PET-Lined (Barrier)
Tubing


Introduction

Natural rubber is damaged by fruit juices and many types of rubber and plastic tubing are damaged by commonly-used washing/sanitizing chemicals.1  They also contribute off flavors to wine and beer as the result of flavor scalping and the bleeding of stabilizing and plasticizing additives (see Flavor Scalping under the Technical Tab at the top of this page). The addition of PET-lined, polyolefin tubing to the BetterBottle product line has enabled BetterBottle to offer an All-PET solution to home winemakers and brewers; thereby, eliminating the last major source of undesirable flavors. The PET lining is hydrophobic and impermeable, so it washes, sanitizes, and rinses very quickly and thoroughly (see Washing/Sanitizing under the Technical Tab at the top of this page). It is no longer necessary to soak tubing for hours.

1 Cole-Parmer Chemical Resistance Data Base (Referenced 12/11/11)


Additional Information - Use the pop up menus associated Tubing tab at the left side for random access to additional information relating to the use of PET-lined tubing with BetterBottle SimpleFlo valves. Scrolling down this page will access the same information in sequential fashion.

Chemical Resistance - In general, avoid very strong caustics, such as KOH and NaOH (lyes), and concentrated aliphatic ketones (e.g., essence oils). For additonal materials specifications, please refer to the Technical tab at the top of this page.


Description

Bev-Seal Ultra® tubing is FDA sanctioned, NSF-51 accepted, and specifically designed for transferring beverages. The seamless PET lining is coextruded with a polyolefin outer tube using special technology to dramatically reduce the possibility of de-lamination.
Size Nominal
ID/OD
Working Pressure
20°C / 50°C
(70°F / 122°F)

Minimum
Bend Radius
(25°C / 75°C)
1/4" 0.265"/0.375" 8.6 bar / 3.1 bar
125PSI / 45PSI
3.2 cm (1.25")
3/8" 0.380"/0.500" 6.9 bar / 2.7 bar
100PSI / 40PSI
5.7 cm (2.25")
1/2" 0.510"/0.625" 5.2 bar / 2.0 bar
75PSI / 30PSI
25 cm (10)"

     Do Not Exceed 60°C (140°F)
Use

The PET lining of Bev-Seal Ultra® tubing is hydrophobic (non-wetting) and extremely smooth. BetterBottle recommends using the 1/4" ID size whenever possible for home winemaking and brewing. It is perfect for BetterBottle systems - it is easy to handle; it fits SimpleFlo valves, DryTraps, and Universal PET Closure fittings; and liquid flows through it quickly. It takes only about 9 minutes to transfer 22.7 liters of water through a 1.2 meter (~4') length of 1/4" ID, PET-lined tubing connecting two carboys that are equipped with Racking Adapters and SimpleFlo Valves when the empty carboy is placed on the floor and the full carboy is placed on a counter 1 meter (~39") above the floor. 

The 3/8" ID size makes and excellent blow hose for very heavy foams and will fit perfectly into BetterBottle Universal PET Closure. Starting a siphon with either the 1/4" or 3/8" ID tubing is not difficult; however, streaming and air blocking can be a problem with the 1/2" tubing, because the PET lining is so smooth and non-wetting. As a rule, the 1/2" size is primarily used in larger scale operations and to make cuffs to adapt the 3/8" ID size to 1/2" fittings.

Cleaning / Sanitizing
Bev-Seal Ultra® tubing is extremely easy to clean and sanitize. Simply run appropriate cleaning and sanitizing solutions through the tubing and rinse. Running the solutions through the tubing will avoid the problems associated with washing tubing in a bucket (e.g., trapped bubbles, keeping the tubing submerged, splashing and dribbling, etc.).  Read the Wash/Sanitize section, under the Technical tab at the top of this page, for important information.

Part Numbers
1/4" ID X 3/8" OD PET-Lined Tubing - BB-TUBE(BSU2) - specify coil or cut length
3/8" ID X 1/2" OD PET-Lined Tubing - BB-TUBE(BSU3) - specify coil or cut length
1/2" ID X 5/8" OD PET-Lined Tubing - BB-TUBE(BSU4) - specify coil or cut length

Packaging
Harmonized System Code - 3923.30.90.90 applies to these parts

BB-TUBE(BSUx) -
Cut lengths
Boxed 500' Spool.