Gasket Characteristics
Gaskets are used to make a fluid or gas resistant seal between two surfaces.
Choice of gasket is decided by
- Temperature, pressure and the corrosive nature of the fluid or gas
- Maintenance operations
- Environment requirements (asbestos is banned in many countries)
- Cost of the material
The table below can be used as an indication of some common gasket materials and their limitations.
For full table with metric units - rotate the screen!
| Gasket Material | Used for Products | Maximum Temperature (oF) | Maximum Pressure (psi) | Maximum Temperature * Pressure (oF * psi) | Maximum Temperature (oC) | Maximum Pressure (bar) | Maximum Temperature * Pressure (oC * bar) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic rubbers | water, air | 250 | 60 | 15 000 | 121 | 4 | 496 |
| Vegetable fiber | oil | 250 | 160 | 40 000 | 121 | 11 | 1 322 |
| Synthetic rubbers with inserted cloth | water, air | 250 | 500 | 125 000 | 121 | 34 | 4 130 |
| Solid Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) | chemicals | 500 | 300 | 150 000 | 260 | 20 | 5 320 |
| Compressed Asbestos 1) | most | 750 | 333 | 250 000 | 399 | 23 | 9 068 |
| Carbon Steel | high pressure fluids | 750 | 2 133 | 1 600 000 | 399 | 145 | 58 036 |
| Stainless Steel | high pressure or corrosive fluids | 1200 | 2 500 | 3 000 000 | 649 | 171 | 110 636 |
| Spiral wound | |||||||
| SS/Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) | chemicals | 500 | 500 | 250 000 | 260 | 34 | 8 866 |
| CS/Asbestos 1) | most | 750 | 333 | 250 000 | 399 | 23 | 9 068 |
| SS/Asbestos 1) | corrosive | 1200 | 208 | 250 000 | 649 | 14 | 9 220 |
| SS/Ceramic | hot gases | 1900 | 132 | 250 000 | 1038 | 9 | 9 313 |
1) Note! - It is known that prolonged inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious and fatal illnesses including lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. Asbestos is not legal to use in many countries.
