Flange Management

Things to take note• Hardly find 1 flange management online studies which briefly explain

5W’s • This is an incomplete presentation, till then will fill up necessary

information

Topic• Introduction of Flange Management• Material• Equipment• Procedure• Organization Chart• Documentation & Requirement• Assembly/Disassembly of Flanges• Usage of tools• Safety aspects

Material• Flanges

• Flat Face• Raised Face• Ring Type Joint Face• Hub Face• Groove/Tongue Face

• Gasket• Spiral Wound• NAF Gasket• RTJ Ring• Seal Ring• Pikotek

• Bolt/Nut• Size• Material• Coating• Length

Flanges

Flat Face

Raised Face

Tongue Face

Groove Face

Ring Type Joint Face

Hub Face

Gasket

Compressed Non-Abestos Fiber Gasket

Spiral Wound Gasket

Ring Type Joint Gasket

Seal Ring Gasket

Pikotek Gasket

Bolt/Nut

- Bolt must be clean with soft wire brush or approved emery paper- If there is no marking on the bolt or nut surface. Do Not use !!- Lubricate first 2 turn of bolt from flange & surface of mating nut- Bolt marking to be uniformly face whereby operator can easily spot- Length of bolt to be calculated after first thread- PTFE coated bolt/nut do NOT require lubrication- Excess bolt length not more than ½” (12.7mm)

Equipment• Manual Torque Wrench• Hydraulic Torque Pump• Hydraulic Torque Wrench• Hydraulic Tensioning Pump• Hydraulic Tensioning Adaptor• Flange Spreader• Hydraulic Alignment Device• Backing Spanner• Combination Spanner

Manual Torque Wrench

Hydraulic Torque Pump

Hydraulic Torque Wrench

Hydraulic Tensioning Pump

Hydraulic Tensioner Adaptor

Flange Spreader

Hydraulic Alignment Device

Backing Spanner

Combination Spanner

Procedure• Client’s Flange Management Procedure

Organization Chart

Flange ManagementCoordinator

Bolting Supervisor

Bolting Technician

Bolting Technician

1 Team

PROJECT SERVICES

Flange Management Coordinator - To expedite on technical enquiries- Have vast experience on Flange Management

Services- Problem Solver- Documentation & Reporting to client- Manpower Management- Equipment Maintenance

Bolting Supervisor- Reports to coordinator- Technical knowledge on flange management- Manage task on priority given

Bolting Technician- To be hands-on and knowing quality work DO

NOT compromise with SAFETY

Documentation & Requirement• Flange Management Register• Torque Value Chart• Certified Personnel (Certificates provided)• Equipment Certificates (Original)• Conversation of torque value to pressure chart• Joint Inspection Certificates (JIC)• Joint Completion Certificates (JCC)• Deviation must be approved by client

Assembly & Disassembly of flanges• Flat Face Flange• Raise Face Flange• Ring Type Joint Flange• Hub Flanges• Allowance / Things to take note

FF/RF – Flange and GasketRaised face seals by installing a flat gasket between the raised faces of the flanges to be mate. Gaskets material could be graphite filled, Non-asbestos fibre or spiral wound gasket. Use the correct type with drawings given

On Tightening, the gasket is compressed and press between two sides of mating face. The grooves are circular and form part of flange mating to provide best possible seal. The gasket is permanently deformed and must NOT be re-used.

FF/RF - AlignmentAny stress in the pipeline will require great force to achieve parallel connection of flanges

1. Check area to be cleared for alignment2. For hydraulic jack up on pipe due alignment, pressure should be less than 20%

of total target bolt load3. Measure with Vernier caliper/Taper gauge and identify the flanges with

greatest and smallest gap. Allowance to be given is equal or less than 0.8mm differential

4. Fill the bottom bolts and remember not to place more than half of the bolt quantity. This means there will be empty bolt between bolts used for alignment

5. Use Vernier caliper/Taper Gauge to measure around the flanges several times during the process until flanges are parallel

**NEVER USE BOLTS TO ALIGN FLANGES**

FF/RF - AssemblyBefore tightening flanges you have to go through the following steps :

1. Check flanges and seal area for damages, radial scratches, corrosion and ensure seal area is free of paint and coating

2. Clean the seal face with approved solvent in circular motion & abrasive paper/cloth with rags to be final cleanup

3. Lubricate first 2 turn of the bolt on flange & surface of the mating nut

4. Any radial damage. Do inform your supervisor/coordinator for advise

FF/RF - TighteningUse only approved tools with calibration certificates (Original) is to be produced before project commence

1. Calibration certificates of tools is valid2. Tools to be secured prior pressurize3. Use of tools is in accordance to supplier/manufacturer instruction

FF/RF – Disassembly of flangePoint 1• Check that safety clearance is done via permit system & gauges to

prevent opening of trapped pressure in system• Check that spring pipe supports are not under load and should be in

locked position• Prior disassembly, never assume that pressure is not in

pipeline/system

Usage of Tools – Hydraulic Torquing1. Label all sequence of bolting on a tape and paste it on side of flange2. Connect all hoses to equipment3. Connect air hose but not to turn on the air supply (Make sure hose arrestors/R-clips is in place)4. As mentioned earlier on, with 3 man per team. 2 man will be with the equipment and 1 will be on air supply line5. Turn on air supply line6. Do not fit hydraulic wrench on the nut of the flange7. Pressure the whole connection for circulating of flow8. Turn to correct pressure for the correct torque value9. Place the wrench on the nut10. Make sure all fingers are off “pinch points”11. The one holding the hydraulic wrench will be the one calling “TO GO or TO STOP”

Usage of Tools – Manual Wrench

Manual Wrench/Combination Spanner

Some client require manual wrench, at such flange size and rating plays a part to factor in manual wrench.Different hands will have different strength. Thus, using manual wrench “snip” which means as long as it’s tight and small amount of strength is required

Usage of Tools – Manual Torque Wrench• Make sure wrench always in “zero” position before and after use• Make sure you are not using no more than 75% of wrench maximum torque• Prior using it on tightening. Recommended to test against Torque Measurement Device• 2 man per team• Set to recommended torque value • When using torque wrench, if you hears a “click” sound. DO NOT continue using it unless if

you think body of wrench is hitting on pipe• When using torque wrench, do not jerk. It must be a smooth pull of handle

Usage of Tools – Hydraulic Tension• Tensioning is the direct axial stretching of the bolt to achieve preload.

Inaccuracies created through friction are eliminated. Massive mechanical effort to create torque is replaced with simple hydraulic pressure

Safety Aspect• Pinch Point• High Pressure from Equipment• Depressurize of Equipment• Falling object from height