Spiral wound gaskets were invented way back in 1912 by
Flexitallic, and they have been used ever since in a variety of applications.
Today, a number of manufacturers produce spiral wound gaskets in a variety of
designs and combinations of materials. However, you should opt for those spiral wound gasket manufacturers in India
who are standardized for their processes and quality. And, one such name is
Trim Engineering Services, who maintains an effective and efficient quality
management system that meets the requirements of the international standard
ISO9001:2008.
Long lasting
performance
Spiral wound gaskets are what you must opt for when a
regular gasket won't work for your application. Regular flat gaskets and
parallel flanges come with a good surface finish. However, with time, their
properties deteriorate and sealing with them becomes difficult. This is where
spiral wound gaskets come to the rescue. These gaskets work extremely well in
high temperature and high pressure conditions, and also when they come in
contact with any corrosive media. These properties have led spiral wound
gaskets to be used in many petrochemical plants, where they lead a long life
and reduce downtime.
Elastic recovery
Other gaskets like flat regular ones are cut from sheet
material, which means that they can seal only flat surfaces. Even in cases of
parallel flanges, the gap between the flanges can force the use of thicker
material; while in case of a smaller gap, the material is required to be
compressed. This results in the material reaching the limits of performance.
But, when spiral wound gaskets are used, the edges are sealed instead of a flat
surface, resulting in long life and usage of a gasket. Moreover, the material
in spiral wound gaskets is interleaved with a metal strip to ensure that he
seal is maintained and to add elastic recovery, no matter how the joint moves.
These combined materials are formed into a V-shaped section that acts like a
spring that pushes outwards against the flanges.
Better performance in
low/fluctuating bolt loads
Spiral wound gaskets are made by winding alternating strips
of metal and filler material. The choice of materials used in creating these
gaskets is very critical. Specially, the choice of metal to be used is selected
for the appropriate degree of bounce and flexibility combined with corrosion
resistance and durability. Generally, the metal used is stainless steel, and
filler is usually graphite. However, these materials can be replaced with other
materials depending upon the chemical compatibility requirements. This is why
these gaskets are more suitable for low or fluctuating bolt loads.
Improved pressure
rating
Both the inner metal core and outer metal ring of a spiral
wound gasket are thinner than the coiled gasket material so that the
compression level of the gasket can be limited. The inner core increases
blowout resistance, which is the main reason why these gaskets can be used in
high pressure conditions. Further, the outer steel ring of the gasket governs
the flange closure when the gasket is fitted into the flange and bolt load is
applied. To improve the pressure rating of the gasket, an additional steel ring
can be added to the inside, which also protects the windings and filler from
contamination or any possible attacks.
