The Benefits of Using Industrial Flexible Hose

At Xinshun, we take pride in providing our customers with high-quality flexible metal solutions for a wide range of applications. Flexible metal hoses offer unique advantages, making them an ideal choice for various industries and environments. In this comprehensive article, we will explore the reasons for and the appropriate situations in which to use flexible metal, highlighting its features, benefits, and practical applications.

Understanding Flexible Metal Hoses

Flexible metal hoses or tubing are made up of a series of interlocked or helically-wound metal strips, which grant them the ability to cope with high pressure, extreme temperatures, and harsh environmental conditions while maintaining their flexibility and sturdiness. The corrugated design in these hoses offers capabilities for both expansion and contraction, enhancing the adaptability of the hose in various settings.

Versatility of Hose: Ideal for Various Uses

Flexibility and Speed

"When you go to vacuum in the airlock and you take the hose off the front of your space suit, there's a little bit of water in there, and you can see that sublimate and ice crystals form and fly away. My thought at that moment was, 'Oh, we are not kidding at vacuum here; we are really in space."

- Kathleen Hallisey Rubins, NASA astronaut

Often overlooked, flexible hoses can revolutionize operations in power plants, refineries, and numerous industrial settings. It is astounding to witness how far hose technology has advanced, with modern iterations now suitable for applications historically limited to pipes or rigid tubing.

The primary advantage of using hoses lies in their easy installation and replacement of adjoining components, such as valves. The installation process is significantly quicker compared to rigid tubing, which often necessitates bending, welding, or fitting. Consequently, labor costs can be greatly reduced, with installation taking merely seconds or a few minutes.

This flexibility also makes hoses especially convenient for short connections between movable equipment, components subject to high vibrations, or any parts that require frequent connection and disconnection.

In industrial contexts such as power plants and refineries, hoses effectively serve:

• Compressed and instrument air applications
• Connections to compressors, pumps, and other vibration-causing devices
• Connections to pneumatic actuators on large control valves
• Chemical tote offloading equipment
• Hydraulic and lube oil applications exposed to vibrations
• Pressurized gas transmission from tanks and cylinders
• Sample analysis systems extracting fluids from process lines
• Handling of natural gas, diesel, or liquid fuels

Components of a Hose

Generally, hoses are composed of a core, reinforcement layers, outer covers, and various end connections. The core material can include metal, fluoropolymer, thermoplastic, or rubber. Many industrial applications utilize stainless steel cores for their high corrosion resistance and compatibility with high temperatures—up to 850 °F (454 °C).

Reinforcement layers, often a woven stainless steel braid, enhance pressure containment and flexibility. Such hoses are capable of managing pressures exceeding standard thresholds and contain cuts or abrasions effectively.

In specific environments, like semiconductor fabs, high-temperature applications often use silicone covers for insulation, reducing the risk of burns upon contact.

Hoses can be fitted to numerous types of end connections, including tube adapters, metal gasket face seal fittings, swivel fittings, and more.

For further reading, please explore our site for Industrial Flexible Hose.

When to Choose Hose?

There are numerous scenarios where hoses prove to be cost-effective solutions.

Complex Connections: Tube bending requires specialized tools and training, which might not be readily available. Using hoses simplifies this process by avoiding alignment issues that can occur with rigid tubing.