High Performance Compounds for Hoses
There are different factors influencing hose materials selection:
- Engine downsizing
- Reduction of fuel consumption
- Emission control
- Higher operating pressure and temperature
- Rubber hoses with enhanced thermal resistance and dynamic properties
Current technology is based on high performance elastomer compounds, often combined in multi-material constructions including:
- Silicone (VMQ): The best high/low temperature balance
- Fluorosilicone (FVMQ): fluorine-containing silicone additional fuel and oil resistance
- Ethylene-acrylate (AEM): carboxyl group containing rubber with weathering and fluid resistance
- Polyacrylate (ACM): Full acrylate material with excellent oil resistance
- Fluoroelastomers (FKM): The highest thermal and chemical resistance
Due to modern turbocharger design and operating conditions, the inner liner of turbo charger hose (TCH) is directly exposed to high pressure hot inlet air, oil and acid condensates. Thus, inner layer materials include ACM, AEM, FVMQ, and FKM that are resistant to these chemicals.
Typical constructions include ACM/ACM, AEM/AEM, FVMQ/VMQ, and FKM/VMQ. Clearly, cost of these constructions increases with increasing performance. AEM and ACM constructions provide the most cost-effective solutions where the temperature remains below 180 °C. At the high end of performance and cost are constructions utilizing fluorinated polymers, such as FVMQ and FKM. FVMQ is somewhat limited compared to FKM in terms of heat resistance.
Turbocharger works by compressing air, increasing its density before it reaches the cylinders of the engine. The intercooler works to counteract this process, cooling the compressed air to provide the engine with more oxygen, and improving the combustion in each cylinder.
Main turbocharger/intercooler system components:
- Compressor Inlet
2. Compressor Discharge
3. Charge Air Cooler (CAC)
4. Intake Valve
5. Exhaust Valve
6. Turbine Inlet
7. Turbine Discharge
The two main manufacturing technologies currently employed to make TCH are wrapping and extrusion. Wrapping allows high customization, whereas extrusion has higher throughput.
Both technologies require hose shaping on mandrel and additional high pressure curing in autoclave.
MESGO offers different types of compounds for hoses, contact us to receive more information.