How do Peristaltic Pumps work?
A peristaltic pump has a rotor carrying two or more rollers that press the tubing against a curved raceway. As the rotor turns, the rollers occlude the tube and push a trapped volume of liquid forward, while the tube behind the roller recovers and draws in more fluid. The displaced volume per revolution depends on the tube bore and wall, so flow is set by tube size and rotation speed. Because the fluid stays inside the tubing, the pump head never touches the sample, giving excellent chemical compatibility and making sterilization simple: replace the tubing or use pre-sterilized sets. Flow is nearly pulseless at higher speeds but slightly pulsed at low speeds and with few rollers. Typical components are the drive motor, pump head, tubing, and a control interface for speed, direction and sometimes calibration.
Which Peristaltic Pumps variants are available?
- Variable-Speed Peristaltic Pump — A variable-speed peristaltic pump is a single-channel drive with adjustable rotation speed for continuous liquid transfer and general dosing.
- Multi-Channel Peristaltic Pump — A multi-channel peristaltic pump drives several tubes in parallel from one rotor, delivering the same flow to multiple vessels.
- Dispensing Peristaltic Pump — A dispensing peristaltic pump measures and delivers set volumes automatically, often with footswitch, repeat mode and programmable profiles.
- Industrial Peristaltic Pump — An industrial peristaltic pump handles high flows and continuous duty for process, pilot and production work.
- Portable Battery-Powered Peristaltic Pump — A portable battery-powered peristaltic pump runs on rechargeable batteries for field sampling, in-cabinet work and locations without mains power.
- Micro Peristaltic Pump for Microfluidics — A micro peristaltic pump delivers microliter to milliliter flows for microfluidics, organ-on-chip and low-volume dosing.
How do I choose the right variant?
Start with flow range and tubing size. Small-bore tubing gives microliter flows for microfluidics and dosing, while large-bore tubing moves liters per minute for media transfer and process work. Confirm the tubing material for chemical compatibility and temperature: silicone is flexible and autoclavable, while PharMed or Viton resist solvents and high temperatures. Decide whether you need a single channel or several channels running in parallel, and whether channel-to-channel accuracy matters. Choose the drive for speed range, torque and control features such as dispensing, ramp profiles, remote control and data output. For sterile work, look for autoclavable or disposable tubing sets and quick-release heads. Consider pulsation where smooth flow is important, since more rollers and higher speeds reduce it. Add calibration to convert speed into a reliable volume.
Where are Peristaltic Pumps used?
Peristaltic Pumps are specified in sterile media and buffer transfer, reagent dosing and metering, continuous flow chemistry, chromatography mobile phase delivery, cell harvesting and perfusion and automated sample and waste handling.
Which standards and certifications apply?
Work with Peristaltic Pumps is commonly governed by IEC 61010-1, IEC 61326-1, ISO 9001, USP <87>, USP <88> and GB 4793.1. Instrument certifications such as CE marking are confirmed per configuration and never assumed.
What are the key considerations before purchase?
Tubing is the main consumable and also the calibration reference, so keep the same part number and replace it on a schedule or when flow drifts. Recalibrate after changing tubing, since wall thickness and elasticity affect volume per revolution. Avoid over-tightening the pump head, which shortens tube life, and do not run dry for long periods unless the tubing is rated for it. Keep the raceway and rollers clean, and check for wear that causes uneven flow. For sterile or hazardous liquids, work inside a biosafety cabinet and use closed tubing sets. Follow IEC 61010-1 for electrical safety. In flow chemistry and metering applications, verify against a balance or flow meter, and record tubing lot and calibration data so results remain traceable.
