Bolt Tensioning & Torquing
Do it once, do it right!
Altex has 20 years of experience designing, building, and servicing heat exchangers, including plant turnaround, shutdown, and maintenance. We know how critically important it is to be leak-free at plant startup.
Controlled Bolting
Torquing and tensioning is performed by our skilled shop and field teams according to documented procedures to ensure fast, accurate, and safe bolting application.
Ideal for critical service, high pressure, and challenging sealing applications.
We are committed to employing experts with the training, knowledge, and experience to safely operate bolt torquing and tensioning equipment like a hydraulic bolt tensioner.
These precision services are part of our broader range of specialty services designed to optimize
the performance and reliability of your heat exchanger systems.
How to ensure leak-free sealing:
- Check flange surfaces and machine as necessary
- Maintain flange alignment
- Proper gasket selection
- Bolt preparation - remove scale
- Bolt lubrication before bolt torquing
- Apply uniform bolt loading
FAQ's
Methods for technical bolting include bolt tensioning and torquing, with bolt tensioning involving axial stretching of a bolt to achieve the acceptable bolt load using hydraulic pressure.
Bolt tensioning and torquing have different applications, and bolt tensioning is preferred when accurate and consistent clamping force is crucial, as it eliminates friction variables and ensures precise bolt preload.
The primary difference between bolt tensioning and torquing is that bolt tensioning directly stretches the bolt, whereas torquing applies rotational force, making bolt tensioning and torquing distinct methods with varying advantages.
While bolt tensioning and torquing are both effective, torquing is preferred in situations with space constraints, as it requires less specialized equipment and is simpler to perform than bolt tensioning and torquing.
When designing bolted joints for bolt tensioning and torquing, especially for shell and tube heat exchanger flanges, consider using bolts with extra length, ensuring adequate access for tensioning tools, robust flange design, proper alignment, and surface preparation to handle applied forces effectively.
