A weld flange is used to attach two pipes in a bolt-on manner. It has a cone-like tapered apparatus that reduces turbulence and adds strength. The most common weld used is a butt weld, which provides maximum penetration and is good for X-ray inspection. The center hole is drilled to have the same diameter as the inside of the pipe for the least possible flow restriction. Weld flanges are used in harsh and hot environments and high-pressure applications, providing superior protection from cracking and breaking.
A weld flange is a device used to attach two pieces of pipe in a bolt-on manner. Unlike a flat flange which is, as the name suggests, a flat steel flange that can be welded to a pipe, the weld flange has a cone-like tapered apparatus machined into the pipe side of the flange. This cone starts off wide at the flange and gradually decreases in size until it matches the diameter of pipe it is designed for. Used on both hot and cold high-pressure pipelines, the cone in the weld flange reduces turbulence in the pipe joint and adds strength to resist constant deflection of the joint due to temperature and pressure changes.
The most common weld used to connect a weld flange to a pipe is known as a butt weld or weld flange weld. To complete this weld, the welder uses a grinder to make a cone at both the pipe end and the cone end on the weld flange. When placed together, the two cones create a V shape, which is then filled with solder. This type of weld provides maximum penetration to both the pipe and the flange, therefore imparting maximum strength to the joint or connection. This type of weld is also a good choice when the weld needs to be X-rayed.
The center hole on the weld flange is drilled to have the same diameter as the inside of the pipe to which it is to be mounted. This creates a joint with the least possible flow restriction when creating a joint in a pipeline. The taper of the weld flange is also representative of the weight of the pipe it is being fitted to with lighter pipe requiring a larger bore and heavier pipe requiring a smaller bore. This is done to maintain a match within the flanged connection and reduce the turbulence of the flowing liquid.
Applications where the weld type flange is required can range from harsh and cold climates to dangerously hot environments and even high pressure applications. Commonly providing greater strength than a flat flange in the same or similar installation, the added material in the taper of the weld flanges provides superior protection from cracking and breaking from bending and pressure. The smooth passage of liquid caused by the lack of turbulence within the connection reduces the amount of routine pipeline maintenance that must be performed.
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