Sizing for Sealing a Flange with Flangeseal

 How do I Know What Size to Order: FS-Flangeseal and AQW-FPK (Flange Protection Kit)

An installed Covalence FS (Flangeseal)

     Coating a flange can be tricky.  You've typically got a significant size difference between the outside diameter of the flange - and the diameter of the pipeline.  You've also got a number of bolts that could have sharp edges.  You've got a gasket of some kind that you'd likely don't want to covered in anything permanently (that would prevent you from re-entering that flange if it was necessary.  You've also likely got some amount of uncoated pipe where the flange is welded in.  There are a lot of important data points there.  Let's try and break it down so it is a bit simpler.

     Typical flangeseal nomenclature will be something like this (I'll give a few examples):  

FS 24000-24 -- this is for a flange with an ACTUAL OD of 24.0".  This FS is supplied 24" wide (we'll get more into that below).

FS 36000-36 -- an FS for a 36" OD Flange that is supplied at 36" wide.  

FS 12750-24 -- an FS for a 12.75" OD Flange that is supplied at 24" wide.

     So, the first number is VERY important!  That tells us how to make the Flangeseal so that is long enough to wrap all the way around the flange and meet back up with itself.  An FS 12750 would never work on a 24" OD flange --- it would be like someone with a 36" waist trying to button up jeans that are made for a 22" waist.  

     The second number is the width of the flange as supplied.  That is slightly trickier to figure out.  Let's say you are working with a 24" OD Flange and a 12.75" OD Pipe.  In addition, let's say that flange is 4 inches wide itself and there are 4 inches of uncoated pipe where the pipe and flange connect.

     First thing I look at:  24" OD flange down to a 12.75" OD pipe.  Picture the sleeve installed.  The sleeve is going to 'step down' from the peak of the flange down to the pipe surface and nearly 6" of the sleeve "width" is going to be lost on that vertical of the sleeve shrinking.  Does that make sense?  Simplify it by picturing yourself cutting a strip of duct tape that spans from your kitchen island down to the floor and across to the wall.  You would have to measure - the number of inches you want it to be attached to your kitchen island -- and the distance from island to floor -- and the distance across floor to wall.  In this paragraph - the step down from outermost flange to pipe is like the distance from the kitchen island to the floor.  

     So right there - with this 24" to 12.75" dimension we know we are going to lose 6" of our sleeve width TWO TIMES (have to figure this step down will happen on both sides of the flange.  So that is 12" of our width "used" already.  In addition - the flange is 4" across (which includes where the bolts are, etc).  We've now used 16" of our sleeve width (12+4).

     Now let's add in that there are 3" of bare steel adjacent to the flange on both sides.  That is 6" of bare steel (total - we have to add them together) AND we still need to overlap onto good pipe coating by at least 3" per side (another 6").

     That leaves us (in terms of sleeve width) with:

• 12" of width used to bridge the gap between flange and pipe
• 4" of width used to cover the flange itself
• 6" of width used to cover bare steel
• 6" of width used to overlap onto good coating

12 + 4 + 6 + 6 = 28"

     The minimum FS width that could work on this configuration is 28".  Our standards are 24" and 35.5" --- so the only option here is to use a 36" wide Flangeseal (24" would not properly seal).  

Canusa Aqua-Shield FPK (High Expansion)

 Canusa FPK - Flange Protection Kit

Canusa's Flange Protection Kit

     Canusa has a high expansion, high recovery shrink sleeve material that is designed for provide corrosion protection and sealing of flanges and other high profile pipeline substrates.  The FPK (Canusa Flange Protection Kit) was yellow in color and could be used on a variety of different pipeline and flange dimensions.  The product has a roughly 60% shrink built into it.

     The material used to make the Flange Protection Kit can also be used to coat casings, bell and spigot joints and high profile couplings.

     As you may or may not know; Seal for Life purchased the Canusa product line a few years ago, making Canusa and Covalence/Raychem essentially "sister companies."  Recently, there has been a push to move Canusa FPK users toward Covalence FS (Flange Seal).  

     Flangeseal is a product that has a 66% shrink ratio.  In addition, Flangeseals utilize a very tough, fiber reinforced backing that brings excellent penetration resistance, impact resistance and bursting strength to the product.  All important qualities when coating something like a flange.  

     If I can answer further questions, or give you some pricing on a Flangeseal - please reach out immediately!  steve@jsicoatings.com   936/321-3333

The Best and Simplest Way to Seal a Buried Flange

 How to Prevent Corrosion on a Buried Flange

An installed Covalence Flangeseal

     So, you need to protect your flange (that is going to be buried eventually) from corrosion.  The Covalence (formerly Raychem) FlangeSeal is an excellent option for you.

    Flange Seal offers a high expansion, fiber reinforced backing and an extremely aggressive mastic sealant.  Shipped out with a strip of cardboard - which is wrapped around the Flange first - means that Flange doesn't get too messy and can be re-enterable one day if you need it.  Installed using a propane torch, it just doesn't get any easier than an FS Flangeseal installation.

     But there are three very important bits of information that you need before you can quote or order a Flangeseal.  

FIRST:  You must know the actual outside diameter of the flange you'll be installing on.  There are a number of flange manufacturers out there and many different types of flanges.  Simply knowing "300# 12 inch" just isn't enough to avoid a possible problem.  The Flangeseal must be large enough to wrap around that flange -- so prepare yourself -- you will be asked:  "What is the outside diameter of the FLANGE?".

SECOND:   You need to know the OD of the pipeline!  We need to be certain that the Raychem Flangeseal is able to shrink enough to properly wrap around the flange -- and shrink all the way down and seal to the pipeline.  

THIRD:  We will need to know if your specific parameters can be met with a 24" wide Flangeseal (FS) or if you need to look at using a 36" FS?  

     With those three bits  of information:

1. Actual Outside Diameter of the Flange
2. Outside diameter of the pipe
3. Width of the FS required

You'll have that Flange protected in no time!

Have questions?  Reach out:  Steve@jsicoatings.com  or   936/321-3333

 Flangeseal: An Excellent Option for Protecting Flanges from Corrosion

Flanges play a crucial role in connecting pipes and ensuring the integrity of industrial systems. However, these vital components are susceptible to corrosion, which can compromise their performance and lead to costly repairs. To prevent this issue, a reliable solution is needed, and Flangeseal emerges as an excellent option for protecting flanges from corrosion while offering easy installation.

One of the key advantages of Flangeseal is its backing with integrated fiberglass reinforcement. This feature gives the product toughness and long-lasting durability, allowing it to withstand harsh environments and demanding conditions. Additionally, the high recovery capacity of Flangeseal, combined with its impressive 65% shrinkage ratio, enables it to conform to high transitions smoothly. This versatility reduces inventory and logistics costs, making it a cost-effective choice for protecting flanges.

The mechanical resistance backing of Flangeseal is another noteworthy feature. It is designed to resist abrasion, impact, and penetration, providing reliable protection for flanges against various forms of damage. Moreover, the sealant used in Flangeseal is specially formulated to ensure a strong bond and a tight seal to virtually any substrate. This ensures that the seal remains intact, even when exposed to a wide range of temperatures, maintaining its elasticity and sealing characteristics over time.

One of the standout features of Flangeseal is its self-healing effect. The sealing adhesive has the ability to automatically flow and repair minor mechanical damages. This capability not only enhances the longevity of the product but also saves money by reducing the need for frequent maintenance or replacement. Additionally, Flangeseal does not require a primer, eliminating the need for drying time and making the application process quick and easy.

Installation of Flangeseal is made even more convenient by its zipper closure system. This system simplifies and accelerates the installation process, ensuring a secure fit around the flanges. Moreover, Flangeseal does not require any special equipment for installation, making it accessible to a wide range of users. This not only saves time but also keeps installation costs low.

The excellent performance of Flangeseal is further supported by its impressive properties. The bursting strength of the backing, tested according to DIN 30672, is measured at 3500 N, demonstrating its ability to withstand significant pressure. The adhesive's softening point, tested per ASTM E-28, is 92°C (198°F), indicating its high-temperature resistance. Additionally, the shear strength and peel strength of the adhesive, tested according to EN12068, are 8 N/cm² and 9 N/cm, respectively, confirming its strong bonding capabilities.

Flangeseal is a heat shrinkable corrosion protection sleeve specifically developed for installation on flanges or mechanical couplings that are already in place. It consists of two layers: a visco-elastic sealant and a fiberglass-reinforced, radiation cross-linked, polyethylene backing. The product comes in pre-cut sleeves with a zipper closure system, allowing for fast and simple installation. Additionally, each kit includes a corrugated cardboard sheet to keep the flange nuts and bolts clean, facilitating easy re-entry and disassembly when necessary.

The installation process of Flangeseal is straightforward. After cleaning and preparing the pipe surface and flange, the corrugated cardboard sheet is wrapped around the flange to be sealed. The heat-shrinkable sleeve is then positioned centrally over the flange and closed using the zipper closure. As the sleeve is heated above 125°C (257°F), it shrinks tightly around the substrate. During the recovery process, the adhesive softens and flows, forming a tight bond. The bond strength further develops during cool down and remains fully intact upon completion of the installation process.

Flange Protection

Heat Shrinkable Corrosion Protection for Flanges

     Flangeseals are a niche product that we manufacture and sell.  Though the volume isn't yet tremendous, this is a fantastic product with a long, successful use history.  Flange Protection is a fairly common need out in the world.  There can be plenty of confusion as well though, as flange protection sleeves very often are specified on different criteria than we see field joint coatings specified.  Coincidentally, I've recently been in a position to have a few different discussions about our specific flange protection solution.

     Being that these are separate projects, there is an interesting opportunity here to evaluate our product (Flange Seal) from a couple of different angles:  Technically and cost.  

     First let's look at coating thickness:

Flangeseal is supplied with a backing thickness of 51 mils.  It is supplied with an adhesive thickness of 47 mils.  So we have a total supplied thickness of 98 mils.  This is a product that will shrink 67% if allowed to shrink that much (unrestricted by a pipe diameter, etc).  In such a case where there was going to be a full unrestricted recovery, this product backing thickness would be 127 mils.  Just like the backing, the adhesive thickness will increase during the shrink process (volume of the adhesive does not change, while the area of sleeve backing is reduced, resulting in a thicker adhesive even with the consideration that some small amount of adhesive will flow at the edges of the sleeve by design to form a seal.

That would mean a total, full unrestricted recovery of something in the neighborhood of 180 mils.  This may answer the question as many spec writers would see a number like this on a data sheet - and would copy it over to a spec - not realizing that they may have made a mistake.  If they meant to include the "full unrestricted recovery" dimensions (which are certainly are directly tied to the installed dimensions) then they have succeeded.  If, on the other hand, they have included a number which is the 'full unrestricted recovery' dimension but what they really want is the installed thickness - they may have inadvertently caused themselves an issue. 

Determining installed thickness can very often be a difficult task (as evidenced by the fact that no shrink sleeve manufacturer anywhere in the world reports an installed thickness).  Why is it difficult?  Because there are a number of very important factors.  How much 'slack' was in the shrink sleeve prior to shrinking?  What was the exact temperature of the preheated steel?  How much longitudinal shrink occurred during the shrink process?  What were weather, humidity and wind conditions during the shrink process?  What was the exact thickness of the adhesive during the manufacturing process (this can vary a great deal for mastic products, though the plant is always certain to guarantee a minimum thickness). 

Looking at this through my own 15 years of experience, exclusively with this product line, here are my opinions.

This product would be ~180 mils with a full recovery.

This product is 98 mils supplied. 

I believe it is reasonable to assume that the shrink sleeve thickness at the pipe will reach the 130+ mil thickness. 

This raises another difficult aspect of trying to define 'installed thickness' (which your client may not have even intended to do).  Because the sleeve will shrink a great deal when it bonds to the pipe surface; while not shrinking nearly as much as it bonds to the Flange surface (which is much larger) - the installed sleeve will be thicker at the pipe surface than it is at the flange surface; because shrink sleeve recovery has such a significant bearing on installed product thickness.

I'm sorry I could answer that one with fewer words.  I'm sure that is more than you ever wanted to know about installed shrink sleeve thicknesses.

 Now, when considering specifically my product (FlangeSeal) against a competitors heat shrinkable option:

Competitors product: 

Backing thickness supplied:  31 mils

Backing fully recovered:  not reported

Flangeseal:

Backing thickness supplied: 51 mils

Backing thickness fully recovered:  128 mils

So right there - we are looking at ~62% thicker backing as supplied.  I expect there will be a similar disparity with fully recovered dimensions.  So 62% thicker backing.  That is pretty significant when considering the weight these sleeves will bear on larger flanges. 

An important note:  our backing is comprised of three layers:

1 layer of radiation cross linked polyolefin

1 layer of a fiber mesh material specifically designed to improve penetration resistance and abrasion resistance (critical for sealing a flange in my opinion)

a 2nd layer of radiation cross linked polyolefin

From all I can see - my competitors product is comprised of a single layer of polyethylene.

Looking at adhesive thicknesses (which aren't as important in my opinion) - Competitor is at 44 mils and our Flangeseal is at 47 mils. 

I really think the fiber mesh laminated in the backing of our product is the most important difference though.  Truly, I think it is the difference between a product that works...and a product that doesn't.

How Do I Seal Up a Buried Flange?

     In the world of flanges; finding a way to properly seal a buried flange can be quite difficult.  There are some methods out there; but they are often messy and difficult.  Beyond that; what if you need to get back into that flange?  Allow me to introduce the Covalence Flangeseal. 

Covalence FlangeSeal

     Flangeseal is made from a high expansion, fiber sheet reinforced heat shrink sleeve.  It is built to bridge the large OD differentials between a flange OD and the pipe OD.  Coated with an aggressive mastic sealant; the Flangeseal (FS) bonds to all commonly used factory applied coating.  The Flangeseal also exhibits superior penetration and abrasion resistance thanks to the high density backing and the fiber sheet reinforcement. 

     In addition, the Flangeseal can be installed (if you choose) to be re-enterable.  In such a case; some cardboard (supplied) is wrapped around the bolt section of the flange and if necessary; the Flangeseal can be removed from that section using a sharp razor knife.  No need to pack the bolts with wax; no need for a messy pour of PU foam; no need for any of those awful; messy options.  The Flangeseal is here to make your life easier and reduce labor costs.  Call today for pricing:  we will need the OD of the flange and the OD of the pipe.