I would like to ask whether wave-shaped gaskets can be reused? Thank you!
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I would like to ask everyone: Recently, we built a U-tube heat exchanger with a pressure of around 6 MPA and a temperature of over 300 degrees. Wave-shaped gaskets were used for both the tube sheet and the tube box, as well as for the shell and the tube sheet. Later, due to some issues with non-destructive testing, it became necessary to remove the already pressurized tube bundle. However, I don’t know much about wave-shaped gaskets – can they not be reused after being removed? Since ordering another pad would require a long customization period and the delivery time is quite urgent, I would like to ask if it’s possible to use the existing wave-shaped pads again. Thank you! The material is S30408 + flexible graphite
Small-diameter nozzles might work, but those with a large diameter basically won’t do
DN1000 equipment flange: '(It seems impossible now:'(
Such high pressure requires careful handling. Once a leak occurs, the costs associated with stopping the operation, releasing pressure, and making replacements will be far too high.
For safety reasons, it is recommended to replace it with a new one
Just install a pressure tester to see if there’s a leak, right?
It can be reused; the existing graphite must be cleaned thoroughly, to a very clean state. Reapply two to three layers of graphite corrugated strips; the pressure used in the equipment I had before was around 7 Mpa
The wavy-toothed composite gasket creates wavy teeth through gasket processing; these teeth form multiple layers of annular seals on the sealing surface under external force, and graphite is used to fill the interior of these annuli, thereby achieving sealing as pressure decreases gradually. If the tip of the posterior wave tooth deforms after use, it increases the risk of reduced sealing performance when used again; therefore, repeated use in critical areas is not recommended
Obviously it’s not possible; a mat costs just a few dollars\ud83d\udcb0. We can’t take such a risk – a wave-patterned mat can be made in just a few hours. As long as the padding is removed, it’s all replaced with new ones.