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The European Standard EN 13555, updated in the summer of 2014, defines the sealing gasket design factors and test methods for round flange connections. This allows the comparison of the properties of gaskets. Among other things, the standard establishes a new definition of the maximum surface pressure. What changes does this bring for the operators of plants and what criteria should be considered in the selection of gaskets using the characteristic as per EN 13555?

Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) pipes and flanges are increasingly used in the oil and gas industry where metal is simply too heavy and expensive. In addition to cost pressure, the need for lightweight chemically resistant materials are also driving the use of fiberglass pipes and flanges. Innovations in FRP flange design coupled with improvements in manufacturing technology have allowed FRP piping to be used in even more demanding applications. However, these demanding applications have added challenges for sealing the bolted flange connections.