Tip #2: Pressure and Vacuum
Will products travel through the tubing or hose under pressure or by vacuum? Certain tubing materials cannot handle these situations, but reinforced hose often can. In fact, the type of reinforcement – braid, fabric, wire, jacketing, corrugation, convolution – can make a hose well suited for pressure or discharge applications, while others are more appropriate for vacuum or suction.
Tubing and reinforced hose applications can range from high pressure conditions; to simple, gravity-fed drainage lines that involve virtually no pressure; to those needing a robust product able to manage full vacuum (29.9 in.Hg.). Consider where your application falls.
Certain unreinforced tubing can adequately handle low pressure, and even vacuum, applications. It depends on:
- The material
- How hard or soft it is (i.e., semi-rigid nylon-12 vs. soft and flexible silicone)
- The tubing’s wall thickness
- Other application-specific factors such as temperature, the product being transferred within the tubing, and the tubing’s surface characteristics (smooth, tacky, bumpy)
Reinforced hose is frequently called for in pressure and vacuum applications. The reinforcement, whether it’s wire or braided material within the hose wall, an outer layer of braided stainless steel or fabric jacketing, or a spiral hose construction method, will typically result in higher pressure carrying capabilities than unreinforced tubing.
If you’re unsure of your application’s pressure or vacuum needs, you’ll need to ask questions. Conduct field tests if necessary or ask an informed source. Research the needs and usage to avoid situations where the tubing or hose ruptures – or worse, explodes – because it wasn’t the right product for the application.
Make sure that the tubing or hose you’re considering can meet your needs by checking with your supplier. Look at the supplier’s documentation to help select the best pressure- or vacuum-capable hose for your application.
You can find parts one and two of our Top 20 Tubing and Hose Buying Tips here.
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