Taper-Lok UK

Tel: 0181 770 1100

Fax: 0181 770 1205

Taper-Lok Scotland
Tel: 01224 622284
Fax: 01224 626866


Welding Units present a smaller, lighter weight
bolted connector providing a high integrity seal
under extreme conditions:
Taper-Lok

Taper-Lok was developed by Bas-Tex/Brown
Fintube in the USA, originally for hairpin heat
exchangers. The Taper-Lok seal is designed to
be the safest possible of any mechanical
connection. For this reason an area type seal was
selected rather than the point seal used in some
clamp type connectors.



Taper-Lok Weldneck Sections

The area seal allows the flanges to accept up to 2
axial misalignment and still give a full integrity
seal. During installation the misalignment
capabilities coupled with low pre-stresses allow
for easier bolt-up, particularly sub-sea or in other
areas with poor accessibility.

Extensive testing has been performed on Taper-
Lok Connectors over the last 15 years. Separate
data sheets are available for these tests, which
include:

10" 900 Weldneck Set - pulsating pressure fatigue
test, combined static hydraulic pressure/cyclic
bending test, hydrostatic burst test and static
hydraulic pressure test.
12" 5,000 Weldneck Set - internal pressure and
bending moment test - flanges misaligned.
8" 5,000 Swivel Set -internal N/He leak testing.
8" 5,000 Swivel Set - full API 6FB Pt II Fire & Bend
Test
10 Misalignment Flange - internal & external
testing

Taper-Lok has an outstanding record of service in
the most demanding environments, recently these
have included:

Phillips 30, 34 & 36 Ekofisk II Export Pipelines
Phillips Eldfisk Water Injn - Up To 24 NB at 418
Bar
BP ETAP Risers - Up to 24 NB 250 Bar at 105 C
Chematur Chemical Treatment - Alloy 625 at 593
C
Eastman Chemical - Hydrogen Reactor Vessels
Tested by NASA for Cryogenic Refuelling Systems
on the Space Shuttle
Approved by the UK H&SE for use in Cellar Deck
Area of Risers

A full reference list is available on request.

Taper-Lok is available in many different
configurations including:

Weldneck Assembly
Swivel Assembly
10 Misalignment Assembly
Vessel/Heat Exchanger End Closure
Manways/Nozzles, Clad & Unclad
90 Elbow Assembly
Forged Branch Fittings, Elbows, Crosses, Etc.

If you would like further information on Taper-Lok
or our other pipeline connectors, please contact
Welding Units:









Welding
Units
Manufacturer of flanges
Taper-Lok
Pressure energised
Connectors




Welding Units (UK) Ltd.
Mill Lane
Rainford
Merseyside WA11 8LR

Tel: 01744 884881
Fax: 01744 883302
sales@w-units.demon.co.uk
www.welding-units.co.uk
Taper-Lok UK
Tel: 0181 770 1100
Fax: 0181 770 1205

Taper-Lok Scotland
Tel: 01224 622284
Fax: 01224 626866


Welding Units, in association with Taper-Lok Houston
are proud to announce the completely re-engineered
10 Taper-Lok Misalignment Swivel Connector.

Building on the proven design of the existing
misalignment connector, significant development
work has been made on the male part of the flange.
This allows it to take up the full extent of the pipeline
misalignment and greatly simplifies the unit removing
the need for ancillary hardware.

Furthermore, the complex cup and washer
arrangement around the bolting has been eliminated.


Section view of MAF Assembly


0 Misalignment 10 Misalignment


Assembly of 14 900 x 10 Male MAF Swivel



Male MAF Male Spherical Inner

Other improvements include a positive stop when full
misalignment is achieved, parallel bolting to give
constant grip lengths and a more compact design.


The single metallic seal ring is identical to the earlier
design of Taper-Lok Misalignment Flange and can
still be modified to provide the unit with external test
facilities.

20 600 x 10 Misalignment Flange Awaiting
Assembly



Male Spherical Inner Male Swivel Outer

The Taper-Lok MAF retains the Taper-Lok principles
of being smaller and lighter than ANSI equivalents,
requires low bolt loads and has a reusable seal ring.
The use of Taper-Lok MAFs can aid assembly of
complex spools, or assist in areas where the
positioning of pipelines cannot be guaranteed. It has
further uses as part of a pipeline repair kit if installed
between weldless connectors such as Hydratights
Morgrip.

If you would like further information on Taper-Lok or
our other pipeline connectors, please contact
Welding Units:









Welding
Units
Manufacturer of flanges
Taper-Lok
10 Misalignment
Connector




Welding Units (UK) Ltd.
Mill Lane
Rainford
Merseyside WA11 8LR

Tel: 01744 884881
Fax: 01744 883302
sales@w-units.demon.co.uk
www.welding-units.co.uk
Taper-Lok UK
Tel: 0181 770 1100
Fax: 0181 770 1205

Taper-Lok Scotland
Tel: 01224 622284
Fax: 01224 626866


Connector alignment problems solved...

Welding Units in association with Taper-Lok Houston
announce the arrival of the Taper-Lok Spherical
Connector (TSC). The TSC was initially designed to
allow the easy assembly of flanged 90 elbows.


Taper-Lok 90 Flanged Elbow

The connector uses two standard female weldneck
flanges and a spherical adapter. This allows the
connector to accept angular misalignment and
additionally, centre-to-centre misalignment.



Angular Centre to Centre

The TSC makes installation of complex spools,
elbows and return bends much easier. It can also be
used between two skids or manifolds, such that
positioning need not be critical. The TSC can save a
significant amount of time when retrofitting existing
pipework by reducing the about of disassembly and
manipulation.


90 Spherical Flanged Elbows



10 10,000 Spherical Elbow Female Weldneck Flanges,
Seal Rings & Adapter

90 Elbow Assembly Procedure

1) Rotate elbow away from top 2) Lower in the spherical
flange male adapter


3) Rotate the exposed end of 4) Install all the studs &
nuts
the adapter


Angular Centre to Centre

If you would like further information on Taper-Lok or
our other pipeline connectors, please contact
Welding Units:








Welding
Units
Manufacturer of flanges
Taper-Lok Spherical
Alignment Adapter


Welding Units (UK) Ltd.
Mill Lane
Rainford
Merseyside WA11 8LR

Tel: 01744 884881
Fax: 01744 883302
sales@w-units.demon.co.uk
www.welding-units.co.uk
Taper-Lok UK
Tel: 0181 770 1100
Fax: 0181 770 1205

Taper-Lok Scotland
Tel: 01224 622284
Fax: 01224 626866


Welding Units were recently requested by a major
diving contractor to develop a guaranteed method of
seal ring retention. The system had to be capable of
retaining the seal ring on either the male of female
flange while the connector lay on the seabed awaiting
remote tie-in.

The system also had to be designed to be strong
enough to cope with remote tie-in while avoiding
interfering with the tools.



Seal rings with milled tabs
ready for drilling
Female flange spool ready
for assembly

Should an emergency situation occur, the retainers
had to break away. The first set of connectors to use
the system were manufactured from 25% Cr Super
Duplex and so material compatibility also had to be
considered.




Seal ring fitted over male
nose
Close-up of retaining screw

Taper-Lok flanges have previous been available with
seal ring retention. However, it was only possible to
hold the seal in the female flange.

It was decided to make the retention modifications to
the seal ring. This allows the retention system to
work in both the male and female flange.

A standard Taper-Lok seal ring was manufactured
with an oversize lip. This lip was them milled out to
provide three tabs. Each of these tabs was drilled out
with a 4.5mm hole and counter sunk. The male and
female flanges were then drilled with three M4 holes
120 apart. The seal ring is then inserted onto the
flange seal area and screwed down using nylon
screws.

Once in place, the seal ring cannot be dislodged. The
nylon screws are compatible with any flange material
and allow break away should any emergencies
occur.

The system was fully tested on an 8 240 Bar Swivel
assembly with the connection both in the straight and
misaligned position.


Tensioning of flange
assembly
Pressure test to 275 Bar

The retention system is not only useful for remote tie-
in. It allows the seal ring to be fitted to spools before
load out from the fabrication yard and would assist
installation in restrictive environments.

If you would like further information on Taper-Lok
or our other pipeline connectors, please contact
Welding Units:









Welding
Units
Manufacturer of flanges
Taper-Lok
Seal Ring Retention


Welding Units (UK) Ltd.
Mill Lane
Rainford
Merseyside WA11 8LR

Tel: 01744 884881
Fax: 01744 883302
sales@w-units.demon.co.uk
www.welding-units.co.uk