Dec. 16, 2024
Rubber & Plastics
Doug Nordstrom, senior product manager, Hose Products, Swagelok
SANYEFLEX are exported all over the world and different industries with quality first. Our belief is to provide our customers with more and better high value-added products. Let's create a better future together.
Selecting the right industrial hoses for your fluid systems requires careful consideration of a variety of factors, including media pressure, temperature of media and the surrounding environment, flow rates, and more. The hoses ability to meet your specific system requirements largely depends on you choosing an optimized combination of hose components properly rated to withstand application conditions.
One key industrial hose component to think about is the hose reinforcement layer. On its own, a hoses core can only handle very low pressures. A reinforcement layer is incorporated to give the core tube strength both axially and longitudinally, helping the hose withstand the demands of the application.
Discuss hoses with your local sales and service center
While there are many factors that contribute to hose longevity, choosing a hose with a strong reinforcement layer is an important oneand not all available reinforcements are the same. Here are a few important reinforcement layer characteristics to consider when working with your hose supplier in order to make the best selection for your application:
Hose reinforcement layers are made up of wires of a certain material (commonly fiber, stainless steel, or some form of plastic). Two styles are most commonly seen throughout the industry: coiled and braided.
Coiled reinforcements are typically easier to manufacture but can often lack the strength of their braided counterparts. When hose is pressurized, a coiled reinforcement tends to untwist itself, tearing at both the hose core and its cover. As this happens, failure is inevitable. While coiled reinforcement may be cost-effective in the short term, it often does not offer good longevity, especially at higher pressures. Swagelok does not produce hoses with coiled reinforcement for this reason.
Braided reinforcements, by contrast, combine the reinforcement wires in a much stronger and resilient configuration. Unlike coiled reinforcement, braided options will not untwist when the hose is pressurized. This configuration helps the hose more reliably withstand pressurization and provide greater longevity.
Inquiring about reinforcement style with your hose supplier and seeking stronger, braided reinforcements can help save time, labor, and money on frequent hose replacement. Hoses are subject to operational wear in any fluid system, needing regular maintenance and occasional replacement. They can be thought of similarly to tires on a vehiclewhile no one buys a car and expects tires to last forever, choosing a higher-quality product can lead to greater longevity. In a fluid system, a high-quality hose can contribute to significant maintenance and operational benefits.
Learn how to select the right hose through Swagelok Essentials training
Next, the right type of reinforcement material should be considered. As noted earlier, hose reinforcements are available in fiber, stainless steel, plastic, or other materials. Each has its own influence on the end-use performance characteristics of the hose.
Application needs will often guide the choice of reinforcement material, along with the materials that make up the hose core, cover, and end connections. For example, a stainless-steel braided reinforcement layer paired with a complementary core material will offer outstanding pressure and temperature resistance. A stainless-steel braided hose may not, however, deliver proper flexibility or dynamic performance in applications where pressurization is inconsistent (such as hydraulic equipment operation).
Another important consideration for choosing the right hose reinforcement material is conductivity, which is desirable in certain applications but may pose a significant safety or performance risk in others. A hose with a braided metallic reinforcement layer will be conductive, allowing large electron current flow from one end of the hose to another. In the case where the two ends need to be electrically isolated, the hose needs to be nonconductive. A nonmetallic reinforcement layer and complementary core would be a better choice here.
Different braid materials will also command different price points. If an application allows for the use of either a fiber braid or a stainless-steel braid, stainless may often come at a higher price pointbut may also contribute to longer-lasting performance by contributing greater overall hoop strength and resistance to kinking. Working collaboratively with a hose supplier who can help you determine the best value for your application is beneficial, helping you cost-effectively achieve consistent, reliable performance.
Braids can come in various wire thickness and pitch angles, which will impact flexibility, strength (pressure rating), temperature performance, and many other factors. Braids should also be complementary to the core material to provide the best performance and value.
For example, a corrugated metallic core will grant the hose significant hoop strength on its own. A complementary braid reinforcement design should be flatter, providing greater resistance to the core growing in length (rather than diametrically). Here, the angle at which the braid wires intersect with each other can deliver different performance characteristics depending on the needs of the application.
Elsewhere, the attributes of the braid wiring itself can influence hose performance. Some reinforcement braids are composed of fewer, thicker wires. These types of braids are easier to manufacture; however, the resulting hose is typically limited in its flexibility. A reinforcement braid that consists of many thin wires can deliver more desirable levels of flexibility without compromising strength and pressure resistance.
Not all hoses for critical industrial fluid system applications are manufactured to the same high standardvarying quality in reinforcement braiding is just one of the reasons why. With a working knowledge of reinforcement braids and how they impact overall hose performance, operators can be better prepared to achieve the highest possible performance and reliability in their systems. Maintaining a relationship with hose suppliers willing to collaborate on hose designs is helpful, as well.
If you are interested in learning more about how to optimize hose selection in your facility, our Swagelok® Essentials training is a good starting point. Our hose advisory services team can also work with you to provide guidance on hose selection, installation, inspection, and maintenance procedures to improve hose life and performance. Contact your local authorized Swagelok sales and service center for more details on hose training, services, or to have other questions answered.
Discuss hoses with your local sales and service center
Doug Nordstrom is senior product manager for hose products at Swagelok. He has been with the company for more than 25 years.
Most everyone is familiar with a garden hose. Using one is the best way to transport water around outside. However, not everyone is familiar with the layering of a garden hose and what those layers provide in terms of integrity and flexibility, convenience of use and water purity.
Garden hoses have three to four layers. Generally, the layers consist of the following:
The main purpose of the innermost or core layer is to transport water from the spigot to the end of the hose through an extruded synthetic rubber or softer plastic tube. The core layer is also the main driver of kink-resistance. Many garden hoses are made from recycled materials. Because of this, theres typically a virgin water barrier on the inside of the core layer that prevents the water from coming in contact with the recycled materials.
The middle layer(s), known as the reinforcement layer, is meant to add strength and integrity to the hose. Its composed typically of polyester fibers that are webbed, braided, knitted, wrapped, weaved or spiraled and placed between the core layer and the jacket layer to provide reinforcement. The reinforcement layer resists both outward pressure from the inner tube and inward pressure from an external force (such as your foot or a tire). It also determines the burst pressure rating of a hose and can aid in kink-resistance.
The outermost layer, which is the jacket, protects the inner hose layers from external forces or environmental conditions that can cause deterioration such as ultraviolet light from the sun. The jacket layer can also provide color and a particular outward appearance, or a grippable surface for ease of use.
The light- and medium-duty hoses Swan offers are constructed with four layers. The main differences between the layers of these two types of hoses are the overall thickness of the core and jacket layers, as well as the hose fittings. In full alignment with our mission and commitment to the environment, we incorporate recycled materials into many of our hoses, including our light- and medium-duty garden hoses. The layers consist of:
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit dredge hoses.
To see Swans collection of light- and medium-duty hoses, click here
Our heavy-duty hoses provide increased strength, durability and kink-resistance, with some including our exclusive CoreFUSION Technology for the ultimate quality in these areas. This series of hoses also incorporates recycled materials to align our products with our mission and commitment to the environment. The layers for heavy-duty hoses typically include:
The core layer that transports water, along with the virgin water barrier on the inside of the core layer that prevents the water from coming in contact with any recycled materials in the hose.
A reinforcement layer, typically composed of polyester fiber, thats been weaved and embedded between the core layer and outer layers for added durability.
Some of our heavy-duty hoses also feature CoreFUSION Technology. CoreFUSION Technology places strong reinforcement rods throughout the entire length of the initial reinforcement layer, helping to eliminate kinks and increase the strength of the hose by 35 percent.
An additional layer that aids in durability and helps protect the inner hose layers.
The jacket, which gives the hose its look and feel, helps stop abrasion and protects the inside layers of the hose.
Click here to purchase one of Swans heavy-duty hoses.
Our premium-duty hoses are specifically made with water pressurereinforcement fibers for increased water pressure applications. These hoses withstand greater water pressure than the light-, medium- and heavy-duty hoses. Some of our premium-duty hoses also off full virgin-material layers, as well a unique octagonal jacket for higher kink-resistance. Swans premium-duty hoses typically consist of the following three layers:
A plastic inner tube with virgin water barrier, along with webbing embedded into the outer layer of the inner tube wall for water pressure reinforcement of the hose.
A second layer that reinforces the inner layer to help with higher water pressure applications.
The outer jacket, some of which are octagonal in shape to help fight kinks, that protects the inner layers of the hose from abrasion and external factors, and gives the hose its appearance.
To review Swans premium-duty hoses, click here
Our premium rubber hoses are made from an exclusive rubber formula that makes them twice as strong and yet 40 percent lighter than standard rubber hoses. They are also lead-free and drinking watersafe. Our premium rubber hose layers include:
An inner rubber tube with embedded webbing for reinforcement.
A middle layer of rubber tubing that maintains and increases the strength of the inner rubber tube. Our exclusive rubber formula used in these layers doubles the strength of the rubber hose and decreases its weight by 40 percent.
An outer jacket made of rubber that makes this hose tough enough for commercial applications, but also easy enough for the homeowner to handle.
You can shop all of Swans premium rubber hoses here
Each layer of a garden hose provides a form of protection or reinforcement for the water running through the hose. With more than 90 years of experience with PVC, hybrid and rubber hoses, Swan provides the highest-quality and most technologically advanced watering solutions. There are many options to choose from, but Swan has the hose for your watering needs, from residential to commercial, as well as the experience you can rely on.
For more general information on hoses, read the following articles:
Understanding Burst Strength in Garden Hoses: A Comprehensive Guide
Garden Hoses: An Essential Tool for Cleaning Up After Natural Disasters
Garden Hose Couplings: The Complete Guide
Garden Hose Buying Guide
Drinking From a Hose
The Flow Rate of a Garden Hose
Best Garden Hoses: Our Recommendations
For more sae 100 r15information, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.
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