Flexible polyurethane tubing is used where air and/or other products need to be transported (via suction or discharge) through materials that have: excellent mechanical resistance, excellent tensile strength, resistance to cutting and abrasion, high flexibility, semi-transparency and limited weight.
It is usually sold in a wide range of diameters (from 25 to 600 mm) and in many varieties with different physical, chemical and mechanical properties suitable for fixing various problems, and for different applications of use.
More specifically, flexible polyurethane tubing is used to:
– transport air, generally from -40°C to +90°C
– transport oil vapours
– transport powders, granules, swarf, paper
– transport flour, grains (almost all PUR tubing is suitable for transporting dry food products).
Special versions of flexible polyurethane tubing can have properties such as:
– Suitability for transporting non-dry food products
– Anti-static characteristics
– Conductivity
– Opacity (lack of transparency)
– Colour as requested.
Not all these special characteristics can be combined in a single polyurethane hose, nor can they necessarily be applied to all types of constructions.
Types of constructions of flexible polyurethane tubing
Flexible polyurethane tubing can be structured with a semi-rigid spiral to keep the hose open, also introducing bends (corrugated tubing). Alternatively, it can be structureless, or rather, without a spiral (tubes, loose sleeves).
For PUR tubing structured with spirals, we usually have semi-rigid, PVC (or plastic) spiral rods or various kinds of steel spirals.