With speed, discharge pressure and tempe- rature influencing hose fatigue, pumps solutions supplier Verder Pumps South Africa says its Verderflex hose pumps series has several design features that provide longer hose life than that of its competitors.

Hose life is determined by pump speed, pressure, temperature, working cycle and application, such as chemical action, viscosity, density, solid content and lubrication, says Verder Pumps hose and pumps specialist Daan Louw, adding that the company’s hose manufacturing process incorporates three additional nylon-reinforcing fibres into the hose.

“Hoses have to be compressed with a high force. The force is absorbed into the hose’s reinforcing fibres; therefore, since the Verderflex hose has more fibres, it can spread that load out over a greater number of elements, thus reducing the stress per fibres and extending fatigue life,” he tells Engineering News.

He says Verderflex hoses are handmade to the correct tolerances and do not require any machining. The hoses are manufactures using a 100% ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), as opposed to some of the manufacturers that are using a thin EPDM liner bonded to natural rubber.

“The advantages of a higher- quality EPDM hose are a higher temperature-resistance and no liner weak point, as there is no liner in the hose bonding between the dissimilar rubbers. This also leads to longer hose life.”

Louw says the Verderflex Dura hose pumps incorporate an air-gap design, whereas traditional-style hose pumps flange-mount their gearboxes to the pump housing.

He says the Dura hose pumps are renowned for providing top-quality solutions for problems in process industries.

“Dura and Verderflex hose pumps reliably pump the toughest fluids and are often found pumping slurry with a high solids content in the mining industry, as well as for water plants.

The pumps have multiple power options and quick and easy tube-change features to handle a range of different chemicals, as well as hygienic options for food and beverage dispensing, he adds.

“Owing to the nature of the products – which are more often than not hazardous – pumped by the pumps, the range had been designed to provide maximum safety for the workforce and does not contaminate the environment.”

He concludes that the Verderflex and Dura hose connections are “disaster- proof”, containing the hose inside the pump casing – unlike other peristaltic pumps – thereby ensuring the range has a completely sealed hose connection that avoids leakage and eliminating any danger.