A socket weld flange is a pipe connector with a socket for welding, creating a strong connection without the need for grinding. It is ideal for small, high-pressure pipelines and chemical plants. The shoulder inside the socket ensures the pipe is seated with sufficient clearance, and the thick socket provides optimal flow. It is available in mild and stainless steel for high and low-pressure applications.
A socket weld flange is a type of pipe connector that incorporates a socket into which a pipe is welded. The inclusion of a socket in the socket weld flange creates a connection that is much stronger than a comparable slip-on flange. The socket weld flange has been designed to work on small sized high pressure pipelines. This flange is very popular in chemical plants where a smooth connection is required in all flange joints. The advantage of a flanged connection is that the pipe can be easily disconnected from the flange and reassembled just as easily.
When using a slip-on flange, the pipe must be chamfered to allow for welding both inside the flange and outside. This internal weld requires grinding to create a smooth connection. By using a weld flange, this grinding is not necessary to achieve a smooth flow of liquid through the connection. The socket is designed to have an inner lip the same width as the intended pipe to be inserted into the flange. This allows the pipe to be exactly aligned with the lip of the socket inside the flange when the unit is assembled, creating a smooth transition inside the flange.
Another feature of the socket weld flange is the shoulder which sits inside the socket. This shoulder allows the pipe to be slid into the flange until it contacts the shoulder, ensuring that the pipe is seated in the flange with sufficient clearance. After the pipe contacts the shoulder, the welder can secure the flange to the pipe by placing a butt weld around the perimeter of the socket. The flush fit of the pipe against the shoulder inside the socket provides the same strength as an inside weld on a slip flange, but without the grind associated with inside welding.
By eliminating the need for internal welding, a socket weld flange can save assembly time while producing an equally strong connection. The thick socket also provides optimal flow by matching the internal bore of the socket with the internal diameter of the pipe, thus creating a smooth transition without matching. The socket weld flange is available in mild steel and stainless steel for use with both food grade and non-food grade piping. The flange also works with high and low pressure applications.
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