In refineries and petrochemical plants, ring-type joint (RTJ) flanges have been applied to high-pressure processes or sensitive areas that are susceptible to leaks.
In refineries and petrochemical plants, ring-type joint (RTJ) flanges have been applied to high-pressure processes or sensitive areas that are susceptible to leaks. In an RTJ flange, the bolt tightening load should be calculated and applied carefully to achieve good sealing performance and to avoid flange deformation with over-tightening. However, a deviation exists between theoretical bolt load values and actual application—many maintenance personnel have experienced leak incidents by applying only the theoretical bolt load value, leading them to apply a higher bolt load value than its criteria requires.
In most cases, the root cause of the leak incident was not a bold load criterion, but
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