Why do steam flanges leak due to freezing, and are bolts needed to be replaced when dealing with this issue?
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The flange expands when frozen; does the clamping torque of the bolts decrease once the ice melts? If there’s a loss, then why can’t it be held in check? Please give some advice
The main reason for steam flange freezing and leakage is the presence of dead ends in the steam system, which causes the condensed water to freeze and crack the flanges. After melting, leaks actually occur; in addition to a decrease in the bolt preload, damage to the flange gaskets cannot be ignored.
I think it’s mainly the gaskets in the steam system that tend to leak; the main issue is that no suitable gaskets for use with steam have been found yet, rather than the bolts
It’s mainly the gasket that’s damaged and needs to be replaced； The bolts also need to be tightened accordingly.
Replace the gasket; the bolts also need to be replaced, otherwise it’s impossible to achieve compression.