PeriFlo - Peristaltic Hose & Tube Pumps

Peristaltic/Hose Pumps - An Introduction

Peristaltic pumps belong to the family of positive volumetric displacement pumps and are frequently referred to as “hose pumps” or “tube pumps”.  Early designs date to the 1800’s with modern industrial designs dating to the 1950’s.  They are well recognized for their simplicity of design and simple, efficient operation.  Unlike other common positive displacement type pumps, peristaltic pumps have no complicated inlet/outlet check valves or piston packing, and they eliminate costly mechanical shaft seals required in other rotary pump designs.  The simple, rugged design of the modern peristaltic pump involves only one wear part, the hose or tube.

Modern advances in rubber and plastic technology have led to the development of hoses and tubes with high mechanical strength for long service life and higher working pressures, higher operating temperatures and dramatically improved chemical resistance in peristaltic pumps.  With continued advances in technology, peristaltic pumps have been adopted for a wide variety of applications.

Featuring a simple, rugged design that will run dry indefinitely without damage, peristaltic pumps deliver a fixed volume of fluid with each revolution and self-prime to 28 ft.  Peristaltic pumps have gained rapid industrial acceptance as the pump of choice for applications involving the transfer, metering and batching of abrasive slurries, viscous, and shear-sensitive fluids.  Their only limitation is compatibility of the hose with the pumped fluid.

Theory of Operation of Peristaltic Pumps

The operation of peristaltic pumps is extremely simple.  A tubular element is compressed with a rotary compressor, typically a roller or a shoe.  When the roller or shoe compresses the tube, a fixed volume of fluid is trapped in the tube.  As the compressor continues to rotate, the compression point shifts, gently pushing the trapped volume of fluid out through the discharge, adding the fixed volume of fluid to the discharge line.  At the same time, the tube behind the rotating compressor fully recovers its original shape, creating a vacuum and drawing fluid from the suction of the pump to fill the tube.  Since a fixed volume of fluid is delivered with each rotation of the compressor, the peristaltic pump is a true positive displacement device.  The rotary compressor is usually driven by an electric, hydraulic or pneumatic drive for accurate speed and volumetric control. 

The tubular element is either a rubber hose (Natural Rubber, Buna N or EPDM) for operating pressures up to 225 psi, or a thermoplastic tube (Norprene, Pharmed or Tygon) for operating pressures up to 30 psi.

The rotary compressor is either a roller (for moderate pressures up to 116 psi), or a lubricated shoe (for higher pressures up to 225 psi).

PeriFlo Peristaltic Pump Designs

PeriFlo roller designs (models AMP & FMP) incorporate grease lubricated bearings that allow the rollers to roll smoothly along the surface of the hose / tube during compression, resulting in lower operating torque, reduced friction and longer hose / tube life in the peristaltic pump.  Designed for operating pressures up to 116 psi.

The PeriFlo shoe design (model RBT) incorporates a shoe that slides along the surface of the hose during compression, resulting in more compression force and higher pressure capability.  A specially formulated hose lube bath reduces friction between the shoe and the hose and helps to dissipate heat.  Designed for operating pressures up to 225 psi.

Read More About Hose & Tube Peristaltic Pumps