The MisAligning Flange™ (MAF) is a metal-to-metal sealed ball-and-socket connector for bolting together two misaligned pipelines. The MAF reduces installation time by allowing divers to make the connection without lifting and aligning the pipe ends.
The MAF incorporates a metal-to-metal seal that can be verified via an annulus test. The metal sealing criteria is the same as that specified by ASME for ring-joint flanges. In addition, the prescribed stud and nut tightening for the MAF at make-up exceeds the thrust load resulting from the design or test pressure. Sealing integrity is maintained at any angle of misalignment, with the seal being insensitive to externally applied bending loads at all operating pressures. The latter is not true for flanges with R or RX type gaskets or raised-face flanges with flat gaskets. A secondary o-ring seal enables testing of the primary metal seal by applying hydraulic pressure to the annulus between the o-ring and the metal seal.
The assembled MAF, with its studs and nuts only hand-tight, may be used as a single swivel for spoolpiece tie-ins, with the o-ring providing a bi-directional seal up to the rated pressure of the MAF. Once the MAF has performed its alignment function and the studs and nuts are tightened, it is then statically metal-sealed, and the Ball resists rotating when external moments are applied. The metal seal integrity can be verified via the annulus test feature described above.
MisAligning Flanges are available from stock in 4-inch through 24-inch, ANSI 900 rating. Through 16-inch, MAFs are stocked with schedule 80 bores; 20-inch and 24-inch have schedule 60 bores. The material for MAFs in inventory is ASTM A694, grade F46 for sizes up through 10-inch and grade F52 for sizes 12-inch through 24-inch. Larger sizes and other pressure ratings can be manufactured.
MisAligning Flanges meet the requirements of API 6H and are designed in accordance with ASME Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, Division 2, unless otherwise specified. Material and configuration of the butt-weld ends are in accordance with ASME B16.5 or MSS SP-44 to match the pipeline.
MAF studs and nuts are designed to be torqued unless stud tensioning is specified.
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MisAligning Flange™
4-Inch Through 24-Inch
Flange Butt Weld
Machining the ball for a
42-inch MisAligning Flange™
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Please provide the following information on any purchase order or request for quotation:
• Nominal pipe size
• Pipe wall thickness or bore
• Pipe grade
• Design rating
• Butt-weld by butt-weld or butt-weld by flange configuration
• Flange type and specification, if applicable
• Stud tensionable fasteners, if desired |
Oil States Industries, Inc.
Oil States International, Inc.