Methods for checking flange leakage

Introduction:

 Leakage is a function of the relative stiffnesses of the flange, gasket and bolting.
 Flanges are designed to remain leak free under hydrostatic test pressure when cold and under operating
pressure when hot.

 The design of flanges (ASME B 16.5) does not take into account the bending moment in the pipe. This
generates wire drawing effect on the mating surface of the flange. Hence, additional flexibility is to be
provided when a flange joint is located near a point of high bending moment. So, Leakage checking is
required.

 Process Piping Flanges are designed in accordance with BPV code, Section VIII, Division 1, appendix 2,
using allowable stress and temperature limits of ASME B 31.3.

Analysis Criteria:
The criteria regarding when flange leakage checking is required should be mentioned in the ITB documents or
project specs. But as a general practice the following can be used:

 Flanges with rating 600 or more

 Flanges with rating 300 and size greater than 24 inch
 Pipe flanges carrying category M fluid service
 Pipe flanges carrying Hydrogen or other flammable fluid
 PSV lines with NPS 6 inch or more
 Flanges in Jacketed Piping
 Flanges where stress engineer finds a very high bending moment

Analysis Methodology:
Two widely used methods are practiced in prevalent Process Industry. These are

1. Pressure Equivalent method based on ASME B 16.5 pressure temperature table and
2. ASME BPVC Sec VIII Div 1 Appendix 2 method.

Pressure Equivalent Method:

In this method the axial force (F) and bending moment (M) on the flange is converted into equivalent pressure (Pe)
using following equations.
Equivalent Pressure for Axial force, Pe1=4F/ΠG^2
Equivalent Pressure for bending moment, Pe2=16M/ΠG^3
Here G=diameter at location of gasket load reaction =(Gasket OD+ID)/2 when bo<=6 mm
=(Gasket OD-2b) when bo>6 mm.
Here bo=basic gasket seating width as given in table 2-5.2 of ASME sec VIII:
Now add these two equivalent pressures with pipe design pressure (Pd) to find total pressure (Pt=Pd+Pe1+Pe2)
and enter into the ASME B 16.5 pressure temperature rating table associated with flange material. If Pt is less than
the allowed pressure on the rating table corresponding to the associated temperature then flange will not leak.
ASME BPVC Sec VIII Div 1 Appendix 2 method:
In this method flange stresses (longitudinal hub stress, radial flange stress and tangential flange stress) are
calculated based on code provided equations/formulas. These calculated stresses are then compared with allowable
stresses as given in BPVC code Sec VIII Div 1 Appendix 2, Clause 2-8.

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For calculating flange stresses one need to calculate the flange moment which is dependent on bolt load. Bolt load
has to be calculated for two design conditions; operating & gasket seating, and the most severe will govern. For
more details of the equations and calculation methodology the above mentioned code can be referred. Click on the
following title if you are interested in Caesar II methods for flange leakage analysis using a) Pressure Equivalent
Method and b) ASME Section VIII method

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