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A gasket system for sealed interfaces utilizes a carrier ring having inner and outer compression stops to account for and control flange rotation effects in order to achieve a uniform and constant gasket seating stress across the sealing region. The inner compression stop provides a fixed fulcrum fo

A gasket system for sealed interfaces utilizes a carrier ring having inner and outer compression stops to account for and control flange rotation effects in order to achieve a uniform and constant gasket seating stress across the sealing region. The inner compression stop provides a fixed fulcrum for flange rotation. The inner and outer compression stops have different heights, dependent upon the characteristic flange rotation, that allow the orientation of the sealing material to be angularly matched to the flange side profile and that allow the sealing material to be fully captured within the sealing region upon full compression, minimizing creep relaxation. A visual compression indicator on the circumference of the carrier ring permits assembly of the interface without the use of specialized or calibrated tools.

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1. A carrier ring for a gasket for a flange having a flange side profile defined by flange rotation about a rotational axis, the carrier ring comprising:an annular inner compression stop defining an inner sealing edge to a first axial depth relative to the rotational axis; an annular outer compressi

1. A carrier ring for a gasket for a flange having a flange side profile defined by flange rotation about a rotational axis, the carrier ring comprising:an annular inner compression stop defining an inner sealing edge to a first axial depth relative to the rotational axis; an annular outer compression stop defining an outer sealing edge to a second axial depth relative to the rotational axis greater than the first axial depth; and an annular sealing region extending angularly relative to the rotational axis between the inner and outer compression stops. 2. The carrier ring of claim 1, wherein the inner compression stop forms a fixed fulcrum for the flange rotation and the second thickness is selected so as to match the flange side profile between the inner and outer sealing edges.3. The carrier ring of claim 1, further comprising:a visual compression stop disposed circumferentially about the carrier ring and having a third thickness selected to indicate proper compression when the flange is engaged therewith. 4. The carrier ring of claim 1, wherein the sealing region comprises a groove.5. The carrier ring of claim 4, wherein the sealing region comprises a sealing material having a density and height selected to induce a desired seating stress when the flange is engaged with the carrier ring at a desired compression.6. The carrier ring of claim 5, wherein the induced seating stress is uniform across the sealing region.7. The carrier ring of claim 5, wherein the sealing material is fully captured by the flange within the groove.8. In a gasket ring for sealing a flange having a characteristic magnitude of flange rotation about a rotational axis, a sealing region configuration comprising:an open-faced groove disposed annularly in the gasket ring about a central bore therethrough and having a substantially trapezoidal radial cross-section angularly matched to the characteristic flange rotation magnitude in the sealing region, the trapezoidal cross-section of the groove being defined by an annular inner sealing edge forming an inner compression stop to a first axial depth relative to the rotational axis, an annular outer sealing edge forming an outer compression stop to a second axial depth relative to the rotational axis greater than the first axial depth, and an annular sealing region extending angularly relative to the rotational axis between the inner and outer sealing edges; and a sealing material disposed within the groove; wherein the groove interfaces with a face of the flange to form a contained sealing region when the flange is at a desired compression. 9. The sealing region configuration of claim 8, wherein the sealing material is partially precompressed to secure the sealing material within the groove.10. The sealing region configuration of claim 8, wherein the substantially trapezoidal radial cross-section is parallelogrammatic.11. A gasket ring for a flange having a characterisitc magnitude of flange rotation, comprising:a carrier ring comprising an open-faced groove, the groove being disposed about a bore and having a substantially trapezoidal radial cross-section angularly matched to the characteristic flange rotation magnitude in the sealing region to define inner and outer compression limits, the trapezoidal cross-section of the groove being defined by an annular inner sealing edge forming an inner compression stop to a first axial depth relative to the rotational axis, an annular outer sealing edge forming an outer compression stop to a second axial depth relative to the rotational axis greater than the first axial depth, and an annular sealing region extending angularly relative to the rotational axis between the inner and outer sealing edges; and a sealing material compressible within the groove and selected to have a desired density such that compression thereof within the groove to the inner and outer compression limits results in achievement of a desired gasket stress, such gasket stress being substantially uniform across the sealing region. 12. The gasket ring of claim 11, further comprising:a visual compression limit extending beyond an edge of the flange and having a thickness calculated to indicate achievement of the desired gasket stress. 13. A sealed interface system comprising:first and second interfacing members; a carrier member interposed between the first and second interfacing members, the carrier member comprising a radially inward annular compression region having a first axial thickness, a radially outward annular compression region having a second differing axial thickness, and an annular sealing region disposed radially between the inward and outward compression regions; and a sealing member disposed within the sealing region; wherein the first and second axial thicknesses are selected to match a characteristic angle of rotation of the first and second interfacing members to form a substantially uniform seating stress in the sealing member. 14. The sealed interface system of claim 13, wherein the carrier member further comprises a visual compression indicator.15. The sealed interface system of claim 14, wherein the compression indicator is disposed circumferentially about the carrier member and has a thickness calculated to indicate achievement of the seating stress.16. The sealed interface system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the interfacing members comprises a flange.17. The sealed interface system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the interfacing members comprises a cover plate.18. A gasket for sealing a raised-face flange connection, the connection tightenable using at least one bolt, the flange having a side profile defined by flange rotation effects operable upon tightening the connection about a rotational axis, the gasket comprising:a carrier ring comprising a groove about a bore forming a sealing region, an inner compression stop disposed radially inward of and defining an inner radius of the sealing region, an outer compression stop disposed radially outward of and defining an outer radius of the sealing region, a visual circumferential compression stop, at least one aperture for accommodating the at least one bolt and for properly positioning the carrier ring on the flange; and a sealing material disposed within and compressible within the sealing region; wherein the inner compression stop defines an inner sealing edge to a first axial depth relative to the rotational axis, the outer compression stop defines an outer sealing edge to a second axial depth relative to the rotational axis greater than the first axial depth, and the sealing region extends angularly relative to the rotational axis between the inner and outer compression stops such that the inner compression stop defines a fixed fulcrum for flange rotation during tightening; and wherein a uniform seating stress is achieved across the sealing region when the flange circumference is fully engaged with the visual circumferential compression stop.