Save both time and money with flexibility requirements in mind

Today's process plants are complex entities, where both structure and operation place high demands on the technical components. In industries such as the food industry, specialists on the floor and stable machinery are necessary to keep production running around the clock. Here, process hoses are a central part of the plant's DNA, but their quality alone is rarely enough if you want to avoid costly stoppages in your flow. 

When we talk about operational reliability, the bending radius is often the parameter that separates a durable solution from an imminent breakdown. But what does the term actually mean in a busy production environment, and how does it affect your bottom line? 

The bending radius – or more precisely, the minimum bending radius – is the smallest radius to which a process hose can be bent without being damaged or having its service life reduced. Exceeding this limit puts strain on both the hose wall and the associated couplings. This can result in mechanical failure, leaks and poorer flow. 

In process plants for food and pharmaceutical products, the bending radius is often the parameter that distinguishes a robust installation from repeated breakdowns and costly line stoppages.

To choose the right solution, you must first identify how the hose behaves in your setup. We make a clear distinction between static and dynamic bending radius, as the load on the material varies significantly depending on the application. Because an incorrect assessment of the movement pattern shortens the service life of the component, it is logical to distinguish between the following:  

• Static bending radius: Refers to an application where the process hose elbow is not in motion after installation. Here, the hose is mounted in a fixed curve, and the risk of fatigue failure is minimal as long as you comply with the technical limits during installation. 
• Dynamic bending radius: Here, the situation is the opposite, as the hose is exposed to repetitive movements. During operation, there may be up to several movements per minute, which wears down both the inner layers and the outer jacket if the elbow is sharper than the design allows. 

When the hose is pressed beyond its minimum bending radius, you put unnecessary strain on both the hose wall itself and the associated couplings. In addition to the risk of mechanical failure, excessive bending often results in poorer flow of the medium, which can lead to further complications in your flow. 

To illustrate the importance of correct calculations, we can look at a specific case from one of our customers in the food industry. A technical manager contacted us in connection with the establishment of a new filling plant for yoghurt, as the existing solutions could not handle the required movements. The choice fell on our Dynamic CLC – a highly flexible and food-approved process hose. 

The customer's setup required a model with an inner diameter of 38 mm, which had to be able to withstand a 90° elbow during continuous operation. Based on the product table, we quickly identified that the dynamic bending radius for this version is 225 mm (R). With this as our starting point, we calculated the minimum distance for the bend itself to be 353.5 mm. 

However, as we advised the customer, the calculation does not stop there. To ensure a stable installation that can withstand everyday wear and tear, we factored in the necessary extra lengths (L1 and L2) outside the elbow itself, including space for the selected fittings. Because we took these precise measurements into account before installation, the hose had the necessary freedom to work during operation. 

If the installation had been too tight, the repetitive movements would have created tension that would have been transmitted directly to your couplings. This often leads to turbulence in the medium, which can potentially affect product quality and increase wear on surrounding components. By choosing the calculated approach, the customer protected themselves against untimely breakages and achieved a stable, laminar flow throughout the process. 

See also our video, where we highlight three key advantages of dynamic CLC that make it ideal for both food and pharmaceutical production. 

Although the bend radius is a key parameter, there are other forces that affect the service life of the hose in your production environment. Operating temperature and pressure play a significant role in how the material behaves. A hose that is flexible at room temperature can become stiff and vulnerable to kinking if exposed to extreme cold or frequent CIP cycles with high heat. 

Another overlooked problem is torsion, where the hose twists around its own axis during movement. Torsion combined with a sharp bend radius is one of the most common causes of untimely failure in dynamic systems. 

Choosing the optimal hose solution requires insight into both materials science and process understanding. Is your current setup geared for the movements required by production? Or do you find that certain components need to be replaced more often than expected? It can be beneficial to get someone else's perspective on your operating conditions to identify potential weaknesses in your flow. 

Contact us today by phone on +45 7020 0422 or by email at inquiry@alfotech.eu.