KLINGER® Maxiflex SWG spiral wound gasket

KLINGER® Maxiflex spiral wound gaskets are commonly used in high-temperature and high-pressure applications. The most typical construction type is CRIR, which includes an outer (centering) and inner ring. Maxiflex spiral wound gaskets have the ability to recover from fluctuating loads caused by process fluid pressure and temperature changes, flange face temperature variations, flange rotation, bolt stress relaxation, and creep. The gasket sealing element consists of layers of a soft sealing material (graphite, PTFE, mica, etc.) combined with a pre-formed metallic winding strip. When compressed, the soft sealing material densifies and flows to fill imperfections in the flange surface, ensuring a tight seal. The metallic strip holds the filler material in place giving the gasket mechanical resistance and resilience.

Product advantages

KLINGER® Maxiflex spiral wound gaskets combine the ease of sealing a graphite, PTFE or mica filler with the strength afforded by a specially profiled metallic, spring-like reinforcement. The sealing element is manufactured by interleaving plies of alternating metallic winding strip and filler to create a gasket that is robust and easy to install. KLINGER® Maxiflex spiral wound gaskets offer highly reliable sealing performance for high-temperature and high-pressure conditions and can be manufactured to fit both standard flanges and custom-sized flanges, including oval shapes.

KLINGER® Maxiflex gaskets are capable of giving an excellent seal over a wide range of flange surface finishes. As a general recommendation for standard applications, a flange surface finish of 125–248 µin (3.2–6.4 µm) is suggested.

KLINGER® Maxiflex spiral wound gasket construction

Multiple layers of specially formed, continuous chevron-shaped (V-profile) metal strips are spirally wound with alternate plies of soft filler strip to make the gasket’s basic sealing element. The chevron profile allows the gasket to act as a spring and the depth is carefully controlled to give the sealing element the best compression and recovery characteristics. Maxiflex spiral wound gaskets are manufactured in accordance with EN 1514-2 and ASME B16.20 standards.

Computer-controlled winding machines carefully monitor and adjust the tension of the winding strips, ensuring uniform density throughout the gasket. This ensures the proper function of the spring-like structure, prevents gasket deformation, and maintains reliable sealing performance even under fluctuating compression loads.