Titanium Flanges

Lightweight, Corrosion-Resistant Flanges for Extreme Chemical Environments

What Are Titanium Flanges?

Titanium flanges are forged per ASTM B381, which covers titanium and titanium alloy forgings. Titanium offers exceptional corrosion resistance, especially to chlorides, seawater, and oxidizing acids. At approximately 45% lighter than steel, titanium flanges provide significant weight savings in applications where weight is a critical factor.

Despite their higher cost, titanium flanges are often the only practical choice in environments where other materials would fail rapidly due to corrosion.

Common Grades

  • Grade 2 — Commercially pure titanium and the most common grade for flanges. Offers excellent corrosion resistance with moderate strength. Suitable for most chemical processing applications.
  • Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) — An alloyed grade with significantly higher strength than commercially pure grades. Used where both corrosion resistance and high mechanical properties are required.
  • Grade 7 — Palladium-stabilized titanium with enhanced resistance to reducing acids such as hydrochloric and sulfuric acid.
  • Grade 12 (Ti-0.3Mo-0.8Ni) — A molybdenum-nickel alloyed grade with improved performance in crevice corrosion environments and higher strength than commercially pure grades.

Common Applications

  • Chemical processing with chlorine, bromine, and wet chlorine gas
  • Desalination plants
  • Offshore seawater systems
  • Power plant condensers
  • Aerospace piping systems

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Cost and Availability

Titanium flanges are significantly more expensive than stainless steel flanges, often costing several times more per unit. Lead times are typically longer due to limited stock availability, and many titanium flanges are made to order rather than stocked as standard inventory. Project planning should account for these extended procurement timelines.

Fabrication Considerations

Titanium requires special handling during fabrication and welding:

  • Inert gas shielding — Welding must be performed under argon purge to prevent contamination and embrittlement of the weld zone.
  • No standard carbon steel procedures — Titanium cannot be welded using standard carbon steel welding procedures. Dedicated titanium welding procedures and qualified welders are required.
  • Iron contamination — Contact with iron or carbon steel must be avoided during handling, fabrication, and installation. Iron contamination can cause accelerated corrosion of the titanium surface.

Related References