Class 150 Socket Weld Flange Dimensions
ASME B16.5 dimensions and bolting for the Class 150 socket weld flange, NPS 1/2 through NPS 3, with what the class is rated for and where this flange type is used in it.
- Standard
- ASME B16.5
- Flange type
- Socket Weld Flange
- Pressure class
- Class 150
- Size range
- NPS 1/2 – NPS 3
- Raised face height
- 0.06 in (1.5 mm)
- Rating at 100 °F (A105)
- 285 psig (19.7 bar)
Where a Class 150 socket weld flange is used
Class 150 is the lightest class in ASME B16.5 and by a wide margin the most used. It covers cooling water, utility, fire water and low-pressure process service, and it is the class most pumps, vessels and valves in general service are nozzled to.
Socket weld flanges are a small-bore item. At this class they are used on utility and instrument lines where the pipe itself is socket-welded.
The number 150 is a designation and not a pressure. A Class 150 flange in A105 carbon steel is rated 285 psig (19.7 bar) at 100 °F, 200 psig at 400 °F, 140 psig at 600 °F and 80 psig at 800 °F. In Type 304 stainless, Group 2.1, it starts at 275 psig and still holds 80 psig at 800 °F, so the material and the metal temperature have to be fixed before the class can be.
Dimensions in every size
Dimensions are given in inches, with the millimetre equivalent beneath in grey.
| Size | Flange OD | Thickness | Bolt circle | Bolts | Bolt dia. | Raised face OD | Length thru hub |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NPS 1/2 | 3.5088.90 mm | 0.389.65 mm | 2.3860.45 mm | 4 | 1/2 in | 1.3835.05 mm | 0.5614.22 mm |
| NPS 3/4 | 3.8898.55 mm | 0.4411.18 mm | 2.7569.85 mm | 4 | 1/2 in | 1.6942.93 mm | 0.5614.22 mm |
| NPS 1 | 4.25107.95 mm | 0.5012.70 mm | 3.1279.25 mm | 4 | 1/2 in | 2.0050.80 mm | 0.6215.75 mm |
| NPS 1 1/4 | 4.62117.35 mm | 0.5614.22 mm | 3.5088.90 mm | 4 | 1/2 in | 2.5063.50 mm | 0.7519.05 mm |
| NPS 1 1/2 | 5.00127.00 mm | 0.6215.75 mm | 3.8898.55 mm | 4 | 1/2 in | 2.8873.15 mm | 0.8120.57 mm |
| NPS 2 | 6.00152.40 mm | 0.6917.53 mm | 4.75120.65 mm | 4 | 5/8 in | 3.6291.95 mm | 0.9423.88 mm |
| NPS 2 1/2 | 7.00177.80 mm | 0.8120.57 mm | 5.50139.70 mm | 4 | 5/8 in | 4.12104.65 mm | 1.0626.92 mm |
| NPS 3 | 7.50190.50 mm | 0.8822.35 mm | 6.00152.40 mm | 4 | 5/8 in | 5.00127.00 mm | 1.1228.45 mm |
Flange thickness excludes the raised face. Bolt diameter is nominal; stud bolts are normally ASTM A193 B7 with A194 2H nuts.
Across the 8 sizes published in Class 150, the flange grows from 3.50 in (88.9 mm) across and 0.38 in (9.7 mm) thick at NPS 1/2 to 7.50 in (190.5 mm) across and 0.88 in (22.4 mm) thick at NPS 3. The bolt count goes 4 from NPS 1/2, always in multiples of four so that the holes can straddle the centrelines. The largest bolt in the class is 5/8 in, first needed at NPS 2.
ASME B16.5 publishes the socket weld flange in Class 150 up to NPS 3 only. The Class 150 table runs on to NPS 24 for other flange types, but there is no socket weld flange in those sizes, so they are not listed here.
Bolt holes, spacing and torque
Bolt holes in ASME B16.5 flanges are drilled 1/8 in larger than the nominal bolt and are set to straddle the vertical and horizontal centrelines, never to sit on them. Spacing is the distance between neighbouring holes measured round the bolt circle, which shows how much room there is for a wrench or a tensioner. The torque column is a starting figure for a lubricated stud, not a joint-specific value.
| Size | Bolting | Bolt hole dia. | Hole spacing | Torque for 50 ksi bolt stress |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NPS 1/2 | 4 × 1/2 in | 0.62515.88 mm | 1.8747.48 mm | 47 lb-ft |
| NPS 3/4 | 4 × 1/2 in | 0.62515.88 mm | 2.1654.86 mm | 47 lb-ft |
| NPS 1 | 4 × 1/2 in | 0.62515.88 mm | 2.4562.24 mm | 47 lb-ft |
| NPS 1 1/4 | 4 × 1/2 in | 0.62515.88 mm | 2.7569.82 mm | 47 lb-ft |
| NPS 1 1/2 | 4 × 1/2 in | 0.62515.88 mm | 3.0577.40 mm | 47 lb-ft |
| NPS 2 | 4 × 5/8 in | 0.75019.05 mm | 3.7394.76 mm | 94 lb-ft |
| NPS 2 1/2 | 4 × 5/8 in | 0.75019.05 mm | 4.32109.72 mm | 94 lb-ft |
| NPS 3 | 4 × 5/8 in | 0.75019.05 mm | 4.71119.69 mm | 94 lb-ft |
Torque is T = K·F·d with nut factor K = 0.16 and a bolt stress of 50,000 psi on the tensile stress area. The bolt torque guide gives the method and other nut factors.
Guides and comparisons for this page
Common questions
How many bolts does a Class 150 socket weld flange use?
NPS 1/2 takes 4 × 1/2 in; NPS 3/4 takes 4 × 1/2 in; NPS 1 takes 4 × 1/2 in; NPS 1 1/4 takes 4 × 1/2 in; NPS 1 1/2 takes 4 × 1/2 in. Bolt count rises with size — see the table above for the full range.
What pressure is a Class 150 flange rated for?
Class is a designation, not a pressure. A Class 150 flange in A105 carbon steel is rated 285 psig (19.7 bar) at 100 °F, and that rating falls as metal temperature rises. In stainless the same class starts lower at ambient but holds up far better in the heat — see the P-T rating tables.
Will a Class 150 flange bolt to a Class 300 flange?
No. Bolt circle diameter, bolt count and bolt size all change with class, so flanges of different classes in the same NPS will not mate, even though both fit the same pipe.