subject: Low Maintenance Pumping Solutions with Peristaltic Pumps [print this page] A peristaltic pump is a type of positive displacement pump that uses moving components to pump various fluids that are contained within flexible tubing. They are of two types, viz. rotary peristaltic pumps and linear peristaltic pumps. The rotary peristaltic pumps are also known as roller pumps, and they contain two rollers that are equally spaced on opposite sides of a rotating hub. These rollers compress the flexible tubing at two sections, trapping a specific quantity of fluid between them. The trapped fluid is pushed with pressure towards the discharge side of the pump, where one of the rollers unseals the flexible tubing, causing the liquid to be forced out of the pump. Additional fluid is drawn into the pump from the suction side until the rotating rollers seal the flexible tubing again, repeating the pumping process.
On the other hand, the linear peristaltic pump consists of numerous plates, each with an eccentric hole at the top, tightly packed together. Through the eccentric passes a camshaft which, on rotation, causes the plates to move downwards in a series. The flexible tubing placed below the pump is first compressed by the plate closest to the suction side, followed by the next plate in line and so forth, forcing forward the fluid within the tubing. As the fluid moves forward, the plate at the suction side lifts, allowing additional fluid to enter the tubing and the pumping process is repeated.
These peristaltic pump systems transcend numerous industries with a common requirement of flexible tubing. Peristaltic pumps are specially designed for low maintenance and have smooth interior surfaces for easy cleaning operations, which results in reduced maintenance cost. The biggest advantage of peristaltic pumps is the completely sealed system that contains only a few moving parts. In addition, no occurrence of pump/fluid contamination is observed as the peristaltic tubing is the only part of the pump in contact with the fluid, rendering it ideal for slurries, viscous, shear-sensitive, and aggressive fluids. Different fluids can be pumped easily using a single peristaltic pump offering easy installations and simple operations.
Peristaltic pumps are also reversible and can be flushed to clean the tubing or hose. The tubing in peristaltic pumps is often replaceable or disposable, allowing for quick change over to another fluid without the fear of cross contamination. In addition, the latest peristaltic pumps are designed such that the peristaltic pump tubing offers resistance to chemicals, which comply with Ingress Protection (IP) ratings offering high degree of protection provided by the enclosures. This ensures low maintenance with the positive displacement action preventing backflow, irrespective of the fluid being used. The design of the pump also eliminates the need for check valves, further reducing the maintenance required for the pump.
Some of the common applications of peristaltic pumps include:
Chromatography sample analysis in laboratory
Tablet coating in pharmaceutical industry
Sanitary delivery in CIP system in food processing
Kidney dialysis in medical industry
Chlorine dosing in swimming pool
Blood and body fluid analysis
Wine and spirit analysis
To find a peristaltic pump for your specific application, please check out a comprehensive list of peristaltic pump manufacturers at Zycon.
Low Maintenance Pumping Solutions with Peristaltic Pumps
