Iron flanges connect valves and other devices in steel pipelines. Made of black cast iron, they are bolted together with gaskets to form a strong, leak-proof connection. Cast iron flanges are cast onto ductile iron pipes and are not commonly used in underground applications. Flanged iron piping is manufactured in coated or uncoated versions.
An iron flange is a device used to connect valves, angles and other devices in a steel pipeline. Made of black cast iron, an iron flange is a fixture cast onto the end of a piece of pipe or piping fixture so the pieces can be bolted together. Connections using the many iron flange joints are made watertight through the use of thick copper or other type of gasket material sandwiched between the two flanges. Strong bolts are then placed around the outer edge of the flange to form the final connection.
Similar to a steel flange, the iron flange is attached to the pipeline to form removable sections, switches and other connections. Unlike the steel flange which must be welded to the pipe, the cast iron flange is cast onto the ductile iron pipe section as manufactured, creating an angle, cross member or similar with a built-in connection device. This is necessary due to the impossibility of safely and reliably welding pieces of cast iron together. The flanges allow the sections to be bolted together, resulting in a strong, leak-proof pipeline. Due, in part, to the very heavy weight and stiffness of ductile iron components, cast iron pipe is not commonly used in underground applications, such as large water and sewer lines.
Cast iron flange is not only found on smaller sections of pipes and fittings, flanges are also cast on the ends of long straight runs of pipe. The sections need to be bolted together once they are in a very level position. If there is a large variation in height from one run of cast pipe relative to the other, the pipe may crack or break as the flange bolts tighten. This occurs when the flanges are trying to be pulled in a straight line with each other as the flange bolts are being tightened. This causes the pipes to try to bend in a straight line with each other, damaging one or both sides of the connection.
Most types of flanged iron piping and connections are manufactured in coated or uncoated versions. Unlined pipe is just that, a crude iron pipe. The coated type of ductile pipe and flange fittings are coated with a cement mortar coating when used for water transportation. The fittings also include an asphalt coating on both the inside and outside of the pipe and fittings.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
