RATERMANN Cryogenics T (844) 341-3433 S F (844) 341-3444 S Website: www.rmicryo.com S Email: [email protected] 38B-4 Arctic Fox® Vacuum Jacketed Cryogenic Hoses Used in the delivery and transfer of a wide variety of products, hoses are important pieces of equipment in the supply of industrial gases. Selecting the proper hose is important to the functioning and efficiency of moving gas products from one container to another, or into an application. For cryogenic gases, which need to be kept cold in the distribution processes, vacuum insulated lines are often used to improve efficiency when transferring these products. They are used in a variety of industrial applications as well as with medical equipment, in laboratories, and in food and pharmaceutical processing facilities. In this article, we take a look at the three main benefits of vacuum jacketed hoses. Reduced cryogenic consumption By the nature of their design, vacuum jacketed hoses keep cold from leaking in the transfer process and therefore reduce cryogenic consumption. These thermally efficient transfer hoses, reduce liquid nitrogen loss (or other cryogenic liquids) during use. They minimize heat leak and product losses by incorporating super- insulation and a high static vacuum barrier from the exterior atmosphere. The less you use, the more you save. In the example of hoses produced by Ratermann Manufacturing, the vacuum jacketed hose allows you to achieve faster cool down than a traditional hose. The result in a more stable flow of cryogenic liquid and a highly efficient transfer process. Improved Productivity The vacuum insulated hose helps ensure that the media used remains in the cryogenic state, without the potential for a cold gas, rather than a cryogen, interrupting or risking any process that is dependent on 100% cryogen. Providing higher quality liquid with lower gas content at the point of use improves equipment efficiency. High quality liquid is particularly critical when suppling or transferring cryogens in today’s more sophisticated medical and pharmaceutical markets. Well-designed vacuum jacketed hoses also enable rapid hose cool down, which increases productivity in cryogen transfer. Reducing cooling times speeds liquid cryogen delivery to the point-of-use. This is particularly important when any usage/ process requires repeated stopping and starting. For example, in cryo-therapy applications, there are several steps that require stopping the transfer of liquid nitrogen and then restarting it. This can translate into loss of cryogen. With rapid hose cool down, these losses can be minimized. Safer to use With vacuum jacketed hoses, the outer surface is safe to touch. Non-vacuum insulated hoses can be extremely cold to the touch, cold enough to pose a safety concern if proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) is not used. The insulation characteristics of vacuum jacketed hoses provide an exterior that will not harm the handler, even when used with coldest of cryogens, such as liquid helium. The material that these hoses are built with provide a layer of protection that non-vacuum insulated hoses do not. They therefore improve the safety of the environment for cryogenic transfers and peace of mind for the operator. Hazardous ice and dripping water is often associated with cryogenic fluid transfers. Another safety advantage of using vacuum insulated hoses is that this phenomenon is greatly reduced. The insulation characteristics of the vacuum barrier eliminate outer frost/ice from developing on the hose. Whereas on a non-vacuum insulated hose, frost and ice develop, condense, and melt, creating messy water drips and puddles. These are not only a clean-up issue, but can pose a safety concern in the work place by creating slippery surfaces. Benefits of the Vacuum Jacketed Hose Vacuum Jacketed Insulated Flexible Cryogenic Hoses
