ERGONOMICS CONEXPO
94
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PRODUCTS & SERVICES
iVTInternational.com February 2020
MARCH 10-14, 2020
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EATON
The right hose
KINKRESISTANT HOSES WITH NEARZERO PERMEATION AND BROAD TEMPERATURE
RANGES PROMISE TO KEEP VEHICLE AIRCONDITIONING IN SERVICE FOR LONGER
Customers today are demanding more
from their vehicles. Couple that with evolving
environmental standards that are forcing a change in
refrigerants and manufacturers are left wondering how
to design vehicles that are both productive and
environmentally sustainable.
Minimal permeation
If operators within this eld notice that they need to ‘top
up’ refrigerant it could be that the hose features a
permeation rate that is unacceptable. It is also important
to note that improving rates helps limit environmental
damage. Eaton has been working with customers for
years to engineer hose solutions that minimise
permeation. This has led their team of engineers to focus
on providing hoses that have near-zero permeation
levels (<1kg/m2/yr.). When operating pro ts rely on
having vehicles in service, a hose with near zero
permeation has to be the way forward.
Environmentally kind refrigerant
Due to new European legislation (European directive
2006/40/EC) centred around global warming potential
(GWP), commercial vehicle manufacturers are striving to
o er units that take advantage of new refrigerants such
as R1234yf. This new refrigerant has a GWP of 4,
substantially reducing emissions and making it a very
worthy substitute to the traditional.
By contrast, its predecessor R134a, although still in
use today, has a GWP of 1430. Hoses from Eaton are
satisfying this demand as engineers are developing
multi-purpose devices that encompass the ability to
handle numerous di erent uids, essentially future
proo ng for evolving legislation requirements. This is
good news for operators in the eld as they will have to
eventually adopt the new refrigerants so can simply
retro t to vehicles and have a compliant ready solution.
Bend radius
The bend radius is key when selecting AC hoses as space
is very tight and installation di cult. It will also in uence
the service life if the hose does not have the required
bend radius, for example becoming unduly stressed or
distorted. Beyond this we should also consider the kink
resistance as it has been observed that with tight spaces
and the associated challenges, hoses might collapse
during the installation process or operation.
ABOVE: An Eaton EverCool air-conditioning hose in action
INSET: Eaton’s EverCool hose family
Right hose, right application
Eaton’s experience within the eld of hoses is extensive.
The company has discovered that the key for customers
is to ensure that the right hose for the given application
is chosen. For example, the Eaton FC800 large bore air
conditioning hose is ideal for use within the bus
industry. Municipalities require urban transport systems
to reduce greenhouse gasses and the FC800
demonstrates extremely low permeation rates, thus
reducing seepage and minimising the need for ‘topping
o ’ the system.
It’s also important to note that FC800 has been
engineered to withstand the vibration and temperature
associated with bus engine compartments. Within truck,
construction, forestry and refrigerated vehicles
customers should consider using Eaton’s GH001 and
EC007 hoses. GH001 is a veneer hose (SAE
type E construction) with a polyamide inner layer.
It is extremely kink resistant and has incredibly low
permeation (<0.3kg/m²/year with R1234yf). EC007 is
a barrier hose (SAE type C construction) with a rubber
inner layer and polyamide layer as a barrier. Eaton’s hose
technology is continually evolving but as a company has
found that through the development of the right
compounds it can o er hoses that meet or exceed the
needs of the commercial vehicle market.
Conclusion
Air conditioning keeps passengers comfortable, stops
goods from perishing and keeps economies moving.
Eaton is innovating in this area with hoses that feature
near zero permeation, broad temperature ranges and
kink resistance, and with its global presence can support
commercial vehicle applications on every continent. iVT
Author: Ralf Wilde, product manager, Eaton
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/iVTInternational.com