The Hose Selection Guide: Your task, your choice

Are you a service technician looking for the right hose? Then look no further!  

In our ‘Hose Selection Guide’ series, we’re here to help. In this series, we’ll cover how to choose the perfect hose for the job you’re facing at the process plant. We cover topics such as hose types, materials and much more, so you’re better equipped to make an informed decision – or discuss it with the procurement department. When you get it right first time, you save both time and money, whilst significantly improving safety and performance. 

This time, we’ll start with the first steps in the process: understanding your task. Read on! 

Before ordering a new spare part, you need to have a clear understanding of the technical operating conditions at your plant. As a service technician, you’re no doubt aware that small details in the operating conditions can mean the difference between a long service life and an early failure, leading to unnecessary time wastage.  

• Temperature range: Do you work with steam cleaning or chilled media? 
• Pressure conditions: Does the hose need to withstand high working pressure, or is there a risk of vacuum? 
• Medium type: Are you dealing with fatty foods, chemicals for CIP cleaning or powders? 

The choice of material for the inner layer is one of your safeguards against contamination of the end product and ensures the necessary operational reliability. There are many types of hose materials, but among the most common you will find:

• EPDM: We often recommend EPDM for dairy products and hot liquids, as it withstands high temperatures and is resistant to many cleaning chemicals. 
• PTFE: Choose this for your most aggressive chemical processes, as the material is almost universally resistant and has a very smooth surface that facilitates cleaning. 
• Silicone: The optimal solution for pharmaceutical applications where high flexibility and minimal risk of contamination are crucial to your production. 

Now that you have mapped out your operating conditions – pressure, temperature and medium – it becomes easier to match the right hose type. There are many types of hoses, each optimised for specific tasks in the food and pharmaceutical industries. 

If you work in a dairy, the task will typically be met by milk hoses with a smooth, taste-neutral interior, high flexibility and food-grade approval, usually operating in the range of approx. -30 to +80°C. In breweries and bottling plants, the requirement is often for a beer or beverage hose that does not affect the taste, can withstand a humid production environment and is food-approved for approx. -40 to +120°C.

If, on the other hand, you need to handle acids, bases or CIP chemicals, we recommend our chemical hoses with EPDM, UPE or PTFE liners, which combine high chemical resistance with suction and pressure strength in the range of approx. -30 to +100/150°C, depending on the construction. In the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors, you will often get the most out of platinum-cured silicone hoses, as they are highly flexible and can be used in sterile set-ups at approx. -40 to +200°C.

When the task involves particularly demanding media or high temperatures, PTFE teflon hoses are often the natural choice, as they offer almost universal chemical resistance and a temperature range of approx. -70/-73 to +260°C. And for the inevitable cleaning routines involving foaming, rinsing and low-pressure washing, our cleaning and low-pressure hoses in EPDM or PVC are designed to withstand both handling and cleaning agents, typically at approx. -30/-40 to +70–120°C, depending on the hose type.

A hose is rarely just a hose. It must also fit precisely with the couplings and fittings it is to be connected to, and here it's just as important to consider standards as the hose material itself. If the coupling does not match the system correctly, this can lead to leaks, unnecessary wear, longer installation times and, in the worst case, unstable operation. Therefore, the hose and coupling should always be considered as a single integrated solution.  

The first thing you should clarify is the size and the standard the system operates to. In the process industry, solutions such as SMS, DIN, DS, clamp, threaded and aseptic connections are common, and it's crucial that the hose coupling fits directly onto the existing installation. 

When choosing a coupling, you should also consider how the system is used on a day-to-day basis. Does the connection need to be quickly disconnected for cleaning or servicing, or is a more permanent solution required? This has a significant impact on whether you should choose crimped, weld-based couplings, or reusable couplings. 

In food and pharmaceutical production, it's not enough for a hose to be technically compatible. It must also be documented so that you can operate with confidence during both routine operations and audits. Therefore, approvals and standards should always be considered as part of the hose selection process itself, rather than something checked only afterwards. 

If the hose comes into contact with food, it's important to be aware of the requirements of EU regulations (e.g. EC 1935/2004), which form the basis for materials that come into contact with food. In pharmaceutical production, documentation may be required in accordance with standards such as FDA and USP Class VI, where purity and the suitability of the material play a central role. And if the hose is to be used in environments with flammable media or explosion hazards, ATEX approval is an important factor to take into account. When you know the relevant standards in advance, it becomes easier to make the right choice, gather the necessary documentation and avoid problems during audits or internal inspections.. 

Do you need a new hose and are you unsure about materials, couplings or documentation? We’re happy to advise on both hose selection and specific solutions that match your exact process. Call us on +45 7020 0422 or send an email to inquiry@alfotech.eu. We’ll get back to you quickly – and can often deliver within a few days.