Stainless steel flanges are used to connect valves, pipes and tubes in industrial piping systems. SS Forged Flanges come in wide varieties of types and configurations such as blind, slip on, wnrf, swrf and many others. Stainless Steel flanges are manufactured in 150 to 2500 pressure class in RF or raised face and FF or flat face.
What are Raised Face and Flat Face Flanges?
A Raised Face (RF) flanges are characterized by slightly raised areas around the bore of a pipe, thus offering somewhat of a small area for seal against the gasket. These raised areas of SS Flange typically offer a height of about 1/16 inch to about 1/4 inch. The raised face has an advantage of a finer seal between the flange and the gasket when working at high-pressure systems. This makes the elevated surface even more useful in supporting pressure and temperature variations in their handling of systems that change or fluctuate.
Flat Face (FF) Stainless Steel Flanges does not have that raised area. Instead, the whole face of this flange is flat so the gasket surface will lay on the same surface as the rest of the flange. Flanges for Low pressure or non-critical applications where high sealing force is not necessary use these kinds of flanges. Generally, they are used in systems where the pressure fluids or environments have more requirement of corrosion resistance than pressure sealing.
Key Differences Between Raised Face and Flat Face Flanges:
- Sealing Mechanism
- Raised Face Flanges: Raised surface becomes the point of convergence of gasket. Now the area gets covered under high pressure over a lesser area which makes sealing greater. It’s a highly efficient system in terms of sealing systems.
- Flat Face Flanges: The gasket is compressed uniformly across the entire face, providing a more uniform pressure distribution. While this is sufficient for low-pressure applications, it might not offer the same level of sealing strength as a raised face flange.
- Pressure Tolerance:
- The working pressure of raised face flanges is higher because the sealing area is focused. It is used with high-pressure conditions and is especially used in oil and gas, chemical processing, power generation, etc.
- Flat Face Flanges These kinds of flanges are applied in low pressure assemblies. They lack centralized sealing pressure in a raised face flange and are not intended for a high-pressure environment.
- Applications:
- Raised Face Flanges: Used in the applications where high pressure is tolerable. Such as petrochemical, oil & gas, water plant and power industries.
- Flat Face Flanges: They are mainly used in applications where pressures and temperature changes are not very often. They are mostly installed in low-pressure systems and even in those that use materials that are non-corrosive.
Select the right flange for your process
The choice of the right type of stainless steel flange should be made with regard to the specific needs of the piping connection. If you are working with high-pressure systems, a raised face flange would be the better choice because it provides better sealing. If the system operates at low pressure, a flat face flange will be adequate for the functionality while saving cost.
It is thus important to source flanges from a reputable stainless steel flanges suppliers if one needs high-quality and precise stainless steel components for an industry. A good supplier will ensure that the flanges meet the industry standards required for your application and provide the necessary certifications.
Pipingmaterial.ae: YOUR SOURCE FOR stainless steel products
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It uses quality materials and expert service for all its stainless steel sheet suppliers, as well as the manufacturers of stainless steel flanges to ensure the effectiveness and reliability of your piping systems no matter the surroundings or applications.
Conclusion:
There are raised face and flat face stainless steel flanges in industrial applications. It is essential to understand the differences between the two so that you can make the right choice. The raised face flange is best suited when there are high-pressure systems, while the flat face flange is suitable for a lower pressure system. When you opt to work with established suppliers of stainless steel flanges and SS sheets, you can ensure that your system will function efficiently and safely for many years.
