Flange Class / Rating

ASME and ANSI: Most flanges are supplied with flanges conforming to
dimensional standards developed by the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers (ASME) and accredited by the American National Standards Institute
(ANSI). Various committees within ASME are charged with developing, issuing
and maintaining individual standards. The ASME B16 committees have this
responsibility for valves, flanges and flanged fittings. Standardized dimensions for

Cast iron flanges and flanged fittings are provided in ANSI/ASME B16.1
standard

Steel and stainless steel in the ANSI/ASME B16.5 standard

Ductile iron in the ANSI/ASME B16.42 standard.

Compliance with the applicable standardized flange and flanged fitting dimensions
is voluntary but ensures uniformity so that flanged valves from one manufacturer
will bolt to flanges from another.
Flange Classes: There are four common pressure classes within the ANSI/ASME
standards listed above. Class 125 and Class 250 are cast iron flanges and flanged
fittings while Class 150 and Class 300 are ductile iron, steel or stainless steel.
Hence, ANSI/ASME B16.1 Class 125 flanges are made from cast iron,
ANSI/ASME B16.5 Class 150 can be made from steel or stainless and
ANSI/ASME B16.42 Class 150 is made from ductile iron.
However, the bolting pattern is the same for both Class 125 and 150 so, regardless
of material, they will bolt together. This is also the case for Class 250 and 300.
Cast iron flanges are usually flat faced, while ductile iron and steel are usually
raised face. When bolting a cast iron flange to a steel or ductile iron flange, the
raised face of the mating flange should be removed to avoid breaking the cast iron
flange when tightening the bolts.
Pressure and Temperature: The ANSI/ASME standards also provide pressure
ratings for various classes of flanges and flanged fittings. The pressure ratings
change based on the material from which it is made and/or the temperature at
which it operates. The nominal flange Class (e.g., Class 125) generally represents
the maximum working pressure at the temperature of saturated steam at that
pressure. For example, an ANSI/ASME B16.1 Class 125 flange is rated for 125
PSI at 353oF.
But when used at colder temperatures, such as that of water, the ANSI/ASME
maximum working pressure is higher than the nominal class. ANSI/ASME B16.1
rates Class 125 flanges and flanged fittings made from high strength cast iron for
200 PSI at temperatures up to 150o F. ANSI/ASME B16.42 rates Class 150 ductile
iron flanges and fittings for 250 PSI at temperatures up to 100 oF. Complete flange
and flanged fitting pressure-temperature ratings can be found in tables within the
applicable ANSI/ASME B16.x standard.
 Pressure - Temperature Ratings
For Steel Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings
American National Standard ANSI B16.5 - 1988
150 300 400 600 900 1500 2500
Class
lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb.
Pres
450 1125 1500 2225 3350 5575 9275
psig
Temp oF Maximum Allowable Pres psig
-20 to 100 285 740 990 1480 2220 3705 6170
200 260 675 900 1350 2025 3375 5625
300 230 655 875 1315 1970 3280 5470
400 200 635 845 1270 1900 3170 5280
500 170 600 800 1200 1795 2995 4990
600 140 550 730 1095 1640 2735 4560
650 125 535 715 1075 1610 2685 4475
700 110 535 710 1065 1600 2665 4440
750 95 505 670 1010 1510 2520 4200
800 80 410 550 825 1235 2060 3430
850 65 270 355 535 805 1340 2230
900 50 170 230 345 515 860 1430
950 35 105 140 205 310 515 860
1000 20 50 70 105 155 260 430
Ratings apply to materials.
SA-1051.2 SA-515-702 SA-516-702 SA-181-701.2 SA-350-LF2 SA-537-C1.13 SA-
216-WCB2
NOTES:
1. For service temperatures above 850 F it is recommended that killed steels
containing not less than 0.10% residual silicon be used.
2. Upon prolonged exposure to temperatures above 800 F, the carbide phase of
carbon steel may be converted to graphite.
3. The material shall not be used in thickness above 2-1/2 in.
Flanges of ANSI B16.5 shall not be used for higher ratings except where it is
justified by the design methods of the Code. Ratings are maximum allowable non-
shock working pressures expressed as gauge pressure, at the tabulated temperatures
and may be interpolated between temperatures shown. Temperatures are those on
the inside of the pressure-containing shell of the flange. In general, it is the same as
that of the contained material.

Working Pressure by Classes, bar

 150 300 400 600 900 1500 2500
Class
lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb. lb.
Temp oC Maximum Allowable Pressure, bar
-29 to 38 19 49.6 66.2 99.3 148.9 248.2 413.7
50 18.4 48.1 64.2 96.2 144.3 240.6 400.9
100 16.2 42.2 56.3 84.4 126.6 211.0 351.6
150 14.8 38.5 51.3 77.0 115.5 192.5 320.8
200 13.7 35.7 47.6 71.3 107.0 178.3 297.2
250 12.1 33.4 44.5 66.8 100.1 166.9 278.1
300 10.2 31.6 42.2 63.2 94.9 158.1 263.5
325 9.3 30.9 41.2 61.8 92.7 154.4 257.4
350 8.4 30.3 40.4 60.7 91.0 151.6 252.7
375 7.4 29.9 39.8 59.8 89.6 149.4 249.0
400 6.5 29.4 39.3 58.9 88.3 147.2 245.3
425 5.5 29.1 38.9 58.3 87.4 145.7 242.9
450 4.6 28.8 38.5 57.7 86.5 144.2 240.4
475 3.7 28.7 38.2 57.3 86.0 143.4 238.9
500 2.8 28.2 37.6 56.5 84.7 140.9 235.0
538 1.4 25.2 33.4 50.0 75.2 125.5 208.9