Gasket issue
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Can asbestos gaskets be used for the gaskets of flanges and valves on pipelines where the medium is water?
Sure, why not? ? As long as the pressure inside the pipeline is not very high, a range of 0.4–0.8 MPa poses no problem at all. In normal production, asbestos gaskets are used for the water circulation pipelines and fresh water pipelines, as well as for the flange connections of ordinary coolers; this prevents any issues from arising
It can be used; if the pressure isn’t very high, ordinary asbestos gaskets will suffice. Many of our company’s high-temperature oil systems use asbestos gaskets (as a backup in cases where metal gaskets are not available)
If it can’t be used, the asbestos pad is useless.
When selecting gaskets, in addition to the medium, pressure and temperature also need to be taken into account. Furthermore, asbestos gaskets do not meet HSE requirements, and an increasing number of companies have begun to ban the use of asbestos-containing gaskets.
Asbestos gaskets are no longer used nowadays; since asbestos is toxic, people have switched to wound gaskets instead
Today, when I was replacing the gaskets, someone on the project said, \"Asbestos gaskets cannot be used on pipes with water flowing through them, as they might soften when exposed to water and this could affect the sealing performance.\" Well, it was the first time I heard of such a thing; I wasn’t sure what to do and so I didn’t argue with him. Instead, I replaced the gaskets with graphite gaskets. Those are expensive, which really made me worried! ! !
Based on actual usage, asbestos gaskets can be used on the waterline without any problems. However, asbestos gaskets have the following drawbacks: 1) Once punctured, they tend to break (due to insufficient support strength); several problems have occurred in actual production. At present, our company uses only metal wound gaskets, high-strength plate gaskets, or gaskets of higher quality for such applications. 2) Over time, it tends to adhere to the flange surface, making it difficult to replace the gasket.
Gel-containing asbestos gaskets can be used, as they are less likely to deform. Pure asbestos gaskets (light gray in color) tend to deform under stress, and they will gradually dissolve when exposed to water
It’s fine to use asbestos gaskets on water pipes; it’s relatively inexpensive. For high-temperature areas such as steam, gasketing should be used
Flexible graphite gaskets are commonly used in our designs these days; they have a wide range of applications, and asbestos has been phased out.
Yes, asbestos pads are problematic to handle when replacing them, as the surface of the pad is difficult to clean.
It’s possible, provided that the pressure and temperature are not too high. In cases of high temperature and pressure, graphite wound gaskets are preferable. The biggest drawback of asbestos gaskets is the difficulty in cleaning the flange surfaces when they need to be replaced; if cleaning is not done properly, leaks can easily occur after replacement.