VCS Very Critical Service Flange Insulation Gasket by Pikotek

The Pikotek VCS Flange Gasket is a "Very Critical Service" gasket designed for electrical flange insulation and general sealing applications. This gasket is suitable for use in raised-face, flat-face and RTJ flanges in all pressure classes including API 15,000 psi service. In addition to its superior sealing characteristics and excellent dielectric properties, the VCS gasket is ideal for isolating flanges made from dissimilar metals (thus mitigating galvanic corrosion) and for mitigating localized flange face corrosion.

The VCS was originally designed to provide a reliable sealing solution for electrical insulation of critical flanges, particularly where phenolic ring gaskets had been failing in RTJ flanges. The gasket was successfully developed and tested by a major oil and gas company prior to initial service approval. After demonstrating the VCS to be superior to all competing products for sealing and insulating, the VCS was placed in operational service in 1981. Since then, hundreds of thousands of VCS gaskets have been placed into service throughout the world. Current users include virtually every international oil and gas company operating in every major worldwide market.

Advantages & Benefits

• Extreme high-reliability sealing and insulating solution for all critical services.
• Seals and insulates at all pressures up through ANSI 2500 class and API 15000 psi service.
• Withstands severe service conditions including large bending moments, vibration, temperature and pressure cycling.
• Designed to withstand corrosive environments, including high concentrations of C02, H2S, produced water, etc.
• Outstanding insulation properties for cathodic protection.
• Pressure-activated seals provide high confidence sealing and eliminate costly leaks.
• Gasket is sized to the bore to protect flange faces from media-induced corrosion and flow-induced erosion.
• Prevents turbulent flow at flanged connections.
• Mitigates galvanic corrosion in dissimilar metal flanges.
• High-strength laminate material resists failure due to excess compression (i.e., over-tightening bolts).
• Available to match any flange specification (ANSI, API, MSSP, BS, DIN, AS, others).
• Can mate mismatched RTJ with raised-face flanges.
• Easy installation, make-up and removal:
  - Flanges do not have to be spread as with ring gaskets. The VCS easily slips into place.
  - Sealing system results in low required bolt loads.
  - Less make-up force is required resulting in less flange and bolt stress.
  - Gasket is self-aligning and centering, quick to install. No special tools are required.
• Maintenance-free, corrosion-resistant design is resistant to deforming under load, which makes the gasket reusable