The numerous benefits of Thermoplastic Hoses
-Thermoplastic hydraulic hoses Dubai
Thermoplastic hoses are commonly used in industrial and mobile equipment, and they are the preferred material for hoses in medium to high pressure hydraulic systems. Specially designed Thermoplastic hoses are common for paint-spray applications, transfer of chemicals as well as for gases and compressed air transfer.
Like it’s predecessor the rubber hose, thermoplastic hoses have a inner core tube, single or multiple layers of reinforcement and an outer protective cover layer. The only difference is the materials used for the the construction of thermoplastic hoses and also the mandrel free production process.
The design and the specific material used depends on a variety of factors like operating temperature range, working pressure, compatibility with the fluid material to be transported, resistance to abrasion and the ability to resist attacks from solvents, chemicals, saltwater, ozone gas, UV radiation and cleaning fluids.
The cover of thermoplastic hoses is designed to protect the inner tube and the reinforcement layer and is made from plastics like polyester, polyethylene, polyurethane and PVC, while the inner core tube which comes in direct contact with the fluid, is made from polyester, polyamide or even fluoropolymers. For extremely low temperarture applications the outer cover may be made of polyester elastomers or Teflon (PTFE) and high temperatures may demand use of polyamides, PTFE or special polyolefins.
The reinforcement layers are usually braided and made of polyamide or aramid fibres, steel wire or polyester. Generally one or two reinforcing layers are used to provide the necessary pressure holding ability and the needed strength.
A defining and important aspect of the construction of thermoplastic hose construction is how the outer layers, reinforcement layers and the tube are bonded together during the production process. A strong adhesion between the inner, outer and reinforcement layers is ensured by re-melting the materials during the production process using thermal and chemical bonding methods. Thus, the inner tube material and the outer cover material move across the reinforcement fibers and bond together creating a very strong bond across all the layers
As a result of this design process, thermoplastic hoses can have a number of benefits over conventional rubber hoses. Using a combination of specific materials, these hoses can easily handle hostile environmental attacks and extreme temperatures. Manufacturers can customise these hoses to individual requirements for e.g. kink resistance and flexibility or even specific colors or shape.
The inner tube is designed to have a very smooth internal surface to allow for efficient flow and minimise flow losses, low expansion even at maximum operation pressures and resist erosion to prevent contamination of the material.
Another important aspect is that thermoplastic hoses unlike rubber hoses, are cured without an internal mandrel. Hence extremely long lengths of upto 8000 metres can be produced. Another benefit of a mandrel free production process is that hoses with inner diameters of 1/16” or smaller are possible, permitting a smaller bend radii. The smallest inner diameter possible with rubber hoses is 3/16”.
Again, the inherent strength of the materials used in thermoplastic hoses allows for thinner tubes and covers, hence more compact dimensions compared to rubber hoses resulting in hoses that are easier to route in constricted spaces or having many hoses in smaller available volume. Also, comparative weights of thermoplastic hoses can be as much as 40-60% lighter than conventional rubber hoses.
Thermoplastic hoses offer mind boggling customisation, and some manufacturers will offer custom formed hoses with predefined angles and bends for specific applications enabling easy routing and the quickest installation possible. Similarly, multiple hoses can be bonded together into a single assembly eliminating problems of routing several hoses individually, preventing the hoses from rubbing against each other (reduced abrasion) thus reducing costs in general.
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Thermoplastic Hydraulic Hoses Dubai.