Slip On Flange
The Slip On type flanges are attached by two fillet welds, inside as well as outside the flange. The calculated strength from a Slip On flange under internal pressure is of the order of two-thirds that of Welding Neck flanges, and their life under fatigue is about one-third that of the latter. Normally, these flanges are of forged construction and are provided with hub. Sometimes, these flanges are fabricated from plates and are not provided with the hub.The disadvantage of the flange is that a combination of flange and elbow or flange and tee is not possible because named fittings have not a straight end that complete slid in the Slip On flange.
Socket Weld Flange
The Socket weld flanges are attached by only one fillet weld, only on outside, and are not recommended for severe services. These are used for small-bore lines only. Their static strength is equal to Slip On flanges, but their fatigue strength is 50% greater than double-welded Slip On flanges. The thickness of connecting pipe should be specified for this type of flanges to ensure proper bore dimension.In socket weld flange, before welding, a space must be created between flange or fitting and pipe. ASME B31.1 Preparation for Welding (E) Socket Weld Assembly says:In assembly of the joint before welding, the pipe or tube shall be inserted into the socket to the maximum depth and then withdrawn approximately 1/16″ (1.6 mm) away from contact between the end of the pipe and the shoulder of the socket.The purpose for the bottoming clearance in a Socket Weld is usually to reduce the residual stress at the root of the weld that could occur during solidification of the weld metal. The image shows you the X measure for the expansion gap.The disadvantage of socket weld flange is right the gap, that must be made. By corrosive products, and mainly in stainless steel pipe systems, the crack between pipe and flange can give corrosion problems. In some processes this flange is also not allowed.
Threaded Flange
The Screwed or Threaded flanges are used on pipe lines where welding cannot be carried out. A threaded flange or fitting is not suitable for a pipe system with thin wall thickness, because cutting thread on a pipe is not possible.Thus,thicker wall thickness must be chosen.ASME B31.3 Piping Guide says:Where steel pipe is threaded and used for steam service above 250 psi or for water service above 100 psi with water temperatures above 220°F, the pipe shall be seamless and have a thickness at least equal to schedule 80 of ASME B36.10.Socket welding and threaded flanges are not recommended for service above 250°C and below -45 C.
Weld Neck Flange
Welding Neck Flanges are easy to recognize as the long tapered hub, that goes gradually over to the wall thickness from a pipe or fitting. The long tapered hub provides an important reinforcement for use in several applications involving high pressure, sub-zero and / or elevated temperatures. The smooth transition from flange thickness to pipe or fitting wall thickness effected by the taper is extremely beneficial, under conditions of repeated bending, caused by line expansion or other variable forces.These flanges are bored to match the inside diameter of the mating pipe or fitting so there will be no restriction of product flow. This prevents turbulence at the joint and reduces erosion. They also provide excellent stress distribution through the tapered hub.The Weld neck flanges are attached by butt-welding to the pipes. These are used mainly for critical services where all the weld joints need radiographic inspection. While specifying these flanges, the thickness of the welding end also should be specified along with flange specification.
Blind Flange
Blind Flanges are manufactured without a bore and used to blank off the ends of piping, Valves and pressure vessel openings.From the standpoint of internal pressure and bolt loading, blind flanges, particularly in the larger sizes, are the most highly stressed flange types.However, most of these stresses are bending types near the center, and since there is no standard inside diameter, these flanges are suitable for higher pressure temperature applications.
