Abstract
Bolted flange joints (BFJs) are very common in the process industries, and they play an important role in equipment connection. A lot of BFJs are working at high temperature. The temperature and internal pressure will lead to gasket stress redistribution, and then affect time-dependent leakage rate of BFJs. In this paper, the effect of internal pressure on gasket stress and leakage rate of BFJ during the long term service at high temperature was discussed. The time-dependent gasket stresses of BFJ during the long term service at high temperature under two tightness levels and three internal pressures were calculated by using the finite element method. And then, based on the leakage rate prediction model of BFJ during the long term service at high temperature proposed, the corresponding time-dependent leakage rates of BFJ during the long term service at high temperature were acquired. The results showed that the internal pressure had a significant impact on the time-dependent gasket stresses and time-dependent leakage rates of BFJ during the long term service at high temperature. This research will help the engineers and technicians to understand the role of the internal pressure on the time-dependent gasket stresses and time-dependent leakage rates of BFJ during the long term service at high temperature.
