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Question:

I want to know the main function of the pressure passage hole in some type RX and BX ring gaskets. Is it because of pressure balancing of the two sides of the ring gasket? If it is, why do some RX and BX gaskets have the hole, and others do not?

The history of the design of ring gaskets remains somewhat of a mystery. We have attempted to find a design file on ring grooves in flanges to determine if the designer had awareness of some sort of rule of design, but we haven’t found any established rule. Every engineer we have discussed the issue with agrees that the vertical hole though some ring gaskets provides a pressure balancing effect, and makes RX and BX gaskets easy to convert to SRX and SBX types. No one we have inquired with knows why the vertical hole appears in some RX and BX gaskets, but not others.

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