Flange Basics: Functions,

Designs, and Other

Considerations
A look at the common characteristics you should consider when choosing a
flange for your piping system

WHAT ARE PIPE FLANGES AND HOW DO THEY

WORK?
Offering a reliable way to connect pipe systems with the various equipment, valves,
and other components of virtually any processing system, flanges are the second most
used joining method after welding.

Using flanges adds flexibility when maintaining piping systems by allowing for easier
disassembly and improved access to system components.

A typical flanged connection is comprised of three parts:

 Pipe Flanges
 Gasket
 Bolting

In most cases, there are specific gasket and bolting materials made from the same, or
approved materials as the piping components you wish to connect. Stainless Steel
flanges are some of the most common. However, flanges are available in a wide range
of materials so matching them with your needs is essential.

Other common flange materials include Monel, Inconel, Chrome Moly, and many
others depending on the application.

The best option for your needs will depend on both the system in which you intend to
use the flange and your specific requirements.
COMMON FLANGE TYPES AND
CHARACTERISTICS
Flanges are not a one-type-fits-all sort of solution. Sizing aside, matching the ideal
flange design to your piping system and intended usage will help to ensure reliable
operation, a long service life, and optimal pricing.

Here’s a look at the most common flange types available.

Threaded Flanges
Also known as a screwed flange, this style has a thread inside the flange bore which
fits with the matching male thread on the pipe or fitting. The threaded connection
means you can avoid welding in many use cases. Simply match the threading to the
pipes you wish to connect.

Socket-Weld Flanges
Ideal for smaller pipe diameters in low-temperature and low-pressure scenarios,
socket-weld flanges feature a connection in which you place the pipe into the flange
and then secure the connection with a single multi-pass fillet weld. This makes this
style simpler to install than other welded flange types while avoiding the limitations
associated with threaded ends.
Slip-on Flanges
Slip-on flanges are very common and are available in a large range of sizes to
accommodate systems with higher flow rates and throughput. Simply match the flange
to the outer diameter of the pipe you intend to connect. Installation is slightly more
technical as you’ll need fillet weld both sides to secure the flange to the pipe.

Lap Joint Flanges

Featuring a two-piece design, lap joint flanges require butt welding of the stub end to
the pipe or fitting with the use of a backing flange to create the flanged connection.
This design makes this style popular for use in systems with limited physical space or
systems which require frequent dismantling and maintenance.
Weld Neck Flanges
Like lap joint flanges, weld neck flanges require butt welding for installation.
However, their integrity, performance in systems with multiple repeat bends, and the
ability to use them in high-pressure and high-temperature systems make them a
leading choice for process piping.
Blind Flanges
Used for terminating or isolating piping systems, blind flanges are essentially boltable
blank discs. When installed properly and combined with the correct gaskets, they can
achieve an outstanding seal which is easy to remove when needed.
Specialty Flanges
The flange types listed above are the most common. However, there is a range of
additional specialized flange types available to suit a range of uses and environments.
Other options include nipoflanges, weldoflanges, expanding flanges, orifice, long
weld neck and reducing flanges.

MAKING THE CONNECTION: FLANGE FACING

TYPES
Flange design is only the start when considering the ideal flange for your piping
system. Face types are another characteristic that will have a major impact on the final
performance and service life of your flanges.

Facing types determine both the gaskets needed to install the flange and
characteristics related to the seal created.

Common face types include:

  Flat Face (FF): As the name suggests, flat face flanges feature a flat, even
surface combined with a full face gasket that contacts most of the flange
surface.
 Raised Face (RF): These flanges feature a small raised section around the bore
with an inside bore circle gasket.
 Ring Joint Face (RTJ): Used in high-pressure and high-temperature processes,
this face type features a groove in which a metal gasket sits to maintain the
seal.
 Tongue and Groove (T&G): These flanges feature matching grooves and
raised sections. This aids in installation as the design helps the flanges to self-
align and provides a reservoir for gasket adhesive.
 Male & Female (M&F): Similar to tongue and groove flanges, these flanges
use a matching pair of grooves and raised sections to secure the gasket.
However, unlike tongue and groove flanges, these retain the gasket on the
female face, providing more accurate placement and increased gasket material
options.

Many face types also offer one of two finishes: serrated or smooth.

Choosing between the options is important as they will determine the optimal gasket
for a reliable seal.

In general, smooth faces work best with metallic gaskets while serrated faces help to
create stronger seals with soft material gaskets.

THE PROPER FIT: A LOOK AT FLANGE

DIMENSIONS
Apart from the functional design of a flange, flange dimensions are the most likely
factor to impact flange choices when designing, maintaining, or updating a piping
system.

However, you must consider how the flange interfaces with the pipe and the gaskets
in use to ensure proper sizing.

Common considerations include:

 Outside diameter: The distance between two opposing edges of the flange
face
  Thickness: A measure of the thickness of the outer attaching rim
 Bolt circle diameter: The distance between opposing bolt holes when
measured from centre to centre
 Pipe size: A designation of the pipe size with which the flange corresponds
 Nominal bore size: A measurement of the flange connectors inner diameter

FLANGE CLASSIFICATION & SERVICE RATINGS

Each of the above characteristics will have an influence on how the flange performs
across a range of processes and environments.

So how can you tell which flanges are up to the task and which are not?

Flanges are often classified based on their ability to withstand temperatures and
pressures.

This is designated using a number and either the “#”, “lb”, or “class” suffix. These
suffixes are interchangeable but will differ based on the region or vendor.

Common classifications include:

 150#
 300#
 600#
 900#
 1500#
 2500#

Exact pressure and temperature tolerances will vary by materials used, flange design,
and flange size. The only constant is that in all cases, pressure ratings decrease as
temperatures rise.

FLANGE STANDARDS AND MARKINGS

To help make comparison easier, flanges fall under global standards established by
the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) — ASME B16.5 & B16.47.

If you’re attempting to replace or verify existing parts, all flanges must include
markers — typically on their outer perimeter — to aid in the process.
These markers also follow a strict order:

 Manufacturer logo or code

 ASTM material code
 Material Grade
 Service rating (Pressure-temperature Class)
 Size
 Thickness (Schedule)
 Heat Number
 Special designations, if any — for example, QT for Quenched and tempered or
W for repair by welding

This guide offers a solid foundation of the basics of flange design and how to choose
the ideal flange for your piping system. However, with a wide range of stainless steel
flanges and other flange materials available, it is impossible to list every
configuration, detail, or consideration.

https://www.unifiedalloys.com/blog/flanges-101/
STANDARD TYPES OF FLANGES
The type of flange to be used for a piping application depends, mainly, on the required
strength for the flanged joint. Flanges are used, alternatively to welded connections, to
facilitate maintenance operations (a flanged joint can be dismantled quickly and
conveniently).

Let’s now dive in, showing the key types of flanges with pictures.

WELDING NECK FLANGE

 .    

A welding neck flange (“WN”)features a long tapered hub that can be welded with a
pipe.

This flange type is used, normally, in high-pressure and high/low temperatures

applications that require an unrestricted flow of the fluid conveyed by the piping system
(the bore of the flange matches with the bore of the pipe).

The absence of pressure drops prevents negative effects as turbulence and

erosion/corrosion of the metals in the proximity of the flanged joints.

The tapered hub allows a smooth distribution of the mechanical stress between the pipe
and the weld neck flange and facilitates the execution of radiographic inspections to
detect possible leakages and welding defects.

The dimension of the flange (NPS and the pipe schedule) shall match the dimension of
the connecting pipe.
A welding neck flange is connected to a pipe by a single full penetration V-shaped butt
weld. The dimension and weights of ASME weld neck flanges are shown in this article.

LONG WELDING NECK

Long weld neck flanges (“LWN”) are similar to weld neck flanges, with the exception
that the neck (tapered hub) is extended and acts like a boring extension.

Long weld neck flanges are generally used on vessels, columns or barrels. These
flange types are available also in the heavy barrel (HB) and equal barrel (E) types.

SLIP ON FLANGE

   

A slip-on flange is connected to the pipe or the fittings by two fillet welds, one executed
inside and one outside the cavity of the flange.

The bore size of a slip-on flange is larger than the outside diameter of the connecting
pipe, as the pipe has to slide inside the flange to be connected by the execution of
a fillet weld.
Slip-on flanges are also defined “Hubbed Flanges” and they are easy to recognize due
to their slim and compact shape.

The dimensions and weights of slip-on flanges ANSI/ASME are available on this page.

WELD NECK VS SLIP ON FLANGE

Flanged joints made with slip-on flanges are, in the long run, a bit more fragile than
connections made with welding neck flanges (in similar service conditions). This seems
due to the following facts:

 a welding neck flange features a tapered hub, absent in a socket weld

flange, which distributes the mechanical stress between the pipe and the flange
more evenly
 a welding neck joint as only one welding area instead of two (socket weld flange).
Another advantage of the welding neck flange is that it can be connected either to pipes
and fittings, whereas socket weld flanges suit pipes only.

THREADED FLANGE

      

Threaded flanges are joined to pipes by screwing the pipe (which has a male thread,
generally NPT per ASME B1.20.1) onto the flange, without seam welds (in certain
cases, though, small welds are applied to increase the strength of the connection).

Threaded flanges are available in sizes up to 4 inches and multiple pressure ratings,

however, they are used, mostly, small size piping in low pressure and low-temperature
applications, like water and air utility services.

Threaded flanges are also a mandatory requirement in explosive areas, such as gas
stations and plants, as the execution of welded connections in such environments would
be dangerous.

Consult this article, to find about the dimension of ANSI/ASME threaded flanges.

SOCKET WELD FLANGE

 .        

 Socket weld flanges are connected to pipes using a single fillet weld executed on the
outer side of the flange (different from the slip-on flange type that requires two welds).
According to ASME B31.1, to execute a flanged connection using a socket weld flange,
the pipe shall be at first inserted in the socket of the flange until it reaches the bottom of
the flange, then it should be lifted by 1.6 mm and finally welded.

This gap shall be left to allow proper positioning of the pipe inside the flange socket
after the solidification of the weld.

Socket Weld Flanges are used for small-size and high-pressure piping that do not
transfer highly corrosive fluids.

This due to the fact that these flange types are subject to corrosion in the gap area
between the end of the pipe and the shoulder of the socket.

Their static strength of socket weld flanges is similar to slip-on flanges’, but their fatigue
strength is higher due to the presence of a single, instead of double, fillet weld.

Sizes and weights of socket-weld flanges (ASME/ANSI) are reported here.

LAP JOINT FLANGE

 
Lap joint flanges feature a flat face and are always used in conjunction with a stub end.

Lap joint flanges resemble, in shape, slip-on flanges except for the radius at the
crossing of the flange face and the bore to accommodate the flanged portion of the stub
end.

A lap joint flange slips over the pipe and seats on the back of the stub end and the two
are kept together by the pressure of the bolts.

The use of lap joint flanges in combination with stub ends is a cost-effective solution for
stainless steel or nickel alloy pipelines, as the material of the lap joint flange can be of a
lower grade (generally carbon steel) than the material of the stub end (which has to
match the pipe grade, as in contact with the conveyed fluid).

This arrangement, therefore, has these two advantages:

1. reduces the overall cost of the pipeline’s flanged joints, as the use of higher
grade materials is minimized;
2. bolting operations are simplified, as the lap joint flange can be rotated around the
pipe to help with bolts alignment.
The dimensions and weights of lap joint flanges are shown in this article.

BLIND FLANGE

Contrary to all the flange types seen above, blind flanges do not have a center hole, and
are used to blind or seal a pipeline, a valve/pressure vessel and block the flow of the
fluid.

Blind flanges have to withstand remarkable mechanical stress due to the system
pressure and the required bolting forces.
Blind flanges allow easy access to the pipeline, as they can be easily unbolted to let the
operator execute activities inside the terminal end of the pipe (this is also the reason
why the blind flange type is used as manhole for pressure vessels, at times).

It is maybe interesting to observe that, while this flanges type is easier to manufacture,
they are sold at a premium average cost per kilogram compared to the other flange
types.

Refer to this article to learn about the dimensions of blind flanges per ANSI/ASME

B16.5.

SPECIAL TYPES OF FLANGES

NIPOFLANGE

A Nipoflange is used for branch pipelines at 90 degrees and is a product

manufactured by combining a welding neck flange with a forged Nipolet.

However, a Nipoflange is a solid single piece of forged steel and not two different
products welded together.

To install a Nipoflange, the piping staff has to weld the Nipolet part of the device on the
run pipe and bolt the flanged part on the flange of the branched pipe.

Nipoflanges are available in different materials, such as carbon steel ASTM A105 (high-
temperature service), ASTM A350 (low-temperature carbon steel), ASTM A182
(stainless steel grades, including duplex and super duplex) and nickel alloys (Inconel,
Incoloy, Hastelloy, etc).

Nipoflanges are also manufactured in the reinforced variant, which has additional
mechanical strength compared to a standard Nipoflange.

WELDOFLANGE

A Weldoflange is conceptually similar to a Nipoflange, as that they are a combination of

a weld neck flange and a branch fitting connection (a Weldolet in this
case). Weldoflanges are made out of a single piece of solid forged steel, not by welding
separate parts together.

ELBOFLANGE AND LATROFLANGE

Other less common types of flange Olets is the so-called Elboflange (a combination of a
flange and an Elbolet) and “Latroflange” (combination of a flange with a Latrolet).
Elboflanges are used to branch a pipeline at 45 degrees.

Elboflange
SWIVEL FLANGE

Swivel ring flanges facilitate the alignment of the bolt holes between the two mating
flanges, a feature that is helpful in many circumstances, such as the installation of large
diameter pipelines, subsea and offshore pipelines, pipe works in shallow waters and
similar environments.Swivel flanges suit oil, gas, hydrocarbons, water, chemical
and other demanding fluids in petrochemical and water management applications.

In the case of a large diameter pipeline, for instance, the pipe is fitted, at one end, with a
standard welding neck flange, and with a swivel flange at the other end: by simply
rotating the swivel flange on the pipe, the operators can achieve a perfect alignment of
the bolt holes in a way easier and faster way.

The major standards for swivel ring flanges are ASME/ANSI, DIN, BS, EN, ISO, etc.
The most common standard for petrochemical application is the ANSI/ASME B16.5 or
ASME B16.47.

Swivel flanges are available in all the standard shapes of common flanges, i.e. weld-
neck, slip-on, lap-joint, socket weld etc, in all material grades and in a wide dimensional
range (sizes can vary from 3/8” to 60” and pressure rating from 150 to 2500).

Swivel flanges can be manufactured in carbon steel (ASTM A105), alloy steel (ASTM
A182 F1, A182 F5, A182 F9, A182 F91), and, stainless steel (ASTM A182 F304, A182
F304L, A182 F316, A182 F316L).

EXPANDING FLANGE (“EXPANDER”)

Expanding flanges, or “expander flanges”, are used to increase the bore of the
pipeline from a specific point to another or to connect pipes to other mechanical
devices such as pumps, compressors, and valves that have different inlets sizes.

The expanding flange represented in the picture is a welding neck flange with a larger
bore on the non-flanged end.

Expanding flanges can be used to increase the run pipe bore only by one or
maximum two sizes and not more (example: from 2 to 3 or maximum 4 inches).

Expander flanges are a cheaper (and lighter) solution compared to the combination of

a buttweld reducer and a standard flange (which is the standard solution for pipe bore
increases above 2 sizes).

The most common materials for expanding flanges are A105 (high-temp. carbon steel),
A350 (LTCS) and ASTM A182 (stainless steel and above).
Pressure ratings and dimensions of expanding flanges are in accordance with
the ANSI/ASME B16.5 specification and are available with raised or flat face (RF, FF).

The drawing of an ASME expanding flange.

 
REDUCING FLANGE (“REDUCER”)

Reducing flanges, otherwise called reducer flanges, have an opposite function than
expander flanges seen above, i.e. they are used to decrease the bore of a pipeline.

The bore of the run pipe can be safely reduced by only 1 or 2 sizes (otherwise a
solution based on the combination of a butt weld reducer and a standard flange has to
be used).

Reducing flanges are available in most sizes and material grades, and are not generally
available from stock.

Reducing flanges follow the same considerations in terms of specifications, sizes and
material grades as expander flanges.

The last type of forged product that resembles the shape of a flange is the so-
called spectacle blind: while not properly a flange, a blind (or a ring spacer or spade) is
used in between pipes to isolate the pipeline mechanically and in a very easy way. More
details are provided in another section of our Wiki for piping.

OTHER FLANGE CLASSIFICATIONS

The shape is the most obvious way to classify the different types of flanges. However,
other ways to classify flanges exist and they are:

 by material grade
 by flange face type (raised, flat, ring joint, male and female, tongue and groove,
lap joint)
 by flange finish (smooth, serrated, stock)
 by dimensions (nominal size and pressure rating)