8” duct is a size of flex ducting well-suited for use in many commercial applications. Because of its larger diameter when compared to more lightweight round duct such as 4” duct or 6” duct, 8 inch duct can be implemented marvelously in work environments that necessitate moving large quantities of material (abrasive or otherwise). Since 8” duct is often specifically manufactured to aid in the transportation of these bulk materials and abrasives, there are certain situations where it naturally shines in comparison to other sizes of hose. Some industries whose equipment uses 8-inch duct hoses include: street sweeping, woodworking, leaf blowers and agriculture.
Street sweeping is just one venue where having the right flexible hose for handling abrasives is a must. The typical street sweeper hose or duct needs to be large enough in diameter to vacuum all the possible trash, waste, and refuse that it encounters in the course of the day. Furthermore, it needs to be durable enough to withstand being worn over time by the constant movement of abrasives along its interior surface area. Sweeper trucks that clean streets and freeways come into contact with a vast variety of debris. As result, many modern day street sweeping ducts are made from rubber or polyurethane, two materials capable of “brushing off” the potential damage that can be caused by abrasives such as dirt, dust, and even common street trash (paper, glass, etc.)
“PVC Flexduct General Purpose Clear”
“Thermoplastic Flex Medium-Duty”
“Urethane Flex Heavy-Duty”
Woodworking uses 8” duct in a wide variety of machinery and equipment that moves abrasives wood-dust by-products. It is a basic tenant that, wherever you have woodworking, you are going to have wood refuse in the form of sawdust, wood chips, or otherwise. Sawdust or wood dust is a by-product of cutting, grinding, drilling, or sanding, or by other tools; it is composed of fine and large particles of wood. And clearly this material is abrasive and a health concern if the wood particles affect air quality of the industrial spaces.
It is imperative for the safety of both you – the consumer – and your equipment that all refuse be removed from the work area quickly and effectively. In recent years, many workspaces have begun to incorporate purpose-built upright, heavy-duty machines for refuse collection (duct, wood chips, shavings, etc.) These industrial collectors rely on round duct in order to move the refuse from the environment and into the collector itself in a safe and consistent fashion. That is why flexible hose for woodworking is so highly prized: 8 inch duct excels in this field because it is capable of transporting large quantities of refuse away from your area with speed and reliability.
A third, and often overlooked, industry dependent on 8” duct is that of agriculture. One of the primary applications wherein flex ducting is utilized is that of grain and feed transportation. Farms, ranches, and other agricultural areas rely extensively on being able to move grains and other abrasive products from place to place with speed.
One of the most ubiquitous fixtures of farmland is the grain elevators. What many do not realize, however, is that grain elevators rely on a series of interconnected ducts to move material. While mechanical corkscrew elevators bring grain, feed, and other agricultural products to the top of the building, the collection duct relies on gravity to bring the material down into the proper receptacles. The movement of agricultural materials from the field, to the local bins, to processers, and eventually to factories is all done by some type of ducting or hose.
8 inch duct is an essential component of industrial bulk material movement. From street sweeping to woodworking to agricultural management, commercial duct fulfills a wide breadth of operations. Flexible hose for industrial and commercial applications is clearly a highly-valued commodity, and one that managers and employees rely upon to fulfill a broad assortment of tasks. Consider your own needs before determining what size of flex ducting to purchase, and be aware that 8” duct is just one size of many in your local retailer’s ducting selection!