Industrial peristaltic pumps are used to pump fluids that could easily be cross contaminated by other sources. Peristaltic pumps also ensure that the fluid contained within the system does not contaminate by outside sources. Large and small peristaltic pumps work by method of positive displacement. A rotor turns, moving the fluid through flexible tubes. The tubes are compressed with each rotor turn to keep the fluid moving throughout the system.

This technology is used to pump blood, cement, water, sewage and a host of other materials. Peristaltic pumps also come in a range of sizes from portable to large industrial models. Most peristaltic pump manufacturers offer some type of training materials or courses, ranging from operation manuals to seminars and workshops. You can find peristaltic pumps education and training through:

1. Operation manuals or user guides provided by peristaltic pump suppliers.

2. Training videos offered by manufacturers and peristaltic pump distributors.

3. Class and workshop training on operations and maintenance.

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Find training videos provided by manufacturers of peristaltic pumps

Many manufacturers provide training materials for their products. Peristaltic pumps manufacturers take the extra step of making training videos. Training videos cover a range of topics, from general maintenance and parts replacement, to troubleshooting and repairing common problems. Many video are specific to a certain brand, but can also provide useful information for other similar models.

I recommend: Blue-White Industries offers training videos for three different models of peristaltic pump machines. Cannon Water Technology offers a video on how to replace tubes on Stenner peristaltic pumps.

Consider classroom training from suppliers of peristaltic pumps

Some suppliers offer classroom training for their pump equipment. You can organize on-site training yourself using course materials, or the manufacturer may send a consultant to teach your employees. In addition to on-site training, many companies also offer implementation and installation help for large industrial peristaltic pumps. Larger pumps are used in sewage treatment, cement mixing and other industrial applications.

I recommend: P&L Specialties offers on-site training for its line of peristaltic pumps through the Equipment Maintenance Program. Training-Classes.com has a CD-ROM training course on how to operate many types of industrial pumps, including peristaltic pumps.

Explore operation manuals for your industrial peristaltic pump

To teach employees about operating and maintaining a peristaltic pump, you can use the operation manual as a training tool. You can make the manual available as part of a self-guided training program, or as part of an in-house training course. Operations manuals are a good source of model-specific information that may be hard to find in a general training course.

I recommend: Global Water Instrumentation offers user manuals for its water sampler equipment and portable peristaltic pumps. Lambda Laboratory Instruments provides operational manuals for its complete line of peristaltic pumps.

Peristaltic pumps consist of a rotor fitted with rollers, also called shoes or wipers, and a flexible tube. As the rotor turns, the rollers compress the tube and move fluid along. The action of the fluid exiting the pump induces more liquid into the pump, which is known as peristalsis. The key difference between a peristaltic pump and other types is that the fluid does not touch the outside environment or even the moving parts inside the pump.

This fluid isolation feature is what makes peristaltic pumps so advantageous for food and pharmaceutical applications, where the pumped fluid must remain clean or sterile. Additionally, industrial peristaltic pumps are excellent for applications that involve corrosive or harmful fluids that must not contact the general environment. Here are some of the other advantages of peristaltic pumps:

1. Since no liquid touches the parts of a peristaltic pump, they are not expensive to manufacture and have longevity.

2. Most peristaltic pumps are reversible for when you need to flush fluid residue or sludge, and some tubes are disposable for total removal of a fluid substance.

3. Peristaltic pumps have no valves or seals, which makes them relatively easy to maintain.

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Look for medical, food and other sterile application peristaltic pump distributors

Peristaltic pumps vary only a little in how they function. What makes the difference is tube type and size, as well as drive type. The applications of food, pharmaceutical and medical industries generally do not require pumps on the same order of magnitude as some other industrial peristaltic pump applications. Look for manufacturers that have good selections of small or appropriately fitted peristaltic pumps.

I recommend: Watson-Marlow Bredel has it all. They manufacture peristaltic pumps for nearly all types of applications, including a wide range of models designed for the industries listed above. If you want to keep things simple, then Welco may be a good choice. They have one basic setup in various sizes.

Buy appropriately from industrial peristaltic pump manufacturers and peristaltic pump suppliers

When pumping hazardous chemicals and the like, make sure to use an appropriate type of tube. A peristaltic pump manufacturer might make the tube from PVC, silicone or other polymers and materials, each of which acts differently with various fluids. Be aware of this factor as you shop manufacturers of peristaltic pumps.

I recommend: Vector industrial peristaltic pumps do come in models well fitted for pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, but they also have models for large-scale and hazardous applications. Vector covers sewage treatment, chemical processing, mining, dairy and many other applications. PeriFlo is another source for high-volume peristaltic pumps.

Maintain your peristaltic pump

For the most part, maintaining your peristaltic pump means replacing the tubing periodically. The inside parts seldom need attention, but making the occasional examination is a good precaution.

I recommend: First check the manufacturer or supplier where you purchased your peristaltic pump for information on maintenance and replacement tubes. Additionally, Watson-Marlow Tubing supplies silicone and Bioprene TPE tubing mostly for the pharmaceutical industry, but also for water waste, food and many other applications. Longer Precision Pump is another source for tubing.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Use an extra-large diameter tube for applications involving slurry or viscous fluids.

Injection pumps are one of the most important components of automotive engine systems. The performance of the engine greatly depends on the proper functioning of the fuel injection system. The fuel injection system determines the flow of fuel to the engine.

If you wish to establish yourself as an injection pump supplier or buy an injection pump, you will need to understand basic terminology associated with injection pumps. This guide covers some of the key terms related to injection pumps, such as a pump-nozzle injection pump, fuel injectors, fuel injection timing, fuel filters, actuators and insulating gaskets.

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Pump-nozzle injection pump

A pump-nozzle injection pump is the latest pump technology developed for internal combustion engines. This is a high performance pump that removes the pressure lines that are associated with distributor injection pumps.

I recommend: You can learn about the pump-nozzle injection pump in diesel engines at Volkswagen.

Positive displacement pump

Injection pumps are a type of positive displacement pump. Unlike centrifugal pumps, positive displacement pumps produce the same flow at a particular speed (RPM) irrespective of the discharge pressure.

I recommend: You can read through detailed technical information on positive displacement pumps and their types at The Engineering ToolBox, an online knowledge resource for engineering students and professionals.

RPM (Revolutions Per Minute)

RPM is a typical term related to the electric and electronic rotating devices. RPM is a measure of the rotational speed of a motor. It measures the revolutions that the spindle of a motor makes in one minute. The more revolutions per minute, the higher the power of the injection pump.

I recommend: You can read through the definition of RPM at Convertworld.com.

Fuel injection timing

Injection pumps inject fuel into the engine. Fuel injection timing controls the amount of fuel that the pump delivers to the engine by timing the opening and closing of valves in varied conditions without affecting the performance or the emissions of the engine.

I recommend: American Chemical Society offers a paper that provides information about the effects of fuel injection timing on fuel consumption, combustion and emission characteristics in diesel engines.

External gear pumps

External gear pumps are another type of injection pump. These pumps use two identical gears rotating against each other, out of which the prime mover drives the pinion and the other gear rotates with it. External gear pumps are useful for applications such as fuel systems and chemical industry equipment.

I recommend: Viking Pump Inc., a reputable manufacturer of pumps, offers information about various pumps, including external gear pumps.

Actuators

Pump actuators are the mechanical devices that activate the movement of the pump powered by electric signals. The actuators control the flow of fuel into the engine by controlling the movement of the valve to let the fuel in.

I recommend: You can find information about how the actuators work and their applications at Network Liquidators, a reputable provider of new and used networking systems.