Connectors and hoses form breathing link

Staubli produces a range of products for breathing air applications from line connectors and hoses to filter units.

Traditionally, providing a supply of breathing air in a factory or industrial location has involved either establishing a dedicated ring main or installing special compressors; both expensive options.

Staubli's range of breathing air products now provides a safer and more cost effective alternative.

Staubli produces a range of products for breathing air applications from line connectors and hoses to filter units.

The range is suitable for both masks and ventilated suits and includes new designs of filter units, quick release plugs and sockets as well as hoses and hose reels.

In fact all of the items required to upgrade an existing compressed air ring main to be safely used for breathing air applications.

First, consider the connections to the existing compressed air ring main.

These must be easy to use and secure; Staubli's RCS range of couplings is suitable for all types of compressed air lines.

Any risk of hose whip on disconnection is eliminated by Staubli's two-stage process, which conforms to all the requirements of the anti-hose-whip regulations in both BS EN983 and ISO4414.

The first push on the disconnect button decompresses the downstream pressure without disconnecting the plug and without any risk to the user.

The second push on the button safely releases the depressurised plug from the socket.

There is an additional option of a raised pushbutton for use in applications where the operator is wearing gloves.

The first operation on the take off from the standard compressed air ring main is to filter the air up to instrument air quality standard.

Conversion of instrument quality compressed air up to breathing quality relies on the operation of the filter unit.

Staubli has two in its range - the BQR 50 capable of supplying either four masks or one ventilated suit or the larger BQR 150 for up to eight masks or four ventilated suits.

Both filter units are compact, portable and ergonomically designed; they require no electrical connection to operate.

A two-stage filter system is used to convert the air; this meets all the requirements of European Standard EN12021.

The standard BQR unit does not filter CO and CO2; but units with this capability are available on request.

The BQR units contain two separate filter stages.

The first stage, submicronic filter, blocks solid particles down to 0.01um, the second stage active carbon filter, stops oil vapour and mist down to 0.005mg/m.

A flow regulator and pressure gauge monitors the unit's performance, a warning red light indicates if the filter is becoming clogged up on the BQR 50; on the BQR 150 a differential pressure gauge provides this warning.

It is recommended that the submicron filter is changed once per year and the second stage active carbon filter twice per year.

Both filter units can be equipped with Staubli AQR sockets for direct connection to the air lines and suits or masks.

The AQR range of connectors is specifically designed for breathing air applications, providing secure, quick and automatic connection of the breathing air lines to the filter units and then onto the masks or suits.

A unique plug profile acts as a mechanical key, preventing accidental connection with any other circuits.

To eliminate totally any chance of unintentional disconnection two distinct and separate actions are required; the connector plug has to be pushed into the socket and then by pressing on the release button the coupling will safely disconnect.

This conforms precisely to the safety requirements of the latest BS EN139 Standard.

There is an option for the pushbutton to be raised which is very useful where the connector is being used in environments where gloves need to be worn.

All AQR connectors are encoded with their week and year of manufacture to facilitate monitoring and can be supplied with protective dust caps and safety padlocks for added security if required.

Equipped hoses and reels complete the breathing air range.

Two types of hose are available, TQR straight hose that conforms to EN139 and HQR helicoil hose conforming to EN1835.

TQR hose is lightweight and flexible being constructed from PVC with textile braid reinforcement; a stainless steel fitting is swaged onto each end.

The hoses are suitable for decontamination processing after use in hazardous areas particularly in the nuclear industry.

HQR hoses are constructed from polyurethane and are more suited to applications in the chemical sector and research laboratories.

Staubli's hose reels are fitted with 20m of TQR hose and offer a robust, safe and easy to handle supply system.

Both manual and automatic versions are available.

Staubli's range of products comprises all the elements needed to create and support breathing air circuits in industrial environments at a fraction of the cost of dedicated systems.

They also introduce many safety features which eliminate wrong connection and unintentional disconnection.

Applications for these well designed and precision engineered products are now being found in the nuclear, chemical, military and waste processing sectors.

Back to top