An oxygen sleeve is a flexible type hose for the production of which a material such as cord thread is used. As an additional material protecting this thread, rubber mixtures are used, which are applied to the sleeve from all sides.
Description
This product is indispensable if it is necessary to carry out welding work, especially if it also means transporting gas for welding from one place to another. It is worth noting that the profile of the use of the oxygen sleeve is quite narrow, but it is this rubber product that has received the most widespread use among others. This type of hose is considered the most popular among all other devices, the purpose of which is the transportation of gaseous substances on an industrial scale.
Features
Most often, oxygen hoses are used in production processes if it becomes necessary to deliver gas such as acetylene or propane, oxygen or atmospheric air. Transportation is most often carried out from the cylinder with the desired substance or from the highway to the point at which welding is carried out. Without the use of this hose, it would be impossible to imagine the work of welding machines. Another area of use of oxygen hoses is the production of medical equipment or special suits that require the supply of oxygen from the balloon to the mask. Vivid examples are suits for divers, astronauts. The design of this hose is quite simple. It has an inner rubber layer, after which a frame is made of cord yarn, cotton fiber, fibers previously impregnated with a special tool. It is very important that if before the start of operation, during inspection, any defects were noticed that led to a violation of the integrity of the product, then it is forbidden to exploit such goods.
Classes
Currently, there is a division of the oxygen hose into three categories. The belonging of a hose to one or another category is determined depending on the purposes for which it can be used.
- The first category of hoses is intended for transportation of acetylene, butane, propane at a pressure of not more than 0.63 MPa.
- The second category of rubber products includes those hoses that supply gasoline, kerosene or mixtures based on these substances with a pressure of 0.63 MPa.
- The third category of oxygen hoses is devices for transporting oxygen with a pressure of up to 2 MPa.
It is important to note that the operation of any of these three categories of hoses is assumed at a temperature of not more than 70 degrees Celsius. The use of standard oxygen hoses is prohibited if the temperature drops lower than -35 degrees Celsius. However, there are specialized sleeves that have been specifically designed for use in cold areas. The maximum possible operating temperature of such devices is -55 degrees Celsius.
Marking
In accordance with GOST of oxygen hoses, the symbol for the hose is set under number 9356. This document sets out the labeling rules for these devices. Each sleeve must have in its designation the class of the hose, its diameter, indicated in millimeters, the pressure in MPa and an indication of the climatic version of the hose. Those rubber products that are operated only in temperate climatic zones do not have additional marking. But those oxygen hoses that can be used in cold climates are additionally marked with the label "HL".
Hose types
Depending on the application, the sleeves are painted in different colors. Hoses belonging to the first category, that is, used to transport gases with a pressure of 0.63MPa, have a red color.
The second category is painted yellow.
The most common is the blue oxygen 9 mm sleeve.
GOST 9356 also regulates the painting of the hose in black. But if the external performance is of such a color, then on the sleeve there should be two strips made in the color to which the device belongs to the class.
Quality control of finished products is carried out through visual inspection. A product is considered to be of high quality which does not have cracks, bubbles or folds on its internal rubber side, and on the outside there are no bubbles, delaminations, and also there are no exposed places, that is, without a power frame. The quality of the product that was produced is compared with a control sample. At the manufacturing plant, acceptance is carried out in batches. A batch is considered to be the length of an oxygen hose of one class not exceeding 2000 m. In addition to visual quality control, the hose also passes a leak test under hydraulic pressure, a tensile strength test, and also the resistance of the outer layer to the aggressive effects of gasoline. This stage of verification is carried out only for those products that will belong to the second category.
Main parameters in accordance with GOST
This document establishes all the rules for the manufacture and subsequent storage, labeling and transportation of oxygen hoses. The GOST lists all the main parameters for these devices. For example, a hose with a working pressure of 0.63 MPa (6.3 kgf / cm 2 ) should have a nominal diameter of the inner part of 6.3 mm and an outer diameter of 13 mm. If we talk about products designed for oxygen transportation, that is, at a pressure of 2 MPa (20.0 kgf / cm 2 ), then the inner diameter of the oxygen sleeve is 8 mm, and the outer one is 16 mm. It is also worth noting that GOST regulates the production of hoses designed for a pressure of 4 MPa (40.0 kgf / cm 2 ). With this indicator, the inner diameter of the hose is 6.3 mm, but the outer reaches 16 mm.
It should be noted that in the manufacture of sleeves, it is necessary to coordinate the length of the batch directly with its customer.
Technical requirements
GOST 9356 also establishes substances from which oxygen sleeves can be produced. This includes those materials that were indicated earlier, such as the inner rubber layer, the power frame of the cord yarn, etc. Coloring and categorization is also carried out in accordance with the rules of GOST. All hoses that are allowed in operation must be completely tight under the influence of hydraulic pressure. Another important point is that each sleeve must have a minimum of three times the margin of safety at break by hydraulic pressure. The ends of these products must withstand tensile without breaking in the radial direction. This is important, as this pressure increases greatly when the sleeve is mounted on the corresponding nipple. The price of an oxygen hose is from 50 to 75 rubles per 1 meter of product.