Tower construction----Advantages and disadvantages of welding versus flange connection
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As the title says. There is a project requiring a tower of 42m * 1.8m, made of 316L material. Due to space constraints, it needs to be lifted and installed in sections. The manufacturer recommends using flanges, but the owner is concerned that the flange gaskets will create an additional leakage point and affect the product’s lifespan. The manufacturer believes that welding on-site is quite difficult. Assume that the welding is carried out by the manufacturer, with the construction party assisting with lifting rather than doing the welding themselves.
Additional note: Design pressure is 2.5 MPa, operating at normal temperature
It depends on what the owner wants; the contractor should cooperate accordingly. It should be specified in the construction organization and technical plan prior to construction.
As stipulated in the contract, such devices require the involvement of the manufacturer and the design institute; there must be a basis for this, and decisions cannot be made solely based on the wishes of Party A or Party B.
The segmentation has been determined, but the issue of how to segment it has not been resolved. At present, neither side can provide a reasonable explanation to prove that it has an advantage.
Welding is recommended: first, it reduces subsequent maintenance costs; second, it minimizes leakage points. Third, you don’t even need to do anything yourself – so why not use it? Don’t listen to those in the civil engineering field; if you follow their advice, you won’t be able to get anything done
What you said is exactly the same as what I was thinking. However, both the design institute and the manufacturer insisted on flange connections. I have doubts about the quality of the 1.8m flanges and gaskets; there are at least as many potential problems as with welding, which poses its own risks. However, I would like to ask whether heat treatment can still be performed after on-site welding?
It’s possible. Moreover, if the tower sections aren’t lifted properly, leaks can easily occur at the locations of the gaskets. It’s not possible to apply pressure to the tower under normal conditions, and it’s also difficult to detect air leaks; deformation due to temperature changes can also lead to leaks. I was involved in a project where the distillation tower was connected using flanges, and after a week of operation, leaks started to occur. There was no one to turn to for help. In other words, don’t take responsibility for this issue on your own
Every task comes with a budget; you can find out where that budget is by checking that section.
For devices that appear to be immature products, it’s best to find some references if possible; if none are available, that’s also fine. If there is no packing in the tower, weld treatment of the seams inside the tower is allowed; welding connections are preferred, with double-sided welding being the best option. If the internal packing has already been installed, and it is necessary to disassemble and replace the packing inside the tower or to carry out maintenance during subsequent operation, then flange connections need to be considered. After all, a diameter of 1.8m is also feasible. But it must be flange-connected first (without gaskets), and then the upper part of the tower should be connected. Take all various factors into consideration.
Thank you. I stick to my opinion: double-sided welding. But others format it.