Industrial rubber hoses find wide applications in many fields, they can transport any fluids from one point to another including gas, liquid, and even solid materials, different applications have their individual constructions and source of materials, in this article, I will guide you to learn a variety of rubber hoses used in industrial fields.
Industrial rubber hose construction
All the rubber hoses have a similar construct, they consist of three elementary layers, and each layer has its function:
—Inner tube: Directly be in touch with fluid, and must be compatible with it.
—Middle layer: Supply strength support and pressure resistance.
—Outer layer: Protect the inner layers and resist abrasion and corrosion from the ambient surroundings.
Different combinations of materials and the construction of the hoses shape the variety of industrial applications.
Rubber materials that are used to make industrial rubber hoses
It is common sense that certain application of the hose matches its corresponding rubber type, rubber is a kind of high molecular elastomer， and different rubber types derive from different molecular structures and functional group in them.
The common rubbers include natural rubber(NR), Styrene-butadiene rubber(SBR), polybutadiene rubber(BR), Nitrile rubber(NBR), Chloroprene rubber(CR), and Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer rubber (EPDM).
| Rubber Type | Advangtage | Disadvantage | Temperature Range | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NR | -high elasticity -high elongation strength -excellent tear resistance and electrical insulation -good wear resistance and drought resistance -good processability, easy to bond with other materials | -poor oxygen and ozone resistance -easy to age and deteriorate -oil resistance and solvent resistance are not good -low ability to resist acid and alkali corrosion -heat resistance is not high | －60℃~＋80℃ | Produce water rubber hoses, air hoses Ofen combined with SBR together to make the inner tuber and the outer cover |
| SBR | Abrasion resistance, aging resistance and heat resistance are superior to natural rubber, and the texture is more uniform than natural rubber. | Low elasticity, poor flex and tear resistance; poor processing performance, especially poor self-adhesiveness and low raw rubber strength. | －50℃~＋100℃ | Produce water rubber hoses, air hoses Ofen combined with NR together to make the inner tuber and the outer cover |
| BR | -excellent elasticity -good wear resistance, -good aging resistance -excellent low temperature resistance | -low strength -poor tear resistance -poor processability and self-adhesiveness | －60℃~＋100℃ | Produce wear resistance rubber hose like sandblasting hoses and material delivery hoses |
| CR | -good ozone resistance -good flame retardant -good oil resistance -good aging resistance -good acid and alkali resistance -good air tightness | -Poor cold resistance -high cost | -45°C ~ +100°C | Produce outer cover for industrial hoses |
| NBR | -good oil resistance; -good mechinal processing property -good water resistance, -good solvent resistance -good abrasion resistance | -poor polar solvent resistance -poor ozone resistance -poor weather resistance -poor hot air resistance -poor cold resistance | -30°C ~ +100°C | Produce inner tube for petrolumn and oil, gas fluid; |
| EPDM | -good ozone resistance -good UV resistance -good weather resistance -good chemical resistance -good acid and alkali resistance -good aging resistance -good heat resistance | -Not resistant to aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons -Self-adhesive and inter-adhesive are very poor, not easy to bond. | -50°C ~ +150°C | Produce steam hoses, chemical hoses, food hoses |
Different types of industrial rubber hoses and their applications
Air rubber hose
- These rubber hoses are mainly used to convey air in industrial fields.
- The color of these hoses is normally black, and yellow is also available.
- The hoses with an I.D. below 25mm are braided and the hoses with an I.D. above 19mm are spiral.
- Stable quality and low odor.
Diesel fuel， petroleum rubber hose
- These hoses are mainly used to convey diesel fuel and petroleum.
- Copper wire is the default setting in the middle layer.
- The color is normally black. Green and blue are allowed for some batches.
Chemical rubber hose
- The inner diameters available are 19, 25, 32, 38, 42, 45, 48, 51, 57, 64, 76, 90, 102, 114, and 152(mm), the same with food rubber hoses.
- The maximum length is 40m, Quality and stability can be guaranteed with large bulk.
- Due to the physical characteristics of UHMWPE itself, the heat distortion temperature is 85°C, and the melting point is 130~136°C. It is not recommended to use the temperature above 85°C, which will affect the service life。
- Hose assembly is made from stainless fitting, the fitting types are TC, SMS, DIN, etc.
- The outer colors are stable and don’t discolor for many years.
Food rubber hose
EPDM braided food hose
- Inner tube: extrude craft, smooth inner surface, white color.
- Reinforcement: braided layer with some differences to spiral wound, three plies of rubber, and two plies of reinforcement are available if you need high pressure.
- The outer performance is textile surface, the colors are identical to chemical hoses.
Spiral wound EPDM food hose
- The inner tube adopts white EPDM rubber, the only difference with the chemical is without lined UHMWPE film.
- Steel wire skeleton and spiral wound EPDM hoses without wire are available. Steel wire functions in support.
- Inner, middle, and outer rubbers all derive from EPDM, the top temperature-resistant is 150°C.
FDA food rubber hose
- Inner, middle, and outer rubbers all derive from NBR with excellent oil resistance and are passed by SGS inspection.
- The outer color is normally light blue.
- Steel wire is normally stainless steel and carbon steel is also available if required.
- the reinforcement is only braided. the minimum inner diameter is 19mm.
Water suction and discharge rubber hose
- Water suction and discharger rubber hoses adopt identical materials to air rubber hoses, the only difference is that the former has a steel wire skeleton.
- The minimum I.D. is 19mm, and the general dimensions are in the range of 2″ ~6″.
- The color of the product line is normally green.
Sand-blasting rubber hose
- The inner tube is thicker intuitively when compared with other rubber hoses.
- The inner tube has excellent abrasion resistance.
- The wear coefficient is around 60 mm³， the best is 48 mm³.
- Sand-blasting rubber hoses are Consumables without a fixed lifespan, it is up to the media conveyed and the usage frequency.
Material suction and delivery rubber hose
- The inner tube is made of abrasion resistance rubber, the thickness is adjustable.
- These hoses are vacuum resistant with a steel wire skeleton, even more, thicker steel wire can be added to prevent them from collapsing.
- These hoses are used for granular materials and slurries.
Rubber hose without reinforcement
- These hoses have no reinforcement and consist of full rubber.
- The inner tube is normally brown， the outer cover is brown or black.
- The minimum diameter is 102mm, and the maximum diameter is 600mm.
- The inner tube is abrasion resistant.
Final thought
From the description above, we can conclude that there are a variety of rubber hoses used in industrial fields, due to the different rubber materials and the slight difference in the hose construction, we can produce the hoses that meet your needs, more details are offered when you inquiry to us, don’t hesitate!
Sinopulse Group is a professional rubber hose manufacturer, we can meet most of your requirements in the rubber hose industry.