Peristaltic Pumps
Pump fluid and keep it from contacting the surrounding environment with 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.
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.
Try: 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.
Try: 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.
Try: 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.
- Use an extra-large diameter tube for applications involving slurry or viscous fluids.
Copyright © 2011 Business.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
