LEAK RATES OF GASKETS FOR FLANGE CONNECTI ONS - INFLUENCING PARAMETERS, REQUIREMENTS, MEASURING TECHNIQUES AND LEAK RATE RELATED GASKET CHARACTERISTICS

Flow theories can help in determining the fundamental interrelationshi ps between the leak rate of gaskets for flange connections and the rel evant influencing parameters. The basic rule for the transfer of resul ts obtained for special boundary conditions to other conditions can be derived. In this way the effort involved in gasket testing can be red uced. This paper gives the interrelations between the leak rate of gas kets on the one hand and the internal pressure, the temperature, the m edium, and the gasket thickness on the other and discusses them with a id of measured results. The effect of the gasket stress and thickness can be determined only of experimental investigations. Furthermore, th e requirements placed on gaskets, the leak rate related gasket charact eristics defined in various standards and the measuring techniques for their determination are discussed.