Curing chronic pipe leakage
Garlock's Jim Drago explains how the raised surface profile of PTFE sheet gasket helped a midstream oil and gas processor address leaky pipes
Bolted flange-gasket connections in process piping systems are common and given little thought – unless they start to leak.
Chronic leakage proved to be an issue for one of our clients, a midstream oil and gas processor and services provider. The site processes, stores and transports natural gas, liquefied natural gas and petroleum products. Garlock was brought in to provide a solution to the problem.
Successful connections are dependent on a variety of things, including the state of the flange surfaces, alignment, bolt and nut grade and strength, bolt and nut thread condition, lubrication, bolt tightening process, service conditions and choice of gasket.
When a flange-gasket joint is assembled, the gasket must first be compressed to fill the gaps between the flange surfaces, creating a seal when system pressure is applied. Secondly, it must maintain that seal as the system is brought on-line and temperature and pressure escalate.
As the temperature increases, a gasket made of non-metallic materials...
Bolted flange-gasket connections in process piping systems are common and given little thought – unless they start to leak.
Chronic leakage proved to be an issue for one of our clients, a midstream oil and gas processor and services provider. The site processes, stores and transports natural gas, liquefied natural gas and petroleum products. Garlock was brought in to provide a solution to the problem.
Successful connections are dependent on a variety of things, including the state of the flange surfaces, alignment, bolt and nut grade and strength, bolt and nut thread condition, lubrication, bolt tightening process, service conditions and choice of gasket.
When a flange-gasket joint is assembled, the gasket must first be compressed to fill the gaps between the flange surfaces, creating a seal when system pressure is applied. Secondly, it must maintain that seal as the system is brought on-line and temperature and pressure escalate.
As the temperature increases, a gasket made of non-metallic materials...
