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VCS Flange Gasket

High-Reliability Flange Gasket for Electrical
Insulation & Sealing in Very Critical Service

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The Pikotek VCS 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
G a s k e t

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.

VCS PRIMARY FEATURES

AND BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• HIGH-RELIABILITY SEALING
F l a n g e

AND INSULATING GASKET

FOR CRITICAL SERVICE

• WITHSTANDS CORROSIVE
ENVIRONMENTS INCLUDING
HIGH CO2, H2S AND
PRODUCED WATER

• OUTSTANDING ELECTRICAL
INSULATION PROPERTIES
FOR CATHODIC PROTECTION

• PROTECTS FLANGE FACES

FROM MEDIA-INDUCED
CORROSION AND FLOW-
Patented INDUCED EROSION
V C S

• MITIGATES GALVANIC
CORROSION IN DISSIMILAR
METAL FLANGE JOINTS

• DECREASES FLANGE/BOLT
MAKEUP STRESSES

• EASY INSTALLATION AND

REMOVAL

• REUSABLE SEAL RETAINER

AND SEALS

VCS Flange Gasket

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VCS DESIGN
The unique and patented design of the VCS gasket incorporates high-strength, glass-reinforced epoxy
laminate bonded to a stainless steel core. This provides the strength of a traditional metallic gasket
while maintaining complete electrical insulation between the flange faces. Seal grooves are machined
through the laminate insulating material and into the stainless steel core. This provides a strong base

V C S
for the seal to seat into and breaks the potential leak/weep path that is inherent in glass laminate
materials. Spring-energized Teflon internal face seals are installed in the dovetail-shaped seal grooves
to provide the trademark pressure-activated sealing that distinguishes the VCS from all other high
pressure insulating gaskets (Viton o-rings also available if specified).
ELECTRICAL INSULATION
In addition to its superior sealing characteristics, the Pikotek VCS distinguishes itself by providing
electrical flange insulation in a high-strength gasket. The VCS significantly decreases electrical potential
between two flange faces by providing a non-conducting, non-metallic interface. This effectively

F l a n g e
eliminates corrosion resulting from dissimilar metals contact or ground current induced corrosion of
metal piping components. When used with
insulating sleeves and washers, the VCS is
particularly effective in breaking electrical
conductivity in piping systems with cathodic
protection systems.
What makes the VCS unique among insulating
gaskets is its strength and durability. Traditionally,
insulating gaskets have been fragile and prone to
failure because they are often made from brittle,
non-metallic materials (i.e. phenolic resin) and are
not capable of withstanding imperfect installation
practices. The VCS’s steel core and patented

G a s k e t
construction enables the gasket to withstand far
more system pressure, pressure cycling, bending
moments, over-torquing and overall abuse than
conventional insulating gaskets with zero risk of
product failure.
SEALING CHARACTERISTICS
The primary job that any gasket must perform is
to seal the pressure differential between the internal
and external environment. The VCS performs this
task through the use of its spring-energized, pressure- VCS Insulating Kit Installed in Mismatched Flanges
activated sealing elements. At low system pressure,
the spring acts to deflect the lips of the seal, thus enabling low pressure sealing. As the pressure increases
and comes in direct contact with the sealing element, the system pressure energizes the lips of the seal
against the flange face and the stainless steel core. The greater the pressure, the more sealing force is
applied against the flanges. This high pressure sealing is accomplished while maintaining complete electrical
flange insulation. This high-reliability sealing system makes the Pikotek VCS the gasket to use when gasket
failure cannot be tolerated.

The fact that the VCS uses pressure-activated sealing elements which are located inboard of the ring
groove on RTJ flanges has the additional benefit of allowing the VCS to seal mismatched RTJ to raised-
face or flat-face flanges. This feature is very useful when replacing valves using stock inventory that may
have a different flange face than the mating flanges.
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VCS Flange Gasket

Advantages and 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 CO2, 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

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Pikotek World Represented By:
Headquarters:

P.O. Box 260438

12980 West Cedar Drive
Lakewood, Colorado 80226
USA
tel: (303) 988.1242
fax: (303) 988.1922
e-mail: [email protected]
www.pikotek.com