Technical Centre (E&P) – Glass Fiber Reinforcement Piping

Procedure for Flanges Bolting and Tightening

Volume : Revision: 1

Part : Date: Jan. 2017

Section : Revision History Page: 2 of 11

Revision History

The table below is a brief summary of the most recent revisions to this document.
Details of all revisions are held on file by the issuing department.

Revision Date Author Scope / Remarks

No
1 15.01.17 Issued for Implementation

Use Letters for drafts, numerals of approved.

 Technical Centre (E&P) – Glass Fiber Reinforcement Piping
Procedure for Flanges Bolting and Tightening

Volume : Revision: 1

Part : Date: Jan. 2017

Section : Table of Contents Page: 3 of 11

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................4
2. RESPONSIBILITIES .......................................................................................................................................4
3. ABBREVIATIONS .....................................................................................................................................4
4. SCOPE OF THE DOCUMENT ...........................................................................................................................4
4.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................4
4.2 BASIC REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................................................5
4.3 FLANGE SIZES AND BOLT TORQUES ..........................................................................................................5
5. BOLTING AND TIGHTENING PROCEDURE.................................................................................................7
5.1 BOLTING TOOLS ..........................................................................................................................................7
5.2 FLANGE TIGHTENING...................................................................................................................................9
 Technical Centre (E&P) – Glass Fiber Reinforcement Piping
Procedure for Flanges Bolting and Tightening

Volume : Revision: 1

Part : Date: Jan. 2017

Section : Page: 4 of 11

1. INTRODUCTION

This document is issued to set the minimum requirements for the Existing and New
Glass Fiber Reinforcement Flanges Bolting and Tightening.

2. Responsibilities

Maintenance Overall responsibility of the maintenance works procedures

Manger including selection of personnel, tool boxes procurement and
training program.
Maintenance Overall responsibility of Maintenance work plan including
Team Leader maintenance crew selection, issuing maintenance tools
procurement and issuing training programs.
Maintenance Overall Technical Responsibility and Approval of maintenance
Engineer work order and installation crew.
Maintenance Focal Point & quality checker of the maintenance work including
Supervisor implementation of task risk assessment requirements.
Maintenance Responsible for Comments Incorporation of the deliverables. He is
Labor also can be delegated by Senior Engineer to review selected
deliverables issued for IDC by other disciplines.

3. ABBREVIATIONS

ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineering

ePTW Electronic Permit To Work
GRE Glass fiber Reinforcement Epoxy
GRP Glass fiber Reinforcement Polyester
GRVE Glass fiber Reinforcement Vinyl Ester
TRA Task Risk Assessment
UNC Unified National Course

4. Scope of the document

This document is basically issued to put the minimum requirements, selection and
sequences of bolting and tightening procedure of Glass Fiber Reinforcement
Flanges such as GRE, GRP and GRVE. This document also will provide
recommendations for tightening tools selection and precautions which are
commonly used for proper tightening.
4.1 Introduction

Piping / Pipeline Material Engineering results of and concerns with the design,
selection and procurement of various piping system components like
pipes, fittings, valves and special items.
 Technical Centre (ENG) – Glass Fiber Reinforcement Piping
Procedure for Flanges Bolting and Tightening

Volume : Revision: 1

Part : Date: Jan 2017

Section : Page: 5 of 11

4.2 Basic Requirements

Proper installation of a flange can be made easier with the help of installation
data. The following includes important points, a torque sequence chart and a bolt
information table.
 Vendor / Manufacturer Data Book.
 Table of Flanges and Bolts sizes and Torques.
 ePTW and TRA.
 Installation, Alignment and Leveling Tools.
4.3 Flange sizes and Bolt Torques

All the glass fiber flanges sizes, number and sizes of bolts and nuts are basically
following ASME B16.5 standard classes with relevant UNS thread. Glass fiber
flanges and bolts vendors catalogues and marked torques values in the
flanges shall be followed during tightening process, however the below
tables are references showing the minimum and maximum ranges of torques per
flange size of each rating class.
Flange Rating: Class 150

NPS Min. to Max. Range

Bolt Size N° of Bolts

Nominal Pipe Size in Foot Lbs. (Lubricated)

2” 5/8” 4 80-90
3” 5/8” 4 80-90
4” 5/8” 8 80-90
6” 3/4” 8 140-160
8” 3/4” 8 140-160
10” 7/8” 12 240-270
12” 7/8” 12 240-270
14” 1” 12 360-400
16” 1” 16 360-400
18” 1-1/8” 16 520-570
20” 1-1/8” 20 520-570
24” 1-1/4” 20 740-800
 Technical Centre (ENG) – Glass Fiber Reinforcement Piping
Procedure for Flanges Bolting and Tightening

Volume : Revision: 1

Part : Date: Jan 2017

Section : Page: 6 of 11

Flange Rating: Class 300

NPS Min. to Max. Range

Bolt Size N° of Bolts
Nominal Pipe Size in Foot Lbs. (Lubricated)

2” 5/8” 8 80-90
3” 3/4” 8 140-160
4” 3/4” 8 140-160
6” 3/4” 12 140-160
8” 7/8” 12 240-270
10” 1” 16 360-400
12” 1-1/8” 16 360-400
14” 1-1/8” 20 520-570
16” 1-1/4” 20 740-800
18” 1-1/4” 24 740-800
20” 1-1/4” 24 740-800
24” 1-1/2” 24 1330-1400

Flange Rating: Class 600

NPS Min. to Max. Range

Bolt Size N° of Bolts
in Foot Lbs.
Nominal Pipe Size
(Lubricated)

2” 5/8” 8 110-120
3” 3/4” 8 230-260
4” 7/8” 8 370-410
6” 1” 12 500-540
8” 1-1/8” 12 830-880
10” 1-1/4” 16 830-900
12” 1-1/4” 20 910-960
 Technical Centre (ENG) – Glass Fiber Reinforcement Piping
Procedure for Flanges Bolting and Tightening

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Part : Date: Jan 2017

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5. Bolting and Tightening Procedure

5.1 Bolting Tools

Before the assembly flanged connections all the safety precautions shall be
checked as per approved ePTW & TRA and checklist of all required tools shall be
available at the time of installation.

The necessary tools for flanged joints are:

1. Ring spanner with required head size.

2. Torque wrench with required sockets sizes (Electrical charged mobile torque
wrenches with multiple heads & torque adjustable are acceptable).

Ring Spanner Set Manual Torque Wrench

Electric Torque Wrench

 Technical Centre (ENG) – Glass Fiber Reinforcement Piping
Procedure for Flanges Bolting and Tightening

Volume : Revision: 1

Part : Date: Jan 2017

Section : Page: 8 of 11

Perhaps no flange issue is so common or as critical as ensuring proper alignment

of the joint before tightening.

Misalignment can include any one or a combination of the following:

1) Centerline Hi / Low.
2) Parallelism.
3) Rotational-Two Hole.
4) Excessive Spacing or Gap.

In few cases, some existing flanged piping could be displaced after dismantling
due to thermal expansion, contraction, mechanical movement or defects occurred
during the time of construction. However, it is mandatory to include Alignment
Tools in addition to installation tools such as:

a. Leveling Tool.
b. Alignment Tools.
c. Flange Square (only in case of flange replacement).

Levelling Tool Alignment Tool

 Technical Centre (ENG) – Glass Fiber Reinforcement Piping
Procedure for Flanges Bolting and Tightening

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Part : Date: Jan 2017

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5.2 Flange Tightening

5.2.1 Preparation

Before tightening flanges, be sure to thoroughly plan and prepare for the job in
advance.

1. Flange surfaces shall be checked for damage, wear, and free of coatings from
paint and preservative. There should not be any paint on the flange surfaces.
2. The flange’s contact surface against the nuts should also be free of any thick
layer of paint and preservative, which can cause bolts to fail to tighten after
assembly. Only primer, on the steel flanges, can be accepted under the
contact surfaces of the nut.
3. Clean seal surfaces. Steel brushes or approved emery paper may be used for
this. Approved solvents and cloths may be used for final cleaning.
4. Ensure that the cleaning doesn’t create radial tracks in the seal surface. It is
especially important to remove imperfections in a radial direction.

5.2.2 Tightening

To connect two flanges together, the following steps shall be implemented:

a. Use available alignment tool.

b. How the alignment tool is placed depends on your evaluation, and the
space around the flange.
c. After the first alignment, all the bolts are inserted that can move freely
in the flange’s bolt holes. If not all the bolts move freely, the alignment
tool should be moved, and the flange is aligned until the entire bolts
move freely.
d. Lock the flange connection when the flanges are parallel. This is done by
screwing in all the bolts.

For the Flange assembly, the Manufacturer's assembly instructions regarding

flanges shall be followed. The following shall be regarded as minimum
requirements:

a) Bolt thread lubrication shall be according to the Manufacturer's

recommendations Lubricant shall never be applied on the flange face
sealing surfaces.
b) Torqueing shall be performed using a torque wrench, in accordance with
the Manufacturer’s instructions. Over-torqueing to compensate for poor
alignment of flanges shall not be accepted.
c) “Star” or “criss-cross” stepwise torque pattern shall be applied as
illustrated in clause 5.2.3 .
 Technical Centre (ENG) – Glass Fiber Reinforcement Piping
Procedure for Flanges Bolting and Tightening

Volume : Revision: 1

Part : Date: Jan 2017

Section : Page: 10 of 11

d) Washers shall be used under nuts and bolts for GRP flanges;
e) If the pipe system is operating above 65 °C (149°F), or if PTFE-based
gaskets are used, the bolts should be re-torqued after 24 hours operation.

When connecting to raised-face steel flanges, support rings or spacers shall be

needed, depending on gasket type, to restrict excessive bending stresses when
the bolts are torqued up.

5.2.3 Bolting and Tightening Requirements

Skilled and well trained maintenance labors shall assembly flanges connections
taking into their consideration the installation precautions to be followed to avoid

a. Damages on flanges due to overtightening.

b. Improper bolts, nuts and washers selection per size & class of flanges.
c. Improper alignment of flanges.
d. Improper selection of Gaskets & lubricants.
e. Ignore of vendor recommendations of tightening and bolts selection.

Accordingly the following notes shall be basically applied for bolting and
tightening:

1. Recommended Gaskets by vendor and Glass fiber design shall be utilized

only.
2. Bolt threads should be visually inspected and well lubricated (if needed).
3. Nut and bolt threads should be free running during assembly, holes
alignment shall be checked properly for each flange assembly.
4. Follow illustrated bolt tightening sequence.

5. Always use full size flat washers with bolts and nuts.
 Technical Centre (ENG) – Glass Fiber Reinforcement Piping
Procedure for Flanges Bolting and Tightening

Volume : Revision: 1

Part : Date: Jan 2017

Section : Page: 11 of 11

5.2.4 Precautions

• Never try to align the flange connection with the help of the bolts
alone.
• Always use an available alignment tool.
• If you are not able to pull the flange surfaces parallel, you should
contact the nearest supervisor.
• Although Electric charged Torque wrench is not required high skilled
labor as well as it is very précised and ease in applying required
torque but it is required special care, maintenance, storage and
calibration.

5.2.5 Inspection and Storage

- The piping components shall be visually inspected for any damage that
may have occurred during preparation and alignment for connecting.

- If there is damage, this should be reported to a maintenance Engineer

and supervisor. Any over tension in the pipe system shall also be
reported to a technical supervisor. Bolts and nuts should be checked for
damage and the threads should be cleaned. All damaged parts shall be
replaced immediately.

- Leveling of the flanges shall be measured after each assembles to

assure that no tilting or shafting was occurred.

- If Electric Torque Wrenches are going to be utilized, proper calibration

shall be carried out as per vendor recommendations.

- Availability of gaskets, bolts, nuts & washers for repeated maintained

glass fiber flanges shall be reported for any shortage with respect to
Maintenance plan.
- All tools, gaskets, bolts, nuts and washers shall be adequately stored to
avoid any damage may occurred.