Suction hoses are essential to a large variety of applications. From a vacuum suction hose to industrial collection applications, extraction ducts are often essential in the efficient completion of a job. There are a wide variety of machines that use suction hoses. These machines often use water or air pressure to create a vacuum that pulls material through the duct hose. To understand the importance of these material-handling hoses, it is first essential to understand how these products function and the materials used in their construction.
To understand how suction hoses are differentiated, we must first understand what the term vacuum represents. A vacuum is actually created by negative pressure. Pressure is a term that is used to describe negative pressure, which is below atmospheric levels, and positive pressure, which is above atmospheric pressure levels. Vacuum is used to describe an instance where the level of pressure is below at least one atmosphere of pressure. It is important to note that the quality of a vacuum is determined by how closely it reaches a state of perfect vacuum. A perfect vacuum is known as a space that features absolutely no matter.
Vacuuming devices are rated by how close they reach the state of full vacuum and how much negative pressure they can withstand without becoming damaged. In terms of a vacuum suction hose, what level of vacuum they can withstand rates the hose. A hose that is described as being able to handle high vacuum means that the product is capable of withstanding a low amount of negative pressure. The amount of pressure that is created depends on the size of the vacuum pump used in the vacuuming device. Shop vacuums are generally listed as being a high volume and low-pressure machine. This means that shop vacuums produce a large amount of airflow with moderate power allowing them to work well with extraction ducts that are listed as high vacuum products. It is important to note that if a hose happens to receive a hole in the outer material, it will ruin the vacuum pressure within the hose’s environment, making it essential to take proper care of the vacuum hose to ensure that it works to the best of its abilities.
The size of a vacuum suction hose is essential in the operation of a vacuum. If you match small suction hoses with large motors, then you are at risk of overheating the vacuum because the ducting will not deliver enough air to keep the motor cool. Large extraction ducts cannot only collect more materials, but they are also capable of transporting a greater amount of air to cool down the vacuum motor. Likewise, if you use a hose that is too large for a smaller vacuum then the hose will not contain enough negative pressure and its collection performance will suffer as a result. A general rule of thumb is that a larger hose that transfers too much air to the motor is better than one that brings in too little because overheating the motor can result in permanent damage to the vacuum, which can result in costly repairs or require that the vacuum be entirely replaced.
Suction hoses are designed for many different applications. Hoses are made of various materials making them ideal for air, fluid and material applications. One of the key differences involved with water and air pressure is compressibility. Water is incompressible while air and gases are compressible. One major difference compressibility creates is when something happens to the extraction hose that creates a leak. Because water is heavier than air and cannot be compressed, when there is a hole in a hose that is transferring water, the pressure in the hose instantly drops. When a leak occurs in a hose that is transferring air or gases, the air will expand to fill in the extra space but pressure will remain within the hose. A leak that occurs in a water hose is much easier to locate than an air hose because you can easily see where the fluid is exiting the hose. Locating a leak in a suction air hose can be much more difficult as you will have to listen for the leak in the hose and may not even notice the leak until you smell the fumes if the hose is transferring gases. Leaks in either air or water vacuum suction hoses can be very dangerous and harmful to equipment and can risk the safety of personnel working with the equipment.
Suction hoses are made from a wide variety of materials, making them common in many industries and applications. Vacuum suction hose products made of light duty polyethylene materials are often found in household and handheld vacuum cleaning machines. The lightweight and flexible nature of these hoses allows them to reach tight corners and underneath furniture. Many extraction hoses are also made of materials that make them capable of working in both wet and dry applications. These versatile hoses are often found in pool cleaning kits as they can be used for collecting water and foliage within the water without causing damage to the hose materials.
Suction hoses are also common in various industrial applications like woodworking. Because woodchips and dust can be hazardous in a work environment, these hoses are used to collect the materials to improve the quality of air in the room and prevent any dust from cluttering up the workspace.
Suction hoses are often made of conductive materials that prevent the static buildup often associated with wood working applications. Street sweeping machines also utilize extraction hoses that collect abrasive materials off the street using powerful
vacuum hoses. Applications that produce potentially harmful fumes, such as in pharmaceutical production, use these hoses to extract the fumes and gases to an ambient air location.
With an understanding of how a vacuum works and the many different materials used in their construction, it is easy to see why vacuum suction hose products are so common and essential in so many different applications. With a wide variety of diameter sizes, lengths and material compositions, there is an extraction hose that is useful for any application that requires the collection of materials.