Alignment is crucial when it comes to the gasket between pipe flanges, because misalignment can create a disruption in the fluid flow. This can be problematic for a variety of reasons, but a full face gasket can eliminate this problem altogether.
This is because a full face gasket has the same diameter measurement as the flange. Additionally, a full face gasket has the necessary holes pre-cut into its face for bolts to secure it into place. This makes it much easier to place the full face gasket correctly, and secure its alignment.
When It’s Necessary
A full face flange gasket certainly has benefits, but it isn’t necessary for every situation. For instance, full face flange gaskets are recommended for situations in which they are supporting a lower pressure.
Essentially, compression of the gasket is what prevents leaks and causes minimal disruption to flow. The greater the pressure, the more compression required, because the gasket has to conform to both ends and maintain an even internal flow.
For a full face gasket, since they cover a larger area than a ring gasket (for instance), it is more difficult to achieve this compression, as a smaller area is simpler to compress.
Options
Even so, there are various options for full face flange gaskets, and depending on your system, what type of pressure or load is moving through your network, and what size of gasket you require, it is worth learning more about full face gaskets.
Contact us if you have any questions about full face flange gaskets, full face gasket sizes, full face gasket dimensions, or anything else, and let us help you find the appropriate gasket that makes sense for you.