Flexible Tubeing

[Killawatt One]

Please forgive me, i could not find where to introduce myself, but, Hello everyone,I'm Killawatt One from the Carribean.
I want to suspend a movable evaporator into a tank to cool a liquid, then afterwards lift it out of the way each time.
Can anyone say where you can buy flexible tubeing (like plastic) with good coupling adaptors? i'ill be useing R134.
Please help.

[PaulZ]

Hi Killawatt One
You could use a braided hose similar to hydraulic hoses with crimped fittings. Make sure the internal material is compatible with R134a. I believe you can also get flexible stainless steel hoses with teflon as the internal material.
Paul

[thermo prince]

Hi kW1,
As Paul Z suggested , you might wish to consider braided " vibration eliminators" or vibrasorbers, made to your lengths and with ORS end fittings or swaged for brazing.

Some vendors globally are Aeroquip USA, Radcoflex Australia, United Flexible UK, Manuli Italy, Burgaflex Netherlands., Carly France You could try Google search for your nearest agent.

These generally work for r22,134a,404a, 407c et al, no problems. Watch your bend radii and dont twist , kink or create torsion. Study application notes carefully!

I don't know of any plastic based hose that can tolerate refrigerants - never heard of in transport at least.Would be very interested if Commercial guys have something to share on that.

regards

[Karl Hofmann]

If you are using R134a then how about a bit of Burgaflex barrier hose that they use on cars and fridge vans? flexible and you can buy crimp ends to connect the flexis to copper or alloy tubing..

[thermo prince]

yes Karl, thought of that too but as he said it would be submerged in some ' liquid', the stainless steel braided types must be a safer bet.
Butyl rubber based hoses would be subject to attack from corrosive elements externally.

kW 1 - are you talking dairy parlour / like milk or water ? pls clarify.

regards

[frank]

You may be better off using a chiller, PHE and secondary fluid. This way you can use flexible plastic pipes.

[chillin out]

You may be better off using a chiller, PHE and secondary fluid. This way you can use flexible plastic pipes.

I think this would be the best way to do it.

Watch out if you are using the steel braided hoses, when the liquid refrigerant passes through it, static electricity is made and could spark.

Other than that, the braided hoses are rubbish and will leak at the first given chance.

Chillin