Thermal Stress Analysis and Sealing Performance Evaluation of Pipe Flange Connections With Spiral Wound Gaskets Under Elevated Temperature

Abstract

In this paper, the thermal stress distributions at the interfaces between pipe flanges and the gasket under elevated temperature and internal pressure were calculated by using the finite element method (FEM) taking into account hysteresis in the stress-strain curves of spiral wound gasket. Leakage tests were performed using helium gases. In addition, the effects of temperature on the sealing performance were examined by using an actual pipe flange connection with spiral wound gasket under elevated temperature. By using the calculated contact stress distributions and the results of the leakage tests, the sealing performance was evaluated.