What Are Gaskets Used For?

A gasket is basically a flexible seal that fills the gap between two or more surfaces. The gasket’s material is chosen to be able to prevent leakage whilst being subjected to varying levels of compression. This is important for industrial purposes, such as in oil refineries and rigs, as the gasket must withstand high compressive loads without leaking.

Gasket Materials

Gaskets can be manufactured from non-metallic, metallic and semi-metallic materials to fit differing needs. They are manufactured from a variety of materials including solid silicone, neoprene, VITON™ and cork.

The chosen material will often have a certain amount of ‘give’ in it, due to a gasket’s requirement to change shape and fill tight spaces. They must also be able malleable enough to fill irregular shaped pipes etc.

Common Gasket Uses

One of the most common industrial uses of a gasket is acting as a seal for joining two water pipes. You can also find gaskets used to seal boilers and fuel tanks. In all cases the gasket prevents leakage of liquids and gases between the component parts.

Here are few of the common uses for gaskets and the types of gasket used:

Sheet Gaskets

Sheet gaskets are ‘punched’ out of a sheet of material (usually a type of synthetic rubber) and are used to seal for pipes and tanks containing chemicals. The sheet gasket is ideal for use with acids, steam and corrosive chemicals.

Ring Gaskets

Ring gaskets are used mainly in off-shore oil and gas pipelines. They are solid rings of metal that operate under extremely high.

Kammprofile Gaskets

Kammprofile gaskets are both flexible and reliable in construction, which makes them highly suitable for use in older seals. These gaskets have a solid metal corrugated core with a flexible covering layer, allowing for high compression levels and a tight seal.