PipingDesigners Community
A place for piping designers, engineers and industry professionals to ask questions, share experience, discuss technical topics and connect with other professionals.
Browse the discussions below or start a new topic. Please keep discussions practical, professional and relevant to the piping and engineering community.
What the heck is this?
Take a look at the attached photo.
It looks like a combination of a socket weld flange and a lap joint.
Who makes these and what is the proper name for it?
[b]Vdhurst12,
Type of Flange:[/b]
I think it is either a Socket Weld Flange or a Slip-On Flange.
I Lean towards the Slip-On Flange because of the apparent size ( 4" or 6" Class 150, based on the number of Bolts). It would be unusual to find a Socket-Weld Flange in this size.
Issues not related to the Type of Flange:
(1) The Bolts are Not Stud Bolts. They must be Machine Bolts (A threaded shank with a Head on one and a Nut on the other)
(2) The Pipe and Flange in question here is connected to some type of Flexible connector. The specific type and purpose is not apparent.
(3) There appears to be a Grounding (Earthing) Wire connected to the Flexible unit Flange but not to the Flange in question. The purpose of this Wire is not apparent.
I thought slip-on but weld does not seem to cover enough of the collar so on second thoughts angle of photo maybe only makes it look like flange is welded therefore I go for lap joint and weld is butt weld, note that bolt holes are off square which may indicate flange is loose.
It's not a typical slip on or socket weld flange. Its more like a stainless stub end with a carbon steel lap joint. However, instead of a butt weld stub end, it looks like a socket weld. The carbon steel part is free to rotate.
Here is another picture of a different flange. You can see that there is no butt weld where you would typically see one for a stub end.
Some social media comments about this:
Marcos (LinkedIn): slip on flange
Michael (LinkedIn): Sure looks like a Slip-On Flange!
Ross (LinkedIn): We used to use these all the time in pulp and paper on thin wall SS but this looks like CS on SS. I hope that it's not near the coast or in the tropics
Robert (LinkedIn): Looks like a expander flange. Basically a change in diameter right at the equipment connection. The photo looks like they could not find one in stock and used a reducer
TexanTaz (Twitter):It's a lapjoint flange, the wire is a grounding wire for the connecting nozzle, more than likely for another service. The flg is 2 bolted, Wiccan means it's rotated on the axis. The bolts are standard stud bolts. I'm not sure what the other guy is even talking about.
This is a response to TexanTaz's comment "The bolts are standard stud bolts.
A Stud-Bolt is a threaded rod with a Nut on both ends. When in place some of the threaded rod shows after the Nut is installed.
Agreed JOP.
Maybe a small mixup in terminology?
BOLT IDENTFICATION (from: http://pipingdesigners.com/wp//contents/tips-tools-training/section-6-pipe-fittings/8-section-6e-gaskets-bolts )
Machine Bolt:
Machine bolts have a square forged head and requires only one hex nut.
Stud Bolt:
Stud bolts do not have heads. They are completely threaded from end to end and require two hex nuts to install.
Despite all of the comments about bolts, ground wire, corrosion, etc. I found the answer.
This is an "insert flange" manufactured by American Insert Flange Company.
https://americaninsertflange.com/
The hub is welded on similar to a slip on flange, but it also has a lap joint flange that is free to rotate.
The hub is usually alloy and the flange ring is carbon steel
