What is a reducing flange?

Flanges have been an integral part of the piping system. There are varieties of flanges that are in use in different industries. Every industry demands a special set of flanges according to their requirements.

What is a flange?

A flange is a metal disc used to join pipes. A gasket is fixed between the two flanges to tighten up the seal. A flange is used to connect two pipes or valves or tubes to form a piping network. Flanges provide support and strength and prevent leakage.

Flanges are commonly welded or screwed into pipes or valves and are then joined with bolts. Flanges provide easy access to clean or inspect a piping system.

Flanges are made of different metal – Stainless Steel, Cast Iron, Ductile Iron, Carbon Steel, etc. As they are made from a variety of metals, flanges differ in their ‘pressure classes’.

Every flange is classified under a pressure class, depending on the capacity of the flange to withstand a particular amount of temperature. Also, the metal used in a flange can determine how much pressure it can withstand.

What is a reducing flange?

A reducing flange is a special flange, used for fitting of pipes that vary in sizes. Reducing flanges are usually provided with the following types of flanges:

• Welding neck
• Slip-on
• Threaded

Use:

A piping system consists of pipes, varied in sizes, joined together with flanges.

Some piping networks are designed in a way that they require constant changes. As a result, a pipe’s diameter undergoes constant changes to adapt to the incoming stream of changes. In such fast-paced conditions, a reducing flange comes in handy as it can join pipes of varied sizes together with great ease.

Advantages:

• Reducing flanges are widely available in different types such as weld-neck, slip-on, threaded, etc.
• They are most beneficial in systems that require the joining of varied pipe sizes.
• They are economical and can be customized simply.
• Threaded reducing flanges require no welding and are well-suited for constantly changing pipe networks.
• Reducing flanges can endure extreme pressure and are suitable for high-pressure systems.

For more information on reducing flanges, their availability, their availability and supply, log on to: http://www.steelagealloys.com/

As a budding writer, I'm trying to simplify jargons of the Steel industry by breaking them into small, lucid articles, in a Q&A format. I hope my content helps readers.