Types of Gaskets: Metallic

Gasket, Non Metallic Gasket

& Composite Gasket

Types of Gaskets

What is Gaskets?
Types of Gaskets: Metallic Gaskets, Non Metallic Gaskets & Composite
Gasket :- The gaskets, sometimes also known as sealings, are the
materials which are used to seal the two circular mating parts
and make it leak proof. These are generally applied at
the flanges of the mating pipelines of different fluids or pressure
vessels to create a static seal and make it completely leak proof
in all working as well as weather conditions.
Function of a Gasket
The main function of a gasket is to seal away any leaks between
the two mating parts. For the purpose, a gasket must be
compressed sufficiently to generate the barrier that will form a
pressure tight seal and protect the inside fluids to leak out.
Furthermore, a gasket also protects the moving parts of a
mechanical system by preventing them from rubbing against
hard surfaces and causing friction.

The Quality of a Gasket

The quality of a gasket is judged upon some parameters, which
are shown below: –
1. Resilience
The mating parts or flanges of the assembly are generally
stable. But, due to application of pressure and temperature the
assembly starts vibrating or goes under fatigue condition. The
gaskets should be resilient enough to tackle out such movement
easily.
2. Corrosion Resistant
There may different kind of fluid that can flow through the
assembly and comes into contact with the gasket. The gasket
should be corrosion resistant to avoid corrosion not only for self
but also to the flanges.

3. Creep Resistant
The gasket may subject to the high temperature application. At
such high temperature gasket should not lose its strength over a
period of time.
4. Compressibility
The gasket should be compressible so that it could retain the
surface of the mating flanges and make it leak proof.
The gasket should be compressible so that it could retain the
surface of the mating flanges and make it leak proof.
5. Impermeability
The gasket should be impermeable so that the fluid flowing
through the application could not leak out through the gasket.

Types of Gaskets
There are, basically, three types of gaskets used to make the
mating part of the container leak proof:-
1. Non metallic gasket
2. Metallic gasket
3. Composite gasket
There are, basically, three types of gaskets used to make the
mating part of the container leak proof:-
1. Non metallic gasket
2. Metallic gasket
3. Composite gasket
1. Non Metallic Gasket: ( Types of Gaskets )
These are the most commonly used gaskets which are generally
made up of rubber, graphite, polymers (such as Teflon, PTFE
etc.), compressed non asbestos fibre (CNAF) etc. These kinds of
gaskets are generally soft and can easily compress with the low
tension bolting.

Some characteristics of non metallic gaskets: –

 Cheap and easily available.
 Rubber or elastomeric gaskets easily adapts the surface
irregularities and seal it properly. But, these cannot be used
in hydrocarbon services.
 Non metallic gaskets are used with the low pressure and low
temperature flanges. However, the graphite gaskets can
sustain its property up to temperature 500 C.o

 ASME B 16.21 standard is used for the selection and

configuration of non metallic gaskets.
The non metallic gaskets are of two types; full face type and inside
bolt circle type. The full face gaskets are suitable for flat flanges
and generally used for temporary connections in utility lines,
whereas the inside bolt circle gaskets are suitable for the raised
surface flanges and most of the time used for permanent
connections.
2. Metallic Gasket: ( Types of Gaskets )
The metallic gaskets are also known as the ring gaskets. These
gaskets are generally made of Soft iron, Babbitt metal, Low
carbon steel, Super alloys, Monel etc.
Some characteristics of metallic gaskets: –
 Metallic gaskets are generally used for high pressure and
high temperature flanges. The superalloys can sustain its
strength up to temperature 1200 C.o

 The metallic gaskets require high tension bolting for effective

sealings.
 The metallic gaskets are very robust and generally costly.
 ASME B 16.20 standard is used for the selection and
configuration of metallic gaskets.
The metallic gaskets generally fits into the groove made on the
surface of the flange of the two mating parts. There are
basically two kind of metallic gaskets are available; one is of
octagonal type cross-section and another one is of ellipse (oval)
type of cross-section.
3. Composite Gasket: ( Types of Gaskets )
The composite gasket is also known as semi metallic gasket
because it is made of combination of metal and non metal.
Different numbers of combinations can be done based on the
requirement to produce the composite gaskets.

Some characteristics of Composite gaskets: –

 These gaskets can be used to a large variation of pressure
and temperature.
 These gaskets are very cost effective if compared to the
metal gasket. But, due to large brittleness property, it should
be handled with care.
 The composite gaskets are generally used on raised face
flanges, male-female type flanges and tongue & groove type
flanges.
There are mainly three types of composite gaskets, which are well
known to the technocrats; spiral wound gaskets, metal jacketed
gaskets and cam profile gaskets.
1. Spiral wound gaskets
The spiral wound gaskets are the most widely used composite
type gasket. These gaskets have good tolerance and recovery
for flange surface irregularities. When the gasket is compressed
the sealing is caused by the combined effect of metal and soft
filler. These kinds of gaskets are used for the applications which
are subjected to thermal or load fatigue stresses, shock or
vibration.
The spiral wound gaskets are the most widely used composite
type gasket. These gaskets have good tolerance and recovery
for flange surface irregularities. When the gasket is compressed
the sealing is caused by the combined effect of metal and soft
filler. These kinds of gaskets are used for the applications which
are subjected to thermal or load fatigue stresses, shock or
vibration.
There are three components of the spiral wound gaskets; Inner
and outer ring, Filler material and winding material. Generally,
the Teflon or graphite or aramid fiber is used as filler material
whereas stainless steel is used as winding material. The inner
and outer ring, made of metals, provides the required
robustness for the application. The filler material provides the
sealing effect and the winding material provides the resilience to
the gasket.

The winding outer ring has V-type or W-type groove on the

outer periphery, over this groove the filler and winding material
are wound tightly assuring that it will not slip during the
operation. The BS 3381 standard is used for the selection of
spiral wound gaskets.
2. Metal jacketed gaskets
Instead of making layer by layer winding of soft and hard
material like in spiral wounded gasket, the metal jacketed
gasket encloses the soft filler material in a thin sheet of metal .
The filler materials generally used are Teflon, aramid fibers etc.
whereas to save the metal jacket from corrosion, stainless steel
is generally used as jacket material. There are many ways to
cover the soft material through the thin metal sheet.

3. Cam profile gaskets

In cam profile gaskets a corrugated profile metallic core, on
both the surface, is used. Over this metallic core layer of soft
sealing material such as graphite, PTFE etc. are settled. These
types of configuration allow the cam profile gaskets to fit in
moderate as well as extreme applications.
In cam profile gaskets a corrugated profile metallic core, on
both the surface, is used. Over this metallic core layer of soft
sealing material such as graphite, PTFE etc. are settled. These
types of configuration allow the cam profile gaskets to fit in
moderate as well as extreme applications.

Selection of Gasket
Although there are different types of gaskets are available but
the selection of gasket for the application is a tedious job. Any
mismanagement may lead to disastrous result as leakage of
poisonous fluid from the assembly may cause loss of lives and
inventory. The selection of a gasket may be based on the
following parameters:-

 Temperature: – The gaskets should be selected on the basis of

their sustainable temperature range. The gasket should have
to handle the temperature of the fluid that it contains.
 Pressure: – the gasket should be selected in such a way that it
should handle the pressure of the fluid it contains during the
operation.
  Resilient: – The gasket should be resilient enough to handle
the vibration and load fluctuation during the operation.
 Type of fluid: – The gasket should be selected on the basis of
type of fluid that will be in contact with the gasket. According
 to the fluid the corrosive resistant of the gasket material is
determined and then the type of gasket should be chosen.
 Availability: – The gasket should be easily available in the
market.
 Cost: – The gasket should be cheap enough for the required
application.
 Service life: -The gasket should be chosen on basis of their life
cycle in particular application.
There are some applications of the gaskets which are
listed below:
 Heat exchangers
 Boilers
 Pressure vessels
 Oil & Gas pipelines
 Water pipelines etc.