Spiral wound gaskets are crucial in the prevention of leaks. Used across various industries, we know that spiral wound gaskets can provide the perfect sealing solution.
We also understand that your ultimate goal when working with gaskets is to ensure they fit correctly and provide you with the best possible service for the longest period of time, as gaskets must be able to cope with high pressures, fluctuating temperature ranges, and range of potentially harsh chemicals.
That’s why at Specialist Sealing Products, we can’t emphasise enough the importance of choosing the correct gasket to meet the requirements of your application.
This, matched with the correct installation procedure, can ensure you create sustainable accuracy within your applications each and every time.
Spiral wound gaskets
Spiral wound gaskets are a semi-metallic component with a stainless-steel V-shaped strip and a filler material that is non-metallic (PTFE or Graphite).
The outer ring of the gasket is used for centring and allows for better and more accurate compression control.
Inner rings are available with spiral wound gaskets to provide additional strength and protect from contamination – this can significantly benefit those working within the oil and gas industry.
Ultimately, they’re an incredibly versatile seal that offers considerable strength and good recovery rates.
Suitable for high-pressure and fluctuating temperature applications (spiral wound gaskets are capable of sealing within temperature ranges of -250 up to 1000 degrees Celsius), this type of gasket is also suitable for a wide range of flange configurations.
Spiral wound gasket installation
Before you get started, it’s important to:
Check the condition of the flange, nuts, and bolts
Before installation, all flange faces should be clean and free from any scoring or indentations. Any debris or slight marks on the flanges can result in an unsecured fit leading to creep.
All surfaces must be cleaned and free from mechanical impurities. And bolt and nut threads should also be thoroughly cleaned and flat before use.
It’s also important to note that spiral wound gaskets require a surface finish between 3.2um and 6.3um, and all flange faces must be parallel and concentric.
Only use new gaskets
Never reuse spiral wound gaskets.
It’s vital that gaskets are in good condition and suitable for the application they’re to be placed within.
This means the gasket should be void of any flaws, irregularities, gaps, and rust spots that could affect its performance.
We also advise that you avoid using oil and lubricants for metallic gaskets as these can negatively affect sealability, causing creep and joint failure.
Choose the right gasket to suit the application
Make sure to choose the material and filler of the spiral wound gasket based on the working environment of the application – this is essential to achieve maximum sealability.
And choose the size of the gasket based on the diameter and structure of the flange. For example, the gasket’s external measurements must be smaller in diameter than the external diameter of the flange’s sealing surface.
In addition, the gasket’s internal measurements should be slightly larger in size compared with the pipe’s inner diameter – however, be aware you need to avoid protrusion.
How to install a spiral wound gasket
This list is not exhaustive, and you should always refer to the manufacturer’s guidance for further details and information.
- Insert the gasket spiral centrally into the space.
- Tighten bolts using torque or stress. Tightening should be evenly and symmetrically carried out, continuously checking and recalibrating the torque as required.
- For bolts, tighten with fingers initially, tightening up to 30% of your final stress.
- From the last load, tighten to 60% before finally completing tightening so full torque is achieved (ideally, you are looking for a cycle of 2-3 times), with the spiral wound gasket evenly pressed to achieve thorough tightening.
Equipment you may require
- A tightening device, i.e., torque wrench
- Wire brush for cleaning
- Depending on the application, a hard hat and safety goggles may also be required.
Spiral wound gasket UK
It’s vital that you choose a gasket that is appropriate to the application it is to be used within and that you work with a professional when installing spiral wound gaskets into complex applications and settings.
At Specialist Sealing Products, we design and manufacture the highest quality seals. From metallic and semi-metallic gaskets to soft-cut gaskets and sheeting, we can even help you with elastomeric sealing products, gland compression packings, pipe supplies, and flange insulation sets.
We work hard to put our customers first, providing competitively priced sealing products you can trust.
For further information, call us at 01535 274 776 or email your requirements to sales@specialistsealingproducts.co.uk, and one of our team will be in touch.
