What Are the Different Types of Flexible Hoses & Which One Should You Use?

Flex hoses are commonly utilized in industrial cleaning and testing systems as they move vapor, liquids, or gas from a particular system to a different one. There exist two types of flex hoses: metallic hoses as well as nonmetallic hoses. Metallic hoses feature a flexible tube often covered by a wire braid that is connected through welding, silver soldering, or brazing. Many metal hoses have cryogenic purposes, meaning they are made of two metal tubes with a vacuum between them. On the other hand, nonmetallic hoses feature a flexible (or elastomeric) pressure carrier tube that is covered in fabric or wire braiding to cover the tube itself. The metal ends are crimped or swaged onto the nonmetallic hose. Being elastomeric means the material is difficult to tear and flexible. For these reasons, the hose is incredibly durable.

When selecting a flex hose, your particular application will help you decide if a metallic or nonmetallic material is required. If the hose is going to be conducting strong chemicals or working in extreme weather conditions, metal ones are much more durable than nonmetallic ones. It’s imperative to go to an expert in the field with questions about which type of hose to use for your own application to avoid a disaster.

Installing a flex hose involves a cleaning and testing company’s assistance. They need to check a few items out before starting the installation process: the pressure rating, inspection, and restraint. First, the company will check the pressure rating by applying rigorous amounts of pressure. There are three different types of pressure gauges that need to be checked. The maximum working pressure rating helps the company determine the maximum pressure the hose can withstand. The maximum proof, or hydrostat pressure rating, is the maximum pressure the hose can withstand, and it is set at 150 percent of the maximum working pressure. Lastly, the normal design burst pressure represents the pressure required to burst the hose.

Next, the cleaning and testing company will perform inspections of the hoses in order to look for damaged sealing surfaces, check mechanical connections to confirm they can move freely, and inspect the outside for any signs of damage. It is crucial that these inspections take place so that the inspector has the opportunity to find defects or other damage if there are kinks or ruptures to the hose, which have the potential to harm people who might use the hose. Other sought after items include harmed fittings like damaged thread, dysfunctional swivels, and corrosion and stiffness of the hose as a result of aging, because if this is not checked it can crack and cause a disaster. One final item they search for are signs of a chemical attack, such as color changes.

Finally, all flex hoses that are longer than two feet with a pressure of 150 psi or more require a restraint at both ends applied using a restraining tool. Using makeshift restraints, such as tying knots or wrapping the hose around pipes does not replace true restraints. All of the above measures are taken to confirm hoses’ safety.

If you are on the search for quality hoses that will get the job done, look no further than Aircraft Aftermarket Parts, a leading supplier of 2 billion new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find parts guaranteed to help you get the job done correctly. Our dedication to shipping parts to our customers as quickly as possible has them returning for more parts in the future. More than that, many of the parts we sell are subject to rigorous quality assurance measures, so you can rest assured of the excellent quality of our products you receive.