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When to use a spectacle blind

flange?
2017-12-23

 Industry News
 News

What are spectacle blind flanges?

Spectacle blind flanges – also known as figure-8 blind flanges – are generally pieces of
metal. Spectacle blind flange cut to fit between two pipe flanges and usually sandwiched
between two gaskets. A spectacle blind is often made from two metal discs that are
attached to each other by a small section of steel. The shape is similar to a pair of glasses
or “spectacles” – hence the name spectacle blind. One end of the blind will have an
opening to allow flow through the pipe during operation and the other end is solid to block
flow during maintenance. They are generally installed as a permanent device to separate
process piping systems.

1. Spectacle blind 2. Flanges 3. Gaskets 4. Stud Bolts

The shape is similar to a pair of glasses or “spectacles” – hence the name spectacle blind.
One end of the blind will have an opening to allow flow through the pipe during operation

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and the other end is solid to block flow during maintenance. They are generally installed
as a permanent device to separate process piping systems.

The whole idea of a spectacle blind is so that one can be absolutely sure that an item of
equipment is properly and securely blanked off with no possibility of any flow or leakage
through a valve during maintenance. The flow can be diverted to other items of equipment
but not just bypassed around the blank as this would compromise the safety function of
the spectacle blind. The flow has to valved off and pressure relieved prior to loosening
flange bolts and swinging the blind.

The material of spectacle blind flanges:

Stainless Steel: ASTM a182 F304, F304L, F304H, F316, F316L, F316Ti, F310, F310S,
F321, F321H, F317, F347, F347H, F904L.
Duplex Stainless Steel: UNS S31803, UNS S32750
Carbon Steel: ASTM a105,
Alloy Steel: ASTM a182 F1, F11, F22, F5, F9, F91
Nickel Alloys: Monel 400 & 500, Inconel 600 & 625, Incoloy 800, 825, Hastelloy C22,
C276
Copper Alloys: Copper, Brass & Gunmetal
Size: 1/8″ NB TO 48″NB.
Class: 150#, 300#, 400#, 600#, 900#, 1500#, 2500#

Dimensional Standard of spectacle blind flange

ANSI: ANSI B16.5, ANSI B16.47, MSS SP44, ANSI B16.36, ANSI B16.48
DIN: DIN 2527, DIN 2566, DIN 2573, DIN 2576, DIN 2641, DIN 2642, DIN 2655, DIN 2656,
DIN 2627, DIN 2628, DIN 2629, DIN 2631, DIN 2632, DIN 2633, DIN 2634, DIN 2635, DIN
2636, DIN 2637, DIN 2638, DIN 2673
B.S: BS 4504, BS4504, BS1560, BS10

Types of spectacle blind flanges

A spectacle blind flange is generally a piece of metal that is cut to fit between two pipe
flanges and usually sandwiched between two gaskets.There are three types of spectacle
flange: spacer fange, spade fange (paddle flange), spectacle blind flange. A spectacle
blind flange is a combination of a spade fange and a spacer fange.

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Spectacle blind flange (also called figure 8 flange), it’s the most regular spectacle
flange.The shape of spectacle flange is like glasses. One part is a blind plate, the other
part is a ring which has a same outer diameter with the first part. The two parts are
connected with a handle plate. The spectacle blind flange could be produced from one
plate,or joint together by welding from three parts: blind plate,ring and handle plate.

Spade flange (paddle flange), it’s a blind plate with a handle plate.It has a same usage
with the blind part of a spectacle blind flange.

Spacer flange, it looks like a steel ring with a handle plate.The spacer has a same usage
with the ring part of a spectacle flange.The spacer has a same outer diameter with the
paddle flange.

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When to use a spectacle blind flange?

Spectacle blind flange be applied in systems, which regularly need to be separated from
other installations. Normally, a Spectacle blind flange is mounted in the “open” position so
that flow through the pipe is possible. If the Spectacle Blind in the “close” position is
rotated, the pipe is blanked off and no flow is possible.

Maintenance on a pipe system can be a reason to temporarily replace a Ring

Spacer flange for a Spade flange. By loosening of all bolts, and half of the bolts
temporarily remove, the Spade or Spacer can be placed. After replacing the gaskets,the
bolts can be re-assembled and tightened. It is necessary that the pipeline should be
valved off and pressure relieved before loosening the flange bolts.

To prevent unnecessary weight to a flange connections,designer usually will choose the

seperated two parts (spacerflange and spade flange) instead of the spectacle blind
flange.

Source: China Spectacle Blind Flange Manufacturer – Yaang pipe fitting Industry Co.,
Limited (www.steeljrv.com)

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(Yaang Pipe Industry is a leading manufacturer and supplier of nickel alloy and stainless
steel products, including Super Duplex Stainless Steel Flanges, Stainless Steel Flanges,
Stainless Steel Pipe Fittings, Stainless Steel Pipe. Yaang products are widely used in
Shipbuilding, Nuclear power, Marine engineering, Petroleum, Chemical, Mining, Sewage
treatment, Natural gas and Pressure vessels and other industries.)

If you want to have more information about the article or you want to share your opinion
with us, contact us at sales@steeljrv.com

Please notice that you might be interested in the other technical articles we’ve published:

• What are Lap Joint Flanges

• What are Blind Flanges

• What are Specialty Flanges

• How to get high quality flanges

• The Differences between socket welding flanges and butt welding flanges

• An Introduction to Large Diameter Carbon Steel Flanges

• Surface Treatments of Stainless Steel Flanges

• What Is the Lap Joint Flange with Welding Neck Collar

• How to get high quality alloy steel pipes

• How to get high quality pipe fittings

• How to get high quality bellow expansion joints

• DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PIPE ELBOW AND A PIPE BEND

• HOW TO GET HIGH QUALITY STEEL PIPES

• When to use slip on flanges

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References:

1. http://www.wermac.org/flanges/flanges_special_spectacle-blinds_spades_ring-sp
acers_paddle-spacers.html
2. https://www.yaang.com/spectacle-blind-flanges-1.html

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