRP flanges is easy when you know the procedure.  End users might have their own site procedures and requirements but installers should always request the information (if it wasn’t provided to you) by the equipment manufacturer.

One procedure that is often used is to tighten each nut until it makes contact with the flange, then follow the proper bolting pattern (such as a star pattern) to tighten to 25% of the torque specification.  Then follow the bolting pattern to reach 50% of torque spec, follow the bolting pattern to 75% of torque spec, and finally follow the bolting pattern to 100% of torque spec (not a bit more!).   Ratchet wrenches are OK, but not impact wrenches.

But again, consult the procedure for each project and piece of equipment.

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Most people need to learn what long weld neck flanges are and their use. Some people work in specific industries that encounter the flanges each day. Here you will understand everything you need to know about the basic flanges, including the long weld neck flanges.

Where do you use flanges the most?

A flange comes disc-shaped, and we use them mostly when building pipelines. According to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, 1,382,569 million miles of pipelines deliver oil and gas daily. Long weld necks and other kinds of flanges are a part of pipeline engineering. Flanges are one of the essential parts of pipeline engineering. We use them to connect pipes together and ensure the proper seal.

What is the function of flanges?

Flanges are useful to connect pipes and can also help connect chuck valves, T, and other pipeline parts. Therefore, we consider them a mechanical way to connect pipelines and their parts.

You can weld flanges sometimes, and in other cases, you can hold them together with the fasteners. It all depends on the pipeline engineering and where you can use the flange to determine how well you can connect them.

What are the different flange types?

There are many flanges designed for different purposes. For example, there are high hub flanges, expander flanges, long weld neck flanges, anchor flanges, blind flanges, and more. Within each kind of flange category, there are subcategories.

The metal material may vary, the sizes vary, and how the flange is attached may vary. You can get a lot to learn about the flanges. A proper flange is essential to get off the right seal. A too-large or too-small flange will throw the entire design off.

What is the height of the face in the raised face flange?

The height of the flange face should not be random but, instead, based on the flange ratings. For example, for 300# & 150#, the height of the raised face is 1/16”, which is approximately 1.6 mm, and above 300#, it is 1/4”, which is 6.35 mm.

What is the serration on the flange face, and what type is used on flange faces?

Flange faces could be serrated and smooth type. The flange face with small grooves is known as serration.

The serration is critical as it helps prevent leakages from the flange. Even small damage to the face may lead to the plant shutdown. Thus, if you are working with a flange, ensure to take measures and protect the flange while handling it.

Serration could be concentric or spiral rings. When we talk about concentric ring-type finishing, it is when the fluid used is of very low density. If you use the spiral-type finish with lower-density fluid, it may find a leakage path through the spiral cavity.

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