Minimum gasket width

[Lebpower]

Hello Good morning,

I'm having an issue evaluating an alternative for a heat exchanger gasket.

They offer me to use a gasket with less width (1/2") than the stablished in the original design (5/8")

I have searched on ASME Sec. VIII. div. 1 and there's Table 2-4 but I think it refers to the contact width of the flange. How can I calculate the minimun width of the gasket?


PS: There's no other alternative besides the one I mentioned, so in case that's not factible I need to demostrate why it cant be used. That's why I want to calculate it.

Thanks in advance,

Roberto

 

[racookpe1978]

What pressure, temperature, service, and type of fluid?
What is the defined "flange face" > Raised face, flat face, RJ"

 

[gerhardl]

[highlight #729FCF]PS: There's no other alternative besides the one I mentioned, so in case that's not factible I need to demostrate why it cant be used. That's why I want to calculate it
[/highlight]

There is a multitude of companies that produces and airship gaskets produced to customers specification, advice on standards and measurements, and might even suggest better standing materials than todays. They would not necessarily be out of economical reach.

You might also pressure test the gasket you have available in a simple test , if possible. It would probably be better and more siple than calculating.

You could also add on one or two sides an additional thinner gasket to compensate.

Good luck!

 

[GD2]

Lebpower,
Did you check with the exchanger MFR to see if they have modified their gasket over time? This is the fisr step you should do, if not done yet.
Heat Exchanger manufacturers get feed back of gasket failures and is not uncommon to see new gasket design. They have all the tools and resources.
It's not only the width that matters, there are many parameters involved in gasket/flange design.


Ganga D. Deka, P. Eng
Canada

 

[KevinNZ]

Can of worms!

The thinner gasket will have a higher compressive stress, assuming the bolts/studs are torqued the same.

If the gasket OD is smaller then there will be a larger bending moment in the flanges.

There are design rules for flanges and gaskets. If the flanges are custom design, then the original designer may be able rerun those calculations for you.