Your complete guide to polyurethane hoses

Are you considering which polyurethane hoses are best suited for your production, but not sure where to start? Then you've come to the right place in the webshop! PUR hoses, as they’re also known, are both flexible and reliable for most production purposes, including in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Therefore, they’re often used in a wide range of installations across the process industry.

In this complete guide, we start from scratch and give you an overview of what polyurethane hoses are, how they’re constructed and what you should generally keep in mind when choosing the right hose solution in the category. Last but not least, we unveil our customer favorites and highlight their features and benefits.

Read along and learn more!

Polyurethane hoses are made from the plastic material polyurethane and often play a crucial role in the process industry due to their excellent flexibility, abrasion resistance and chemical resistance. As a material, polyurethane is characterized by its resistance to abrasion, solvents and changes in pressure and temperature.

Polyurethane hoses are a popular choice among manufacturers in various industries, especially for liquids and granules in situations where durability and reliability are crucial. Some variants are characterized by their robustness, especially with a built-in steel spiral. The construction makes them ideal for withstanding light mechanical impact, making them suitable for a range of vacuum applications. Other PUR hoses are designed to withstand alcohol, chemistry, and higher temperature and pressure.

When choosing the right PUR hose, you should first and foremost consider the production purpose and the pressure and temperatures the hose will be exposed to.

If you’ll be using the hose in a production environment with high temperatures or pressures, it’s important to choose a model that can handle the challenges without losing performance. This is especially true when transporting air or steam, where flexibility, abrasion- and temperature resistance are important features. Note here that several models can only work with high temperatures for short periods of time, some as high as +125°C.

Maybe you need to use the polyurethane hose for vacuum, for example to extract granules or powder? If so, you should instead look at the supported vacuum pressure and see whether it’s antistatic. You can also get PUR hoses, which are designed for taste- and odor-free transport of media and are more resistant to oils, fats and alcohol - they're a good choice if you work with food production.

When it comes to polyurethane hoses, it's important to choose a hose solution that fits your specific needs. But which models in our range are the most popular among our customers and what are their features and benefits?

PUR 401 Food is a versatile, FDA-approved PUR hose that combines strength and flexibility - ideal for transporting liquids, granulates and powders. Its transparent design allows you to monitor the flow during production, so you can visually ensure that everything is running as planned. The hose also resists grease, chemicals, ozone and harsh weather conditions, making it the perfect choice for both food production and compressed air installations. With protection against hydrolysis and microorganisms, you can also rest assured that transportation remains taste and odor free.

PUR 401 Food works best in temperatures from -40°C to +90°C and can briefly withstand up to +125°C. Depending on the dimensions, it can handle a working pressure between 8 and 13 bar. 

Our food-grade polyurethane hose Plutone PU Press is without a doubt one of the most popular choices in food and pharmaceutical production. Whether you're working with pills, granules, powders or beverages, even those with up to 20% alcohol, you get a high-quality PUR hose that ensures a long service life. It's also perfect for vacuum applications.

Plutone PU Press is made of ether-based, hygienic thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and reinforced with polyester fabric. It’s resistant to oils, greases, hydrolysis and microorganisms, and is both ozone and weather resistant. The built-in stainless-steel spiral (AISI 302) gives the hose extra robustness and durability. Thanks to the smooth inner and outer surface, friction is low, making it even more efficient. And with a transparent hose wall, you can easily keep an eye on the flow.

The PUR hose comes with a temperature tolerance from -30°C to +90°C and can be used at a working pressure of up to 19 bars in the smallest size. 

The high-performance, FDA-approved PUR hose Vulcano PU 04 H Etere is specially developed to meet high performance requirements in food and pharmaceutical production, biotechnology and cosmetic industries. With its durability, flexibility, hygienic profile and anti-static properties, this polyurethane hose is also ideal for vacuum applications.

Vulcano PU 04 H Etere is made of clear polyurethane, making it both robust and chemical resistant. The PU-coated gray steel spiral ensures both longevity and a good bending radius, which is important in environments where flexibility and durability are needed. The smooth, transparent inner surface reduces friction and enables easy visual control of the flow, ensuring efficient and hygienic transportation.

The PUR hose is permanently antistatic with a wall resistance of R < 10^9 Ohm/m and covers temperatures from -40°C up to +90°C. 

Yes, most polyurethane hoses are suitable for use in food production. This means that they meet the strict hygiene and safety standards required in the industry. It’s important to note that a PUR hose must be food approved in certain production contexts.

Yes, polyurethane hoses are designed to withstand high temperatures. The vast majority cover a temperature range from -30°C to +90°C, with some as high as +125°C for short periods. It’s important to choose a PUR hose that meets the specific temperature requirements of the application to avoid downtime.

Yes, most polyurethane hoses are resistant to pressure loads and mechanical stress, a property that makes them suitable for both stationary and moving systems. Make sure to choose a PUR hose with the right bend radius and flexibility to avoid damage to the hose.

It's important to clean and inspect your polyurethane hoses regularly to ensure they’re working optimally. If damage occurs, replace them immediately to avoid downtime and ensure hygiene. Make sure to protect them from temperature extremes and chemicals outside their specifications and store them properly when not in use. By taking these simple steps, you can extend the lifespan of your hoses and ensure they always deliver optimal performance.