Designing The Optimum Flexible Connection
•White Paper: Designing The Optimum Flexible Connection
The selection of flexible connections for material transfer requires multiple considerations:
- Are the contact areas of the hose assembly chemically compatible with the product(s) to be conveyed? Consideration should also be given to potential internal cleaning agents; solvents, steam, etc. Is the material of this hose core fully traceable? Is the material USP Class VI, FDA 21CFR177.1550 or other standards approved?
- Is the hose assembly temperature rated for the internal material conveyed, potential high temperature cleaning operations and the surrounding environmental temperatures?
- What is the rated based on at least a 4:1 safety rating: minimum burst pressure to rated operating pressure? Are these pressure ratings valid through the full temperature range that the hose may see?
- Are there issues regarding time, temperature and/or pressure cycling on aging?
- Will the hose flex easily to the dynamics of the applications?
- How well will the hose wear and is it personnel user-friendly?
Hose constructions are generally described as: innercore material, reinforcement(s), cover and fittings. Will the inner-core material transfer product without leaching material into the conveyed material? Will the core absorb any conveyed material? Can this core be absolutely cleaned? Cover compatibility within the environment of use is an obvious consideration. Will this cover be user friendly…to personnel and surrounding equipment? Fitting considerations include: material…is it chemically compatible for the conveyed product? Is this material fully traceable and marked as such? What is the fitting pressure rating relative to the hose rating? Are the fittings applied to prevent fitting pull-off? Will the hose assembly pass a burst test whereby failure occurs in the hose rather than leak at the fitting? Fittings should also be designed with internal surfaces that prevent material build-up or create bacteria traps. Flow restrictions should not be an issue with these considerations in mind, Coreflex LLC has designed the ultimate hose. The product is designated S-COR. The S-COR construction starts with an innercore of smooth Teflon®. The Teflon® material is Dupont Polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) and fully lot traceable. No other material offers nearly the chemical resistance and purity of Coreflex's hose inner-core.
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•White Paper: Designing The Optimum Flexible Connection