Gasket fitting guide.
Notes on fitting Gaskets for extreme applications

General
Asbestos based jointings are now banned for all commercial applications.
To date there is not a substitute for asbestos which will operate
over the full range of conditions covered by asbestos.

This means in practice:
Greater care in material selection.
Greater care of flange faces.
Greater care in fitting.
Greater care in steam applications.
Do not use jointing compounds.
Re-torque after 24 hours or one process cycle.

Recommendations
Choose as thin a material as possible.
clean the flange faces and remove any dirt on the studs / bolts /nuts.
lubricate the threads and the nut face. If possible use a lubricant based on:
Molybdenum Disulphide
Copper
PTFE

Before assembly ensure that the nuts run freely on the threads.

Carefully fit the gasket taking care not to damage the gasket surface.
Tighten the bolts in the recommended sequence (eg diametrically opposite) to about half load.

Check visually that the flanges are uniformly loading the gasket.
Tighten to the recommended torque for the flange system.
After 24 hours of operation, or one process cycle, re-tighten to the correct torque (the gasket will have relaxed).
If the flange has not been in service and is unlikely to be so in the short term then still re-tighten.

Use of Graphic & other Anti-Stick coatings
Care should be taken to apply a very thin coating.
Not recommended where flanges are worn or where high pressures (in excess of 17 bar) are expected.
Do not use graphite grease.