10 Questions You Should to Know about Hose Fittings for Mining Machinery

Factors to Consider When Selecting a Hydraulic Hose

When selecting a hydraulic hose, remember the acronym 'STAMPED'. Use it as a checklist to select the right hose assembly for your application.

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STAMPED

S = Size

T = Temperature

A = Application

M = Material

P = Pressure

E = Ends or couplings

D = Delivery (volume and velocity)

1. Size

The size of a hydraulic hose is not just about its physical dimensions; it also includes the inside diameter (I.D.), the outside diameter (O.D.) and the overall hose length.

The inside diameter determines the flow rate and pressure capacity of the hose. Choosing the right size is critical to ensure that the hose can handle the hydraulic fluid flow and pressure required for your specific application. Using a hose with a diameter that is too small can result in flow restrictions, increased pressure drop, and reduced system efficiency while using a hose that is too large can lead to excessive fluid heating and energy loss.

In addition to the I.D., the hose outside diameter (O.D.) can also be a critical factor when clamps are used, or when pipes are routed through bulkheads.

Some of the questions to ask yourself when selecting the right size include:

• What is the inside diameter (I.D.) of the hose needed?
• What is the outside diameter (O.D.) of the hose needed?
• What should be the length of the hose required?
• What should be the overall length of the hose, including the fittings?

2. Temperature

Temperature is also another important hydraulic hose selection factor. It significantly affects the longevity and efficiency of hydraulic hoses, with each hose having precise maximum temperatures typically between 200°F (93° C) and 300°F (149° C). In addition, different materials, such as specific compounds and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), have varying temperature tolerances ranging from -65°F (-54° C) to 400°F (204° C).

Careful selection of the right hydraulic hose for the temperature dynamics of your application is crucial. High temperatures can accelerate hose degradation, reducing service life by up to 80%, leading to premature failure. Conversely, low temperatures can induce rigidity and make the hose susceptible to cracking. A complete understanding of the operating temperature range of your hydraulic system is key to ensuring the optimum selection and lasting effectiveness of hydraulic hoses.

Some of the questions to ask yourself about temperature include:

• What is the temperature of the fluid being conveyed?
• What are the external temperatures that the hose will be exposed to?
• Will the hydraulic hose be exposed to extreme heat or cold frequently?
• What are the minimum and maximum temperatures created by the system itself?

3. Application

The specific application of the hydraulic hose is another critical factor in selecting the appropriate hydraulic hose assembly. Different applications may require hoses with various characteristics, such as flexibility, abrasion resistance, or compatibility with specific fluids. For example, a hydraulic hose used in construction machinery may need to be highly abrasion-resistant, while a hose in a food processing application should be food-grade and non-toxic. Understanding the unique requirements of your application is essential for making the right choice.

When considering the application, here are questions you should ask yourself:

• Where is the hose going to be used?
• What material will the hose convey?
• What type of equipment will the hose be attached to?
• What would be the environmental conditions of the application?
• What are the working and surge pressures the hose must withstand?
• Is the hose for a suction application?
• Is the hose compatible with the fluid it will carry?
• Does the hose need to meet any government and/or industry standards, like USCG, FDA, or FMVSS?
• What is the minimum bend radius for the hose?
• Will the hose face excessive abrasion?
• How long is the hose expected to last?

4. Material

The materials used in the construction of hydraulic hoses are vital for their performance and durability. Hydraulic hoses are typically made of layers of rubber or thermoplastic materials reinforced with high-strength fibers or metal wires. The choice of materials depends on factors like the type of hydraulic fluid, temperature, and pressure. It's vital to ensure that the hose materials are compatible with the hydraulic fluid used in your system to prevent chemical degradation and leakage.

Questions to ask yourself about materials:

• What product of fluid will the hose convey?
• Is the substance considered to be abrasive, corrosive or hazardous?

5. Pressure

Hydraulic systems operate under high pressure, and the hydraulic hose must be capable of withstanding the pressure generated within the system. In addition to all previously mentioned hydraulic hose selection factors, it's important to consider the maximum working pressure, which is the highest pressure the hose can safely handle. Using a hose with a lower pressure rating can lead to catastrophic failure, posing significant safety risks. On the other hand, using a hose with a higher pressure rating than necessary may result in increased cost and unnecessary weight.

Questions to ask yourself about pressure:

• What is the maximum working pressure of your system?
• Is the hydraulic system static or dynamic?

6. Ends or Couplings

Hydraulic hose fittings, also known as ends or couplings, are crucial components that connect the hose to the rest of the hydraulic system. Choosing the properly matched fittings is essential to ensure a secure and leak-free connection and to maintain the integrity of the hydraulic system The type of fittings you need depends on factors like hose size, thread type, and application.

Some questions about ends and couplings:

• What kind of ends or fittings will be needed?
• What will the thread be connected to?
• Is the required thread compatible with the type of hose and application?

7. Delivery

For Gates, delivery relates to the velocity and volume of fluid conveyed through the hydraulic hose. Velocity, crucial for optimal system performance, impacts the selection of the hose inside diameter, as it must accommodate the fluid speed and volume, ensuring the hose meets operational demands and maintains the system's efficiency. Selecting the appropriate diameter is pivotal for balancing velocity and volume, sustaining the effectiveness of the hydraulic system.

For other sources, delivery encompasses considerations regarding the availability, testing, timing, packaging, and transportation of the hose assembly, ensuring it reaches the end-user promptly and in optimal condition to prevent system downtime. Whether the product is widely available or unique can impact delivery time, potentially necessitating exploring multiple options to secure flexibility and avoid delays from scarce or discontinued components.

The delivery also involves adherence to specific testing, certification, quality, and potentially special packaging and shipping requirements, according to standards like USCG, CRN, CGA. Quick delivery is pivotal, especially when certifications, tests, or special installations and assemblies are required, allowing for the necessary preparations to maintain consistent operation of hydraulic systems.

Questions to consider about delivery when selecting a hydraulic hose are:

• What is the required fluid volume flow?
• What is the availability of the hydraulic hose?
• When and where do you need the hose?
• Does the hose require special handling and shipping?

Summarizing Hydraulic Hose Selection Factors

Selecting the right hydraulic hose and fitting is a critical component in ensuring the efficiency and longevity of hydraulic systems. When researching the right product for your application, it is essential to consider all hydraulic hose selection factors including size, temperature, application, material, pressure, ends, and delivery. Each of these elements plays a pivotal role in the functionality and reliability of the hydraulic hose, affecting its service life and the overall performance of the hydraulic system. By carefully considering these factors and asking the right questions, users can mitigate the risk of premature failure, maintain system integrity, and ensure smooth operation.

Find out more about what goes into selecting a hose in our comprehensive guide to hydraulic hose selection.

Want more information on Hose Fittings for Mining Machinery? Feel free to contact us.

Selecting the right mining hose for the job can be confusing. In this article, we cover nine common types of mining hose and their typical applications to help you make the right choice for your site'and there's a handy reference guide at the end.

We discuss:

• Hard-wall suction hose
• Soft-wall discharge hose
• Pre-formed bend hose
• Super flexible mining hose
• Eccentric/concentric reducer hose
• Y-piece mining hose
• Hard-wall dredge hose with floats
• Self-floating dredge hose
• Trunnion or ladder hose

1. Hard-wall suction hose

Hard-wall suction hose is a flexible, straight length rubber mining hose. It has a high-tensile steel wire helix to ensure the hose isn't sucked flat in vacuum applications. The hose also has a polyester fabric reinforcement to handle high internal pressures.

This type of hose is often used for the pumping and transfer of abrasive slurry under pressure or vacuum. That includes mineral processing, high pressure tailings pipelines, gravel transfer, dewatering, and general material handling.

The hose has excellent tear resistance and tensile strength properties. It also has high abrasion resistance properties and typically operates in temperatures ranging from -30°C to +75°C. There are also different liner options such as synthetic rubber (for high temperature or acidic slurry) or ceramic tiles (for severe service).

Hard wall suction hose has a minimum bend radius of 6-8D. For a more flexible option, consider a pre-formed bend or a super flexible mining hose.

2. Soft-wall discharge hose

Soft-wall discharge hose (also known as 'lay flat' type hose) is like hard-wall mining hose but for discharge applications only.

The main design difference between the two is that soft-wall hose doesn't have a rigid wire helix. Instead of this, it has a spring wire reinforcing layer. This makes the hose more flexible when not under pressure, so it's easier to move from location to location.

It is often used to transport slurry, water, sand, and gravel in mineral processing plants on discharge and tailings lines. It is also suitable for chemical, acid, and hydrocarbon transfer.

Despite the flexibility of soft-wall hose, it has a minimum bend radius of 10D, so it's best for installation on straight or sweeping bends.

3. Pre-formed bend hose

If you need a hose with a specific angle or bend radius of less than 5D, then pre-formed bend hose is the way to go. It has the same properties as conventional mining hose but is manufactured as a pre-formed bend to your specified angle and radius.

Depending on factors like the hose diameter and materials, it can be manufactured with bends down to a minimum bend radius of 1D. This allows for greater design freedom when arranging complex pipe layouts. To further improve wear life, the wear liner on the elbow's outer arc can be made at least 50% thicker than the wear liner on the inner arc.

Pre-formed bends are most commonly used in abrasive applications in mineral processing plants, tailings pipelines, dredging, and dewatering.

4. Super flexible mining hose

Super flexible mining hose is a specially designed hard-wall mining hose with a smaller minimum bend radius than conventional hose. Depending on factors like the material and nominal diameter, the hose has a bend radius of 4'7D.

You can use it in similar applications to hard-wall and soft-wall mining hose. It's best suited for tight or complex geometry or where there's significant pipe misalignment or movement.

5. Eccentric/concentric reducer hose

Reducer hose is a short-length mining hose with different sized end diameters. Typically, you would use it in slurry pump set-ups to connect larger diameter pipelines to smaller diameter pumps.

The hose is available in two types: eccentric and concentric. Eccentric-type reducers are contoured so their end diameters are on different axes. Concentric hose ends are on the same axis.

Reducer hose is customisable to meet most specifications including size, flange, and liner type.

6. Y-piece mining hose

Shaped like a 'Y', Y-piece mining hose connects one pipeline to two other pipelines to simplify the system by reducing the total number of hoses. It has some flexibility but is usually manufactured as a straight-line pipe.

Y-piece hose is often used with a suction pump to divert material into two different hoses, or to combine material from two hoses into one. You can use it with most abrasive materials, such as abrasive slurries, sand, and gravel.

7. Hard-wall dredge hose

Hard-wall dredge hose is specially designed for dredging applications. It can handle highly abrasive dredging fluids and has increased reinforcing against external punctures, cutting, or abrasions.

Its hard-wall construction makes it ideal for suction applications. For dredging, you can use it with poly floats (floats that fit to your hose's outside diameter) to prevent snagging and other hazards. The floats are an optional extra and are fitted separately.

8. Self-floating dredge hose

Unlike hard-wall dredge hose, self-floating dredge hose has built-in high-density foam. This makes it an ideal choice for most dredging applications as it doesn't need additional floats.

It can be reinforced with wire for suction applications or soft-walled for discharge. The soft-wall design is more flexible and helps prevent flexural stresses, such as kinking when hoses are located close to the dredge unit.

9. Trunnion or ladder hose

Instead of a helix-shaped wire like other suction hoses, trunnion (or ladder) hose has steel rings. This gives it maximum flexibility under vacuum conditions and caters for high loads upon flexing.

Trunnion hose is commonly used for cutter dredging as it can handle highly abrasive fluids, such as freshly cut dredged fluid with undissolved sediment. The extra reinforcement also gives added resistance to external cuts and abrasions.

Trunnion hose is suitable for discharge applications as well.

Mining hose for every application

There are lots of options when selecting mining hose for your site's requirements. You have the choice of a variety of specifications such as wear liners, reinforcements, size, application, and connection types.

If you aren't sure which mining hose to select for your application, give us a call. We'll help you choose the right option and ensure it's the right hose for the job.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Hydraulic Hose Fitting for Metallurgical and Petroleum Equipment.

Reference Guide: 9 Mining Hose Types