Sealing gas pipes is a very responsible process that occurs during installation or commissioning of equipment. The sealant for gas connections must be reliable, because the security of residents of a private or apartment building depends on this.
- Linen
- Non-hardening pastes
- Solvent Based Sealants
- Fluoroplastic tapes (FUM)
- Universal sealing thread
- Anaerobic Adhesive Sealants
- Gas pipe connection
As a sealing agent, both special compositions and threads based on synthetic or natural materials can be used.
Linen
Sealing threaded joints with linen thread is one of the oldest and most proven methods. Flax is sold in any plumbing store in the markets.
When buying, be sure to pay attention to the following signs:
- thread elasticity;
- lack of garbage, unpleasant odor;
- small thickness of the strands.
In its pure form, flax begins to rot quickly when it comes in contact with water, at temperature extremes, and it completely burns out in heating systems. In addition, the material does not contribute to the prevention of rusting of metal pipes and fittings, unlike more modern sealants.
To level these shortcomings, the thread is impregnated with special compounds (pastes). Often used thickly grated natural meerk. The cheapest option is to make the pasta yourself by taking the whitewash and adding the drying oil, until you get a mass like sour cream. It is applied to flaxseed with a thin layer, smeared and dried material.
Lead minium is more suitable for working with steel pipes: it oxidizes the top layer of iron to an insoluble compound that does not allow oxygen to pass, working like a burnishing. The stores also sell ready-made flaxseed paste pastes:
- Unipak (soap, chalk, paraffin, water, mineral oil).
- Multipak (paraffin oil with mineral additives).
- Pastum GAS (organic binders, special fillers, additives and anti-corrosion additives).
- Gebatout 2 (white mineral oil, thickener, synthetic polymer, mineral filler).
If the specified funds are not at hand, for better sealing of gas connections, you can soak the flax with ordinary oil paint or car sealants.
The work is done as follows: from a common skein a strand of flax is separated in a thickness of 2 matches, wound onto a thread, starting from the far end and ending at the end of the pipe. After this, the flax is coated with paste, the connection is collected (when twisting, a force should be felt).
to contents ↑Non-hardening pastes
Another suitable sealant for gas or other pipes is a special non-curing paste in the form of a viscous substance based on synthetic resins, acrylic and silicone, oils and various fillers. Such tools are very simple to use: they need to be applied to the thread and the pipes connected.
Positive qualities of pastes:
- the presence of metal rust additives;
- quick and easy thread tightening;
- simple dismantling of the system;
- lack of jamming of a thread during assembly.
Unfortunately, such pastes are only suitable for pipes under low pressure. If the pressure is high, the composition will soon squeeze out of the thread.One should also not hope for a strong fixation of the pipes, as well as for the stability of the means to a sharp change in temperature, the effects of aggressive chemicals.
to contents ↑It is best to use non-curing pastes with flax or artificial threads to increase the reliability of the joint.
Solvent Based Sealants
Such products undergo polymerization and completely harden some time after application. Hardening occurs after evaporation of the solvent, which is present in the composition.
Sealants can be used together with linen tape or on their own. Their advantages:
- serious level of fixation;
- strength and wear resistance of the seam;
- ease of installation of threaded connections;
- quick drying;
- low price.
Poor quality materials can serve slightly less, because of which the thread will have to be tightened periodically. If you seal the threaded gap of an oversized size with a similar sealant, the seam will shrink over time.
to contents ↑Fluoroplastic tapes (FUM)
FUM tape, or fluoroplastic sealing material, is a unique tool that is widely used in the arrangement of gas supply, water supply, heating and sewage systems. Ftoroplast is very strong and flexible, has a high melting point (about +400 degrees), is resistant to oxygen, aggressive liquids, low temperatures (can withstand up to –70 degrees).
Fluoroplastic tape or thread is not wetted by solvents, fats, water. Remaining dry and durable, withstands increased pressure in the system. The material fills all the irregularities of the thread, reliably sealing it and sealing the joint. Threads with a diameter of 0.4–1.5 mm and ribbons 1–1.6 cm wide are sold in stores, so you can easily choose the right option.
The material does not tolerate only regular and strong vibrations: the joint loses its strength, its tightness is broken. To improve the technical characteristics of the seam FUM should be used in conjunction with silicone pastes or sealants.
FUM tape is wound in the same way as flax: along the thread with increasing layer from the end of the pipe. The required number of turns is determined in each case individually and depends on the gap in the connection. Typically, the thread is wrapped so that its relief becomes almost invisible, and a serious effort is applied during assembly.
to contents ↑
Universal sealing thread
Universal threads are an improved version of FUM tapes and are made of more modern materials. Typically, these are nylon sealed with a sealant, polyamide with silicone. They can be used in pipes supplying natural gas, compressed air, as well as in water pipes and sewers, including on crude threads and at low air temperatures.
The most popular brands of threads are:
- "Record";
- Sprint
- "Tangit Unilok";
- "Loktayt 55".
Such threads are considered universal due to the possibility of application on metal and plastic, which is very important for modern gas pipeline systems. For these materials, the condition of the pipes is not fundamental - they can even be rusty, old, damaged.
After winding, the impregnation of the thread undergoes instant polymerization, and the connection can be put into operation immediately, without waiting for time. This makes universal threads suitable for emergency repairs and emergency response.
to contents ↑Anaerobic Adhesive Sealants
Anaerobic type gel sealants are ideal for sealing metal threaded joints. They penetrate even the smallest cracks and gaps and undergo polymerization upon termination of contact with oxygen. Under normal conditions, sealants remain liquid for a long time, but as they solidify, they turn into a solid mass like plastic.
Using anaerobic sealant is very simple. It can be applied to the thread with a brush or squeezed out of a tube, then smudged and twisted connection. After 15-60 minutes, the joint will be completely sealed, but before the start of operation of gas equipment, another day must pass. The most popular brands of anaerobic formulations are:
- SantehMaster;
- Loctite 577;
- Loxeal 58;
- Unitec EASY.
Gas pipe connection
Dimensional steel pipes with welds are usually used for gas pipelines with a section of ½ – 2. Seamless pipes are suitable for larger joints in a gas system. Underground it is best to lay steel bituminized pipelines without seams, which have threaded joints not welded. The principle of adhesion in their parts is similar to that used in plumbing (by type of fittings). The bells in this case are sealed with modern sealants or linen with special impregnation.
It is undesirable to seal shutoff valves of gas pipelines, because in this case it will be problematic to open them in case of urgent need. Such taps should be tightly fitted to each other and closed manually or with keys. In the basement, the pipes are joined with clamps and brackets, and where they pass through the wall, they are protected with a special cover. In slag concrete masonry, the surface of the gas pipeline is additionally coated with an insulating anti-corrosion paint.
Sealants for gas pipe connections are the necessary compositions and devices, the use of which cannot be ignored. They provide the proper level of reliability of joints and can extend the life of the equipment.
