Compact flanges or Grayloc type gasket details

[Mechanimal]

Hi,

Does anyone know why compact flanges are designed to have flange to flange face contact at the heel and toe? Could you eliminate the flange to flange face contact and locate the gasket at the ID of the flange similar to a grayloc type gasket and have no flange face contact?

Does anyone know what the taper is on grayloc gaskets? What purpose does the spacer piece (T-section not in contact with the hub ID) on the garyloc gasket have? Is the effect similar to the heel and toe contact of the compact flange?

Thanks,
Mechanimal

 

[BillBirch]

The answer to the first question is quite simple. The feature that makes a compact flange what it is, is the cantilever deflection that brings the two mating faces into contact, as the secondary sealing face - the gasket being the primary seal. By allowing controlled flexibility in the flanges to effect this contact, the thickness and diameter of the flanges can be reduced (compared to ANSI flanges) thus reducing weight and cost. ANSI flanges have been produced so that any negligible deflection will play no part in its functionality.
Regards,
Bill