High-pressure hose assemblies make many commercial and industrial operations possible. Depending on the construction of the hoses, it is possible for high-pressure hose assemblies to accommodate pressures up to 6,000 psi. How do these hoses tolerate such high pressures? It’s all about the construction.
Most high-pressure hose assemblies have 3 main components:
- Outer cover: Neoprene is one of the most common materials used for the outer cover because it is resistant to both chemicals and abrasions, while remaining flexible.
- Reinforcement layers: The pressure-tolerance and flexibility of most high-pressure hoses is ultimately determined by this middle component. More flexible hoses have braided wire layers. They may have 1 layer or braided wire, 2 layers or 4 layers or more. The more layers, the less flexibility you should expect from the hose. Spiral wire reinforcement is used for ultra-high-pressure assemblies.
- Inner tube: Within the wire reinforcement, there is an inner tube, which is often made from nitrile. Nitrile is a synthetic rubber that is oil resistant and can tolerate many different fluids or temperatures.
High-pressure hose assemblies are constructed specifically to tolerate high temperatures, high pressures and rigorous conditions. The goal is to achieve reliable and safe operation in high-temperature hydraulics and other heavy-duty applications. It is important to choose the right high-pressure hose for your needs, however. With higher pressure-tolerance comes a reduced amount of flexibility, so you must consider both needs before selecting the right materials for your needs. Both of these variables depend entirely on the construction of the hoses you choose.