EVALUATION OF FLANGED CONNECTIONS DUE TO PIPING LOAD D. L. MeKaehan, Divistos Manager Piping Mechanical Divison Le, Paap Principat Stall Enginear ‘The MW, Kalloug Company Houston, Taxis ABSTRACT. The pipe leading applied to flanged connections bas been a piping angi- neec'y constagt concern, thie problem has been treated by verious author The laces tendency fa evaluation a leaning tovard the so called equivalent Presvure approach. The paper describes briefly the two popular approaches, panely reting table method and direct sttess calculation method.’ With extensive utrevs calculations perforued on the standard flanges, {t ta shown that the atandard flanges not only can take the rating pressure alloved, but leo have reeerve strength avadlable ta resiet algnificent pips loade. Caution 1s alee siven to non-standard flanges deotaned by ASHE HAPY Code rules, - Without proper consideration of pipe load, @ custom depigned non-standard flange 18 prone’ to Leak. ‘ NOHRNCLATURE, D = Guteide dianerer of pipe = Thickness of pape . P = Internal pressure Po ~ Equivalent presaure due ta pipe Load H = Bending soaent from pips ‘ F = Axial force from pipe © = Diaueter at location of skeket lead reaction b ~ Efteceive gasket viden si 1 Longitudsnal atress in hub SR ~ Raddal wtresy in flange atST > Tangential stress dn flange Se 7 Basic allowable stress at aublent teupereture (cold) Sh - Basic allowable stress ar opéraring temperature (hot) DHTRODUCTION ‘the pipe load spplicd to a flanged camection has been a constant concern to piping engineers, An excessive pipe load can ¢: 3 leaking oF even failure. ‘This problen has buen tnvestigated by Markl and George, Blick, aud others (1,2). From the extensive teste made on 4 inch class 300 ANST flanges, Marki found that even under unusually severe bending stresses, Flange asserbites dia aot fait tn the flange proper, or by fracture of the bolts, of by leakage across the jolnt face. Strunturai failure ocewered alnost invariably in the pipe adjacent to the flange, and in rere instances, acroso an uausually weak attachment weld. He ataved Mac leakage weil in advence of failure wav observed only in the case vf thre flanges, Although the test results were definite, they are no acane valli tat Ehe pipe loud on a flanged cenmecticu should not be a concern. Becau ke wide ranges of factors wuch ay alze, class, type, end material favols ., a leak or failure can stild occur at flange consections if the pipe Irnd 4g excesuive. Proper precautions should be taken te enoure the integrity 2. "We comnections. The current tendency of evaluating the pipe load ia Iedaing tovard the equivalent pressure approach. This conservative approach 18 relatively staple. It 1 especially ouitable for high volume daily production aualyses, Rowever, 40 considerably different methods tiave enurged from the application of the egufvalent pressure, One acthod uses the equivalent pressure te select the suitable class cf flange from the rating table. The other perforuy steesy check on the flange to make sure {t will take the equivalent pressure. The paper dseusses in detall the approaches wed 1a evaluating the pipe lewd, Te prem sents the results of extensive stresa analyses performed on standard flanges to give the readers a feeling on the magnitude of reserve strength availeble fron these flanges, The paper cautions that proper pipe Lead should be included ia designing a spectal flange for piping applications. METHOD OF. BVALUATION A tight Joint can be saintained whea there is a suffictent gasket presoure to endure at leant a continuous line contact araund the entire cfrounference at ait conditions, Tis requtres that the belts ba strong and stiff enough to oid the joint, the gasket be resilient snough te alloy axlal sovemenr yet strong enough to prevent crushing or blowout, the flange be atrong and stife enough te prevent excesaive cupping, thua mehing a contiouous contact poset~ bie, A Elunge ts one of the foy iteav in piping that requires the consideration of both strasa and straia. It ts also one of the few items thet depends heavily oo other components £0 make it functional. Deotgaing a flange deals not only with the flange proper but also with bole and gasket. Tre task is very complex. Lt involves setting up the gasket criteria, seating requlrewent, stress calcula~ tioa procedure, alluwable stresses, and so forth, Fortusately, the ASM Boller and Pressure Vessel Code (3) has provided « complete and detailed xules for desigaiug the flange against interuol pressure. With the avatlability of thie velisble procedure for lateral preswure design, one wili naturally attempt te use the same proceduce foo the pipe load evaluation, ‘The first step toward this utilization 4s to ecovert the pipe lead into equivalent pressure load: Assuming the equivalent pressure in the pressure that will create the sane anount cf gasket gtress aa the pipe load does (4), we have 62a After simplification, Equation (1) becomes Pe AF + 16H 2) me? qe? Avove equivalence t¢ believed to he conservative becatiee the waxtmm gas ket stress produced by the pipe loed existe only at the metrena edge of the saskat, whetens the strena generated by the pressure is uniform, Equacton (2) can be considered ag being ia the neue spirit as the etea replacement approach used in the design of the reinforcement At branch cannections, Tf is impie and relieble. By converting the pipe fond to equivalent presnure, the probles bacomen the ptaxdard problen of Elenge unger internal preswire vhich can be readily solved by ASME BEPY code procedure, The toral equivalent design pressure becomes Pratel 7 F + Pe ay Bquation (3) has heen used by the petrochentcal industry (4) for sore than 30 years, and waa forally adopted by the muclent pipe Gode (5) for evaluating class 2 piping flange connections, Tm fact Equation (2) nas gained such a popularity chat {t do alec used in converting toratanal moment to equivalent pressure (5), although the nature of the stress generated from torsion ta dif~ ferent from the one created by prensure. APPLICATION OF EQUIVALENT PRESSURE With the total equivalent preasure determined, the rest of the evaluation dn straight forvard. One can perfore a streas catculation based on this pres~ sure or sinply select a Clange that hus the rating suiteble for this pressure, Although Soch methogs are acceptable the resuira can be quite different. This 2ifference can be illustrate? by the following example: Assuming there ts a aoderate pipe load of 8400 Ibf-fr (52390 X-H) bending moment acting on @ 8.625 inch (219m) ootaide diancter, 0.322 toch (8.t8ma) thick pipe operating at 300°Y (249°C) cemperatuta and 200 pat (1379 KFa) internal pressure, The bending woment will produce # bending strees of 6000 pei (41354 KPa) to the pipe. If a flanged connection ie aceded at this point, a desiga engineer will take the operating preesure and temperature and look up the rating table from stondards such a6 ANSI B16,5 (6) to select a suitable class for the application, Aa ANSE BL6,5 Caos 150 Flange, made from A105 material, would be selected in Uhde case by dioregarding the pipe load. However, based on Fquation (2) this pipe load te equivalent to a pressure of 527 pei (3633 KPa), Adding this equivalent, pressure to the internal pressure, the total presaure to be con sidered 1s 727 poi (S012 ¥Pa). By uaing tho rating table selection method a class 400 flange would bave to br used, vherean a stress calentation will stow the originally selected class 150 Flange ie eatistactory. Froe the ebova example, it io clear that che rating table approach which dgnotes the reserva pttength of a standard flange in overly conservative. In Fact it probably will disprove moat of the systens which sre in existence be~ cause 6000 pet {51364 KPa) pipe streas te hy no acans excessive, The stres: analysis method Lo much more realietic and appear to have becomé a preferred approach, Vowever, it should be noted that for internal pressure loading the rating table should always be used for conpliance with Code requirements (7). Im the strese calculation approach, the stamiérd method (3) of calcula= tion 4 to evaluate the following stresses:(a) Longttudinsl atrese in tub, Sa (b) Radial streas in Flenge, 6% (c) Tangential stress in flange, ST these streeses cam be cantly calculated using the Code Rules (3) based on the bending moment acting at the flange bolt cirele efreunference. However, the uost inportant point for practical deotgu iy to establish = proper allow able stress. For example, the Class 2 Nuclear Piping Code (S) limits each of the above otreanes to 3.5 tines the basic allowable stress ar operating tenper= ature, Tt sluo requires that loagitudiaal pressure stress be included in the Longitudinal hub stteas. The basic allovable stress is the cede tabulated etvese wainly to be used tn internal presoure design, Most flange decdgus, other thin for nuclear as above, te covered by ANSI/ ASUE Sex. VILL ~ Div. 1 (3) for vesuels, and by ANST/ASMB #31 Piping Codes (7) for piplag. Ruleo for allovable streuseu are contained in each of che pertinent Codes, The pipiug Codea refer back to ref, (3) for stress calculation procedure, Allowable stresses for Fluuges (other than cast iron flanges) are generally as shown below. Sy equat to or lees then 1.5 9p Bq equal to or lesa rtan S¢ Sq squall to of Less than Bp (Sy + 5g2/2 equal ro of lesa than Sp (Sy + $y) equal to or Less thas S¢ Whore S¢ = baie allowsbie strasa for Flange miterisl at design temperature, a9 defined by the applicable Code. STANDARD FLANGES among the various standard flanges available in the intuatry, the ANSE ¥16.5 (6) and APT 605 (3) ave the most popular ones, ‘The forner covers up to Bhntneh (610nm) with classes ranging from 150 to 2500, the Latter covers 26~ inch (660mm) through 60-inch (152émn) with 75, 150, and 300 cluswes, In thie section the reserve strength of these two categories of flanges will be in= vestigated. Ta aelecting a otandard flange for a specific application, che engincet will took-up the rating table from the standard co find the particular clase of Flaoge that offera a pregsure rating higher than the deafgn pressure of the systen at the design temperacure, The Tange 90 selected will be adequate for the desiga pressure and at the aame tine provides nome reserve strength to resdet the pipe load. The wagnitude of the reserve gcrength varies with the flange size, type, cles, material and temperature. Therefore, no rule of thimb can be aed to estinate the amount of reserve strength available, APT STD 605 does clearly state that a hending noment capable of producing a longi- tudinal pipe etrass equal to one half of the basic allowble stress in includ~ ed in the pressure rating at rated temperature, However, the ancunt of pipe moment that can be absorbed at ochor temperatures 1s not defined. Yo present a general idea of the reserve strength available fm a standard flange, strese colcvistiona on typical examples were performed and the results charted ia Figures 1 through 5. Figure 1 shows the relation hetween the flange stresa produced by the rated prevsure load and the reserve strengeh available ta sbeorh che pipe load for ANST 316.5 clacs 150 flanges. Ya general, this cluss of Manges has # reserve strength auch greater than the atrength required to resist the rated pressure. The reserved strength can be converted to the bending tress at pipe as ghowa in Figure 2, Tain bending atreos depends on the actual thickness of the connecting pipe; but in general is about 8000 pad {88000 KPa} for clawe 150 Flanges, The reserve strength 1s conniderably lowerfor the APT ST 605 flanges ae shown in Figure 3, 1¢ alac decresses for the higher clans flanges. Figure 4 shows the relation for ANSI BI6,5 clase 300 flanges. it im clenr that the reerve strength of 0 clans 300 slip-ow flange decreases rapidly as the pipe atze {noteases. For the weld neck flanges, be- ! ctune the flange bore ta assumed to be the same as the inedde disneter of the pipe, the reserve strength depends greatly on the thickness of the connecting pipe, Take & 24-inch (60am) flange for instance, point A represents the atress with ¥3 wedght connecting pips vhdie point B represents the sttess vith scheduled 49 connecting pipe, Figure 5 shove the situation in high tenperature : and high premsuve applications, In the high teapsrature range, the Class 2 Wuclear Piping allowable for example, predicts very Little reserve steength wvatlable for the ANSI B16,5 clas# 1500 flanges. The Kellogg ellovable on the other hand assumes considerable reserve fot the pipe Load. in the non-miclear appLications, Lt appenre to be logical to Linit the sustedned loading to Claes 2 Nuckeat Piping ellowsble and to use the Kellogg ailowble for the thermal expansion loading. SPECTAL FLANGES Flanges destgned for special conditions have suffered the most Leakage in actual applications. Thin i eepectally true in low preamure flanges that ate apecially designed for 4 coat savings over standard flanges, The difficulty experienced by the special flange is largely due to the omtssion of che pipe load ts the design. Although ASM B6PY Code, Soction VITI, Div, T, Appendix 2 {3) otates, “Proper allowance shall be nade if connections ure aubject te ex ternal loads other than external pressure,” it 16 often disregarded due to lack of dafinite value imposed. & epectal flange whould be deatgned with proper Bllowsave provided for pipe loxd. This pipe losd can be efther calculated from ! the actual piping system or, to be in line with standard flanges, taken as the bending mount. sufficient to produce w bending stress equal te one half of the bauic alloveble strees at the comiecting plpe. After taking the above pipe oad into consideration, one witl find that rhe spectal flange, designed for low pressure application, is not much different in thickness than the standard flange available for higher preesute service, The advantage of using special I low presmire flange 10 much leag then what At appatra to be, CONCLUSION ‘The equivalent preamire apptosch has becous & atandatd method in evalunt~ ing pipe toad acting on Elenge connections. There are two acceptable ways of checking the pipe load using the equivalent presaure, They are rating table wethod and stress calculation method. ‘The rating tuble method 1s wiupler but is much sore conservative by ignoring the teserve strength. It 1s 80 conservative that it would probably disprove most. of the inateliations which are operating matinfactortiy. The stress calculation method 16 @ more real- etic approach which cvalustes the actual reserve strength avetlable in w Hanse. When @ standard flange $e tated for a certain pressure, ft wormlly posses sufficient atrength to reaiat the vated preanure loaf plue sustantial reserve strength ta restot the pipe load, This reserve strength varies trom lange to flenge and ie not known until @ stress analysis is performed, Te ts also highly dependent on the thickness of the connecting pipe when & bore SE the {lange 4s epectfied ta be the same as the inside diameter of the pipe. ‘n designing a special flange, it is neceanary to provide sone allowance for the pipe load, The allowance cun be either based en the ectual expected Pipe load or based on the load that will produce » bending atreas equivatent to one balf of the baste allowble atreas at the connecting pipe, In eny case care should be exercised in the final piping aynten deaten to keep che pipe load from exceeding the allowance provided, REFERENCES 2, Markl, ARC. and George, U.U., “Fatigue Taste on Flanged Avsembi~eo! Trang. ASME Vol. 72 No. 1, Jan., 1950, PP. 77-87. 2, Blick, B.G., "Bonding Moments and Leakage at Flanged Jotate," Petroleum Reftner, Vol, 29, 1950, PP. 129-133, ASME, Bo{ler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, Divinion 1, Appendix 2. 4. M. We Ketlogg, "Local Components," Design of Piping Systeca, Revised 2nd ed, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1956 5. ASME, Roller and Presoure Vessel Code, Section ITE, Division 1, Subsection NC. 6. ANSI B16.5, “Stevl Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fitting: publi sired by ASME. 7, ANSI B31, "Code for Pressure Piping,” published by ASME, 8. API OTD 605, "Large-Dianeter Carbon Stael Flanges," Amecicen Petro- leua Institute, 65Stress, (pat) Stress (pst) Allowable Stress = 1-5 x 21300 « 31956 pas soto % bobotot ANSE BIG.5 Clase 150 Welding Neck ASTH A-105, 1/16" Asbestos Gasket 230 pst at 300°F (149°C) Secengeh Woadatle Tor PIpe Lond 20000 {. fe t+ = i 0000 L —~— Flange stresa due to pressure — | q ° t E+ 2 6 6 B 10 12 Wh 1 1B 20 2 mH Pipe Sizes, (inch) Figore 1, AuST BR6.5 Clags-150 flanges 15000 {1 inch = 25.40m, 1 pet = 6.894 KPa) RAST B16,3 Clas 230 pat ar 30°F 10000 ASTM A-105, 1/16" Asbestos Casket Standard Nedght Pipe Ts Welding Weck (igre) 3000 Figure 2, J 3, ; 8h coveras 50 Sgyerns | Bh ppt 10 12 14 16 18 20 220 24 Pipe Sizes, (inch) Allowable Pipe oad in Stress at Pipe (1 fneh = 25.40m, 1 pad, e Term of Beading ™ 6.894KPa)Setess, (pst) Stress, (pet) Allowable Streaa « 1.5 x 22370 » 31950 p. nena owas eee a Bes Ba reserve Stzoagth np tlaite for Pipe and 20000 ange Serene Due to Preach 4 ood APT SID 605, Claus 150 ASTM 4-105, 1/16" Comp. Asbestos) ‘260 ped at 300%F (149%) tote aveove e uo R88 Pipe Sizes, (inch Figure 3. APL Std-605 Clase-150 Flanges (1 dach = 25.4um, 1 paid = 6.894KPa) | 7M: H, Mellons Suagested aLlowsbte (4) somos PE PRE oe Class 2 Nuclear Piping Allowable (5) aad hoses 20000 cc Type? fh ds Eitange Stroos Welding Weck soon to Peegnure ro BEBE Tae HOT 1/16" compressed asbestos gasket 535 ped ac 700°F (3719) x6 weight pipe ° 2 4 6 B 16 12 §8 3 18 2 22 Ba Pipe Sizes, (tach) Figure 4. ANSL BL6.5 Claas-0G Flanges (i dnch = 25,4mm, 1 pad = 6,894RPa) 68Stress, (pel) 39009 20000 10000 GUST BERS Claws 1500, Welding Neck ASTM Av182 Gr F-22, Sch 160 Pipe P+ 1340 pet at 1000 (538°C: Glaan 2 Nuclear Piping Allowable (3) to Press 4 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 2% Pipe Sizes, (nch) Pagure §. ANSI BL6,5 Clags-1500 Flanges (A inch = 25.éum, 1 pal * 6.898 KPa) 69