What is a Polyurethane Pipe? - Properties, Uses, and Benefits Explained
Industries want to excel in every operation for which they need top-grade machinery, experts, and supportive equipment. Pipes, hoses, and valves are among the most essential equipment that help industries conduct fundamental operations. They need something that can provide durability, functionality, and cost-effectiveness together. So, polyurethane meets every requirement.
About Polyurethane Pipes
Polyurethane is something you might already know about. It is one of the most common types of plastic, which is made of polyols, isocyanates, and a few other secondary chemicals. What makes it important are its properties that lead to high versatility. When PU is used to manufacture pipes, it offers a significant advantage for many industries. You will find out about them below.
Properties of PU Hoses and Pipes
These are the properties that make PU an ideal option to perform regular operations in most industries. The flow of fluids and gases is incomplete without the use of pipes and hoses. But the selection of material plays an important part. When we look at the properties of PU, we realize that it is one of the finest options to deal with various challenges in industries.
• Resistance to Abrasions
PU is a thick material with high abrasion resistance. Its pipes and hoses make it withstand harsh conditions where risks like abrasions take place frequently. However,
Polyurethane pipes can deal with these challenges well. They can resist lots of minor and major impacts that cause abrasions.
• More Flexible and Crush Resistant
Rigid material is not suitable for many applications. When you have to deal with fluid and gas flow with more control, you need a flexible solution. PU pipes are very flexible and crush-resistant, making them suitable for a wide range of conditions. This flexibility makes them easy to install, operate, and replace more quickly than rigid pipes. This flexibility also makes them crush-resistant to keep the flow going. Since they can’t be crushed, they remain undamaged longer than other types.
• Temperature Range
Although PU is a type of plastic, it can withstand a wide range of temperatures. An estimated range from -30 to 80 degrees is its usual limit. This is why industries heavily rely on PU hoses and pipes. They can carry warm fluids in the chemical, food, and beverage industries. The thickness of the hose must be sufficient to deal with those challenges.
• Resistance to Mild Chemicals
Except for harsh chemicals, PU pipes can withstand mild ones. They can provide good support when industries need something flexible, low-cost, efficient, and durable to carry mild chemicals. Oils, chemicals, and gases of low intensity can pass through these pipes without causing any damage for a long time. That’s why PU pipes can deal with hard and salty water in domestic, commercial, and industrial applications.
What are the Applications of PU Pipes and Hoses?
Almost every industry has to manage the flow of liquid and gas in various operations. Whether it is about the primary operations or maintenance works, they need flexible and durable pipes for that. PU pipes and hoses match their needs well.
• Pneumatic Operations in the Automotive Industry
The pneumatic operations are performed in most production lines, especially where high-pressure spray, air filling, or mechanical force is required. The automotive industry is all about installing machine parts with pneumatic tools. Those tools have PU hoses connected to carry high-pressure. Since PU can withstand high pressure, its hoses are the perfect choice for those applications. Every step on a production line requires the installation of parts of an automobile or machine with pneumatic tools. Manual users and robotic hands get leak-proof support from these hoses for regular activities.
• Fluid Transfer in Construction and Agriculture
Both industries need to deal with regular fluid transfer, like cement, water, chemicals, and even a few specific gases. The pneumatic and spray machines need polyurethane pipes to carry fluids and gases. Using any other material might not be as efficient as PU, since mild chemicals like pesticides in agriculture have to be sprayed frequently on crops. Their spraying machines are equipped with durable hoses to provide efficiency in spraying activities.
• Spraying, Fluid Transfer, and Fume Extraction in Various Industries
Industrial operations like spraying, fluid transfer, and fume extraction need pipes that can withstand high pressure. This is where PU pipes and hoses work well. Various types of fluids need to be transferred, whether for cooling or any other purpose. A flexible hose works the best. Industries look for materials like PU to offer thickness, durability, compatibility, and abrasion resistance for these activities. This is why polyurethane hoses also work well in fume extraction to prevent toxic gas buildup.
• Medical Industry for Gas and Fluid Transfer
Since the medical industry must prioritize hygiene and biocompatibility, they need something that can meet their needs. Medical-grade PU hoses and pipes can offer great support without any risk, such as leaching or exploding. Since various types of fluids and gases need to be transferred during medical procedures, they must use safe solutions. A specially-made medical-grade PU provides excellent support in these activities. However, strict inspection and safety standards have to be followed during the production of these hoses. Just a little error could cause serious consequences.
• Food-Grade PU for the Food and Beverage Industry
Then another sensitive industry comes where safety is of utmost importance. Even a small amount of negligence could cause irreparable damage to humans and animals, which is a nightmare for everyone. Therefore, food-grade PU pipes and hoses are used in some food and beverage applications. It is about the mixing process and other operations where precise control is very important. A flexible hose allows users to control the flow of liquid and gas for an accurate result. Polyurethane hoses are among the safe options for that. However, their manufacturers have to follow safety standards to qualify their hoses for that application.
• Garden, Pool, and Sanitary Applications in the Domestic Sector
The most common use of PU hoses in the domestic sector is in gardening, pool maintenance, and sanitary applications. These hoses and pipes offer significant benefits in terms of flexibility, pressure resistance, versatility, and abrasion resistance. Therefore, almost every household has these pipes available to control the flow of water for cleaning.
Benefits of Polyurethane Pipes
Lots of benefits are there, but let’s keep it simple. Here are the main reasons why everyone prefers to have polyurethane hoses and pipes in industrial, commercial, and domestic applications.
• Versatile
They work in almost any industry in areas such as fluid control, flexibility, precise flow, and abrasion resistance. This is why many sectors install these hoses to perform regular pneumatic, spraying, filling, and fluid transfer activities.
• Cost Effective
They are very cost-effective since the production cost is low. Since polyurethane is among the readily available and low-cost materials, its hoses become cost-efficient for every industrial application. The installation, replacement, and maintenance costs are also low.
• Durable
Then comes the third main benefit, which is why it is widely used all over the world. From households to industries, these hoses show high durability. They last long enough to cover the cost of procurement. Industries are very cautious in cost reduction methods, which is why using durable hoses helps them achieve their targets.
Conclusion
Polyurethane pipes are among the widely used and cost-efficient solutions for all sectors. They can withstand abrasions, mild chemicals, low heat and cold, and crushing. Their flexibility makes them versatile pipes for all industries. Construction, agriculture, automotive, chemical, and many other sectors prefer PU hoses for desired outcomes.
