High-Performance Spiral Wound Gasket for Extreme Pressure & Temperature Applications

Spiral wound gaskets are one of the most widely used sealing solutions in industrial applications where high pressure, elevated temperatures, and fluctuating conditions are present. Designed with a combination of metal winding and soft filler material, these gaskets deliver exceptional resilience, recovery, and sealing integrity in critical service environments.

At M&P Sealing, we supply spiral wound gaskets to meet ASME standards, refinery specifications, and application-specific requirements. Whether for standard pipe flanges or highly engineered systems, our gaskets are built to perform under pressure—literally.

Spiral wound gasket with metal windings and filler material for flange sealing

What Is a Spiral Wound Gasket?

A spiral wound gasket is a semi-metallic sealing solution designed for high-pressure, high-temperature applications where reliability is critical. It is constructed by winding a thin strip of metal—typically formed into a V-shape—together with a soft filler material such as graphite or PTFE. This layered design creates a gasket that combines strength with flexibility, allowing it to compress under load while maintaining the ability to recover as conditions change. Often used with inner and outer rings for added support and alignment, spiral wound gaskets are commonly installed between flanged connections in piping systems, pressure vessels, and heat exchangers to prevent leaks in demanding industrial environments. Spiral wound gaskets are one of many sealing products available through M&P Sealing. Explore our full range of industrial gaskets for applications requiring soft gaskets, metal gaskets, custom fabrication, and engineered sealing solutions.

Common Metal Materials

  • 304 Stainless Steel
  • 316 / 316L Stainless Steel
  • Carbon Steel
  • Monel
  • Inconel
  • Other alloys available upon request

Filler Materials

  • Flexible Graphite (most common for high-temp applications)
  • PTFE (ideal for chemical resistance)
  • Ceramic (for extreme heat conditions)

Inner & Outer Rings

  • Inner Ring (Compression Stop): Prevents over-compression and protects against turbulence and erosion
  • Outer Ring (Centering Ring): Ensures proper alignment within flange assemblies

Engineered for Strength, Flexibility & Long-Term Sealing Performance

Spiral wound gaskets are engineered to deliver reliable sealing performance in the most demanding environments, offering a unique combination of strength, flexibility, and long-term durability. Their layered construction allows for excellent resilience and recovery, meaning they maintain a tight seal even through constant pressure and temperature fluctuations. This makes them especially effective in applications with thermal cycling or vibration, where maintaining gasket integrity is critical. Depending on the filler material selected, spiral wound gaskets also provide strong chemical resistance, making them suitable for a wide range of aggressive media. With added features like inner and outer rings, they offer enhanced stability, proper alignment, and protection against over-compression or blowout—ensuring consistent performance in high-pressure, high-temperature service conditions.

Spiral wound gaskets belong to a broader family of metal gaskets designed for demanding temperature and pressure conditions. M&P Sealing supplies and manufactures a variety of metallic sealing solutions to meet critical process requirements.

Common Applications

Spiral wound gaskets are commonly used in shell-and-tube heat exchangers, pressure vessels, and process piping systems. For exchanger-specific sealing solutions, M&P Sealing also provides heat exchanger gaskets designed for a variety of equipment configurations and operating conditions.

  • Pipe flanges in refineries and chemical plants
  • Heat exchangers
  • Pressure vessels
  • Boilers and steam systems
  • Pump and valve assemblies

Industries Served

  • Oil & Gas
  • Petrochemical
  • Chemical Processing
  • Power Generation
  • Industrial Manufacturing

Key Features & Benefits

  • Designed for extreme pressure and temperature cycling
  • Excellent resilience and recovery, maintaining seal integrity over time
  • Suitable for wide chemical compatibility depending on filler selection
  • Resistant to blowout under high-pressure conditions
  • Available with inner and outer rings for added stability and safety
Spiral wound gasket with metal winding and filler material for high-pressure industrial sealing applications

Critical Sealing Environments

Spiral wound gaskets are specifically designed to handle the kind of operating conditions that cause traditional gasket materials to fail. Their combination of metal windings and flexible filler allows them to adapt in real time to changes in pressure, temperature, and mechanical load—maintaining a tight, reliable seal even in unstable environments.

Spiral wound gaskets maintain consistent sealing performance even as system conditions change—making them a go-to solution for high-demand industrial environments where durability and reliability are essential.

In operations where leaks can lead to safety hazards, environmental risks, or costly downtime, sealing reliability is non-negotiable. Spiral wound gaskets provide a high level of confidence in these critical applications due to their blowout resistance, structural integrity, and ability to maintain seal under stress. They are commonly used in pressure vessels, flange connections, and systems where failure is simply not an option.

Where Spiral Wound Gaskets Perform Best

Thermal Cycling (Expansion & Contraction)

In systems where temperatures rise and fall rapidly—such as start-ups, shutdowns, or batch processing—materials expand and contract at different rates. Spiral wound gaskets absorb this movement without losing sealing stress, thanks to their inherent flexibility and recovery. This makes them ideal for heat exchangers, boilers, and high-temperature process lines.

Pressure Fluctuations

Applications with frequent or extreme pressure changes can cause rigid gaskets to crack, creep, or blow out. Spiral wound gaskets are built to withstand these variations, maintaining sealing integrity even under significant Delta P conditions. Their design helps distribute load evenly across the flange face, reducing the risk of leaks during pressure swings.

High-Temperature Steam & Hydrocarbon Service

Spiral wound gaskets excel in high-temperature environments, especially where steam, oil, gas, or other hydrocarbons are present. When paired with graphite or specialized fillers, they can handle elevated temperatures while resisting chemical degradation—making them a preferred choice in refineries, petrochemical plants, and power generation facilities

Spiral Wound vs. Kammprofile Gaskets

While spiral wound gaskets are widely used throughout refining and petrochemical facilities, many operators also consider Kammprofile gaskets for critical sealing applications. Kammprofile gaskets feature a solid metal core with concentric sealing grooves and are often selected for improved recovery, lower emissions performance, and heat exchanger service. Understanding the differences between the two gasket styles can help ensure optimal sealing performance for your application.

Feature Spiral Wound Gaskets Kammprofile Gaskets
Construction Alternating layers of metal winding and soft filler material Solid metal core with concentric grooves and soft sealing layers
Temperature Performance Excellent Excellent
Pressure Capability Excellent Excellent
Recovery Very good Excellent
Blowout Resistance Very good Excellent
Emissions Control Very good Excellent
Flange Surface Tolerance Good Excellent
Heat Exchanger Service Good Excellent
Reusability Generally single-use Metal core may sometimes be reusable after inspection and replacement of facing material
Typical Applications Process piping, valves, pressure vessels, and standard flange connections Heat exchangers, critical flanges, low-emissions service, and demanding cyclic applications
Relative Cost Typically lower initial cost Typically higher initial cost, with potential long-term performance benefits
Best Suited For Versatile, high-temperature and high-pressure flange sealing Critical services requiring strong recovery, emissions control, and flange adaptability
CORR-A-SEAL corrugated metal gasket manufactured by M&P Sealing for high-temperature and high-pressure industrial sealing applications

Alternative Metallic Gasket Solutions

Spiral wound gaskets are widely used throughout refining, petrochemical, power generation, and process industries, but they are not the only option for demanding sealing applications. Depending on operating conditions such as pressure, temperature, thermal cycling, flange condition, and emissions requirements, alternative metal gaskets may provide performance advantages.

M&P Sealing manufactures corrugated metal gaskets and proprietary CORR-A-SEAL® corrugated gaskets for applications requiring excellent blowout resistance, recovery, and sealing performance under thermal cycling conditions. Corrugated metal gaskets combine the strength of a metallic core with soft facing materials to create a resilient seal capable of handling thermal expansion, vibration, and fluctuating operating conditions.

In addition to metallic sealing solutions, M&P Sealing provides a complete range of industrial gaskets, including soft gaskets, PTFE gaskets, and custom-engineered sealing products. Our team can help evaluate operating conditions and recommend the most effective gasket style for your specific application.

Need Help Selecting a Spiral Wound Gasket?

Not sure which spiral wound gasket style, filler material, or winding material is right for your application? M&P Sealing works with customers across refining, petrochemical, chemical processing, power generation, and general industrial markets to help identify the best sealing solution for each application. Whether you need a standard spiral wound gasket, a specialty alloy construction, a specific filler material, or guidance on selecting an alternative sealing technology, our team can provide recommendations based on your operating conditions and performance requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions About Spiral Wound Gaskets

A spiral wound gasket is a semi-metallic gasket constructed from alternating layers of metal winding and soft filler material. This design provides excellent sealing performance in high-temperature and high-pressure applications commonly found in refining, petrochemical, power generation, and process industries.

Spiral wound gaskets are available with a variety of metal windings and filler materials. Common metal options include stainless steel, carbon steel, Monel®, Inconel®, and Hastelloy®. Common fillers include graphite, PTFE, and ceramic materials, depending on the application’s temperature, pressure, and chemical requirements.

Spiral wound gaskets are commonly used in applications involving elevated temperatures, high pressures, thermal cycling, and critical sealing requirements. They are frequently installed in pipelines, heat exchangers, pressure vessels, valves, and process equipment where reliable sealing performance is required.

Spiral wound gaskets offer excellent recovery, flexibility, blowout resistance, and sealing performance under fluctuating temperatures and pressures. Their design allows them to maintain a seal even when flange loads change due to thermal expansion or vibration.

 

Both gasket styles are designed for demanding industrial applications. Spiral wound gaskets use alternating metal windings and filler materials to create a resilient seal, while kammprofile gaskets use a machined metal core with concentric grooves and a soft sealing layer. Kammprofile gaskets are often preferred where low emissions, improved recovery, or gasket reusability are important considerations.

Spiral wound gaskets are generally intended for single-use applications. Once compressed, the gasket may not provide the same sealing performance if reused. For critical services, replacing the gasket during maintenance or equipment disassembly is recommended.

Spiral wound gaskets are commonly manufactured to ASME B16.20 standards and are available for use with ASME B16.5 and B16.47 flanges. Special sizes and custom configurations are also available to meet unique application requirements.