Convoluted PTFE Hose (JCC-10000)

JCC-10000 is our convoluted PTFE hose: the wall is corrugated on both the inside and the outside, so the tube bends in a short arc without kinking. It is the build we quote when a smooth bore tube would have to be routed round a corner tighter than its bend radius allows, or when the line needs to absorb movement. It carries modest pressure and it carries no braid, so it is a low-pressure, high-flexibility answer rather than a pressure hose.

• Temperature−70 to +260 °C / −94 to +500 °F
• Bore6.5–50 mm (1/4"–2")
• Working pressure0.4 → 0.2 MPa
• Min bend radius20–125 mm

Overview

Convoluted PTFE is made by forming rings into the wall of the sintered tube, inside and out. Those rings are what make the difference in service: a 1" JCC-10000 bends to an 80 mm radius, where the equivalent smooth bore tube needs 600 mm. On a skid with a pump, a valve block and a filter crowded into one frame, that is often the whole reason the hose exists.

The trade-offs are real and worth stating. The corrugations add a little pressure drop compared with a smooth bore, hold a small amount of liquid when the line drains, and are harder to swab clean. Pressure capacity is lower, not higher: the corrugated wall carries less load than a flat wall of the same thickness, so this series works down to 0.2 MPa at 2". It has no braid, so it is not a pressure or vacuum product by itself — for those, look at the braided convoluted builds.

In practice it suits pharmaceutical, food and chemical transfer where the routing is tight and the pressure is modest: dosing lines, short jumpers between vessels, and connections that have to follow a moving part.

Specifications

All values as printed in the Jingcheng PTFE hose catalog. Product certification stated in the catalog: ISO 9001:2015 / US FDA 21 CFR 177.1550 / SGS. Custom sizes and lengths are made to your drawing on request.

Materials and construction

• Raw material: PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), natural white. The same base polymer as the smooth bore series, formed differently.
• Process: the tube is extruded, dried, sintered and shaped, then corrugated so the rings run along the whole length on both the inner and outer wall.
• Bore profile: corrugated along the working length; the ends are finished to take the specified fitting.
• Reinforcement: none. JCC-10000 is the bare convoluted tube, so pressure containment comes from the corrugated wall alone.
• End connections: not part of the catalog sizes. Send the thread, flange or compression fitting on the equipment and the fittings are specified for the assembly.

Temperature and pressure notes

The catalog range is −70 to +260 °C (−94 to +500 °F). Pressure falls as the bore grows — 0.4 MPa at 1/4" to 0.2 MPa at 2" — and the burst figure is roughly three to four times the working figure for each size. That is a safety margin, not an operating target.

As with any polymer hose, the working pressure at 200 °C is not the room-temperature number. Derating with temperature is standard practice, and how far to derate depends on the medium, the number of cycles and the service life you expect, so we do not publish a single curve here. Send the real temperature and pressure and the rating is confirmed in writing with the quotation.

Two checks we would make before quoting: whether the line is ever pulled under vacuum, and whether it is a gas. A bare convoluted tube is not the right answer for either — the corrugations can collapse inward under vacuum, and gases are less forgiving than liquids. For those cases the braided convoluted builds or a smooth-bore hose with a spiral spring are the alternatives.

Applications

The catalog lists this series for three industries, and the reasoning behind each is straightforward:

• Pharmaceutical: short transfer and dosing runs where the routing is tight and the line is drained or flushed between batches.
• Food: low-pressure transfer where a flexible, chemically inert line is needed and the bend radius is the constraint.
• Chemical: corrosive media at modest pressure, where PTFE's resistance matters more than pressure capability.

Because the bore is corrugated, it is a poorer choice for high-purity work that requires a fully drainable, swab-clean bore. If that is the requirement, use the smooth bore build instead and route the line to suit its bend radius.

Options and related builds

• Need the same flexibility with pressure? The convoluted braided series adds a 304 stainless braid over the corrugated core and takes the working pressure from about 3.1 to 13.8 MPa depending on bore. Ask us for the current table.
• Need a clean bore and tight bends? The smooth-bore convoluted build with a 304 spiral spring, and the version with a braid, keep the inside flat while the outside is corrugated. How convoluted PTFE hose works.
• No tight bends in the route? The smooth bore PTFE tube JCC-00000 is cheaper per metre and gives the lowest pressure drop.
• Not sure which build? The PTFE hose selection guide works through bore profile, braid and temperature in that order.

How to order

Send these points and the quotation can be built without another round of email:

1. Bore you need, in mm or inches, and the nominal size if you already know it.
2. Length per piece and the number of pieces.
3. End fittings at each end: thread standard and size, flange, or compression fitting, with a photo or part number if you have one.
4. Medium and its concentration, which decides compatibility.
5. Operating temperature, including cleaning or steam-in-place peaks.
6. Working and peak pressure, and whether the line ever runs under vacuum.
7. Routing: the tightest bend the hose has to take, and whether either end moves.
8. Quantity for the first order and the expected annual use.

If a drawing already exists, send it. We work to the customer's drawing when one is supplied.

Frequently asked questions

What does convoluted PTFE hose mean?

The wall of the PTFE tube is formed into rings along its length, on both the inside and the outside. Those rings let the hose bend in a short radius without kinking. JCC-10000 is corrugated on both walls; some other builds keep a smooth bore and corrugate only the outside.

How tight can it bend?

From a 20 mm radius at 1/4" up to 125 mm at 2". Compare that with the smooth bore tube, which needs 130 mm at 1/4" and 1200 mm at 2". The catalog radius is the minimum for a static bend; if the hose flexes in service, keep the working bend well above it.

Does the corrugation reduce pressure capacity?

Yes. The corrugated wall carries less load than a flat wall of the same material, which is why this series is rated 0.4 to 0.2 MPa rather than the higher figures of the smooth bore tube. If the line needs more pressure, a braided convoluted build is the next step up.

Can it be used under vacuum?

Not as a bare tube. The corrugations can collapse inward when the bore is evacuated. For vacuum service, use a build with a stainless spiral spring inside or a braid outside, and tell us the vacuum level so the right one is specified.

Is the bore easy to clean?

It flushes well, but it does not drain as completely as a smooth bore because liquid sits in the corrugations. For a fully drainable, swab-clean line, specify a smooth bore hose and route it to the larger bend radius.

Can I get a custom bore, length or colour?

Lengths are cut per order, and sizes outside the table can be made to your drawing on request. Send the dimensions and the end connection details and we will confirm what is practical before quoting.

Source: Jingcheng PTFE hose catalog, JCC-10000 page, and our published business policies. Pressure derating with temperature and the behaviour of corrugated walls under vacuum are general engineering practice; the rating for each project is confirmed on the quotation and drawing.