Silicone hoses work reliably in temperatures up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, high-temp silicone hoses are made to withstand even higher temperatures, typically up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit! For use in certain scenarios, custom heat hoses can be made for even higher temperatures.
As you might imagine, all of these high-temp hoses are very popular in numerous applications where temperatures can soar. Here are ten of the most popular uses for high-temp silicone hoses and tubing.
Car Engines
There’s a lot of power in car engines, and a lot of heat that’s generated! Hoses are used to deliver important fluids to the various components of your vehicle’s engine. These fluids can include oil, gasoline, coolant, and more. In this compact, high-temperature environment that works hard to enable you to move your vehicle from one place to another, whether it’s your daily commute to work or a cross-country, multi-day trip, reliability is important; these hoses need to hold up and perform well in the presence of extreme heat.
Performance Vehicles
Race cars and other vehicles that push the limits of speed use engines that have been highly modified from what we’re used to seeing in our everyday commuter cars. These engines have evolved significantly over the years to be lightweight, ultra-powerful, and highly predictable on the racetrack. Silicone hoses feature prominently in such engines because they are lightweight and strong, and they can withstand extreme temperatures.
Airplane Engines
Just as you’ll find silicone hoses in your vehicle and in race cars, you’ll frequently see them in aerospace applications, including airplane engines, which have to run under sometimes very high operating temperatures. With aircraft engines, there is no room for error, so they need to be designed and constructed with materials that will hold up well during the rigors of flight. Thankfully, silicone heater hoses meet the stringent requirements of airplane engines.
Industrial Production Environments
From manufacturing parts using plastic injection molding techniques, to brewing and bottling beer in both microbreweries and larger breweries, high-temp silicone hoses play an important role. They are used for distributing fluids (and in some cases, gases) to where they are needed without compromising any part of the manufacturing process.
Food Production
When it comes to maintaining purity in the end food product as well as in all the ingredients that go into the production stream, high-temp silicone hoses make a great choice. They don’t degrade, which means they will not contaminate the food being produced, and they prevent outside contaminants from getting into the foods (or beverages) being processed.
Coffee Makers
Many commercial coffee makers use silicone hoses because of the high-temp requirements. These hoses are sturdy enough for everyday use, and they will not degrade or leach into your coffee, assuring great flavor in every cup!
Heavy Equipment
Bulldozers, forklifts, cranes, excavators, tractors, and other types of heavy equipment often work in harsh environments. They perform grueling jobs that would take countless people and hours to complete manually. These heavy equipment vehicles are used in building construction, road repair, farming, and many other applications. Because of the force and power needed for such applications, a lot of heat is generated in the process, and high-temp silicone hoses make a great choice for just about any type of heavy construction equipment.
Large Trucks
Every day, large trucks ship wares from one region to the next. Many fleets take cross-country trips from coast to coast. These trucks need reliable engines that can handle such heavy loads. As with other engines, heat is involved in the generation of power, and silicone hoses and tubing can withstand that level of heat.
Diesel-Powered Applications
Many vehicles use turbo-diesel engines (that run on diesel fuel rather than standard gasoline), which often offer greater performance and reduced emissions levels. While the heat is distributed differently inside a diesel engine as compared to a gasoline-powered engine, it’s still very present, making high-temp silicone hoses a good choice for diesel-powered vehicle engines and similar applications.
HVAC Systems
For heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and accompanying ducting requirements, silicone is a great choice. These heater hoses need to withstand temperature fluctuations and perform reliably at high temperatures.