Peristaltic pumps can provide ideal pumping solutions for many applications, particularly those dealing with materials that are abrasive, corrosive or viscous. They can be used to pump a variety of materials from clean/sterile fluids to highly aggressive fluids. They also are commonly used to move intravenous fluids through an infusion device, aggressive chemicals, high solid content slurries, and other materials that require isolation of the product from the environment. In addition, peristaltic pumps use a gentle pumping action that is ideal for shear, sensitive polymers and fragile cell cultures. Peristaltic hose pumps can circulate slurry with specific gravities of 1.8 and higher. They can also handle up to 80 percent solid content. Because peristaltic pumps do not have valves, seals or glands, they are relatively inexpensive to maintain compared with other pumping equipment. Unlike traditional pump types that suffer from frequent downtime and low plant performance, hose pumps can pump dense fluids while maintaining high levels of plant availability.
Integral design features, such as the heavy-duty hose, reduce maintenance costs and improve efficiency in dosing applications.
11/25/2014
Figure 1. Peristaltic pumps transfer fluid by compressing and relaxing a hose or tubing, creating a vacuum that draws in the fluid. (Images and graphics courtesy of Verderflex)
Image 1. Two hose pumps move saltwater through a 350-meter pipe in a water softener plant.
During this process, the pumped medium does not contact any moving parts and is completely contained within a heavy-duty hose or a precision-extruded tube. This mechanism makes the pump suitable for accurate dosing applications. The hose has a pressure rating of up to 16 bar, and the tube has a pressure rating of up to 2 bar.
Image 2. The hose pump doses and circulates lime mixture in the tank.
Image 3. Tube pumps replaced the existing metering pumps.
Image 4. A hose pump replaces a diaphragm metering pump.