Peristaltic pumps – find manufacturers and suppliers

Peristaltic pumps offer a hygienic, low-maintenance and particularly gentle pumping solution for sensitive, abrasive or viscous media.

Their operating principle - the squeezing of a flexible hose - ensures that the pumped medium only comes into contact with the hose material.

Below you will find the operation, features and use of peristaltic pumps, their advantages and the limitations and challenges that arise when using them:

How peristaltic pumps work:

Delivery principle of peristaltic pumps:

As the rotor turns, the rollers compress the tubing in sections, displacing the liquid. Behind the pressure point, the tube expands again and draws in new fluid. This creates a continuous, even flow.

A typical peristaltic pump consists of:

1. Motor (electric or pneumatic): Drives the movement.
2. Rotor with rollers or sliding shoes: Rotates and presses the tube against the pump wall.
3. Flexible hose: The medium flows exclusively through this hose.
4. Housing: Encloses the technology and protects it from external influences.

Features of peristaltic pumps:

1. Self-priming up to several meters.
2. Can run dry as there is no direct contact between the medium and mechanical parts.
3. Direction of flow can be reversed by changing the direction of rotation of the rotor.
4. Sealing system not required as the hose completely encloses the medium.

Use of peristaltic pumps:

Peristaltic pumps are used wherever contamination-free, precise or gentle pumping is required - especially with challenging liquids.

1. Medicine and laboratory technology:
Infusion, dialysis, pump systems in analysis devices:
Dosing of minute quantities, e.g. for medicines, cell cultures, reagents.
Blood and plasma transport, as the medium is handled particularly gently.

2. Food and beverage industry:
Hygienic conveying of juices, flavors, yogurt, doughs or concentrates.
CIP/SIP capability (Cleaning/Sterilization in Place) in closed systems.

3. Chemical industry:
Conveying aggressive, abrasive or corrosive media.
Used for precise dosing of chemicals, acids and alkalis.

4. Water and waste water technology:
Dosing of additives, flocculants, chlorine or pH regulators.
Use in sampling systems for groundwater and wastewater samples.

5. Environmental and analysis technology:
Sampling in sensitive areas e.g. groundwater, contaminated soils.
Ideal for samples with particles or low throughput.

6. Industrial automation:
Integration into systems for liquid dosing at precise intervals.
In packaging machines for filling processes of liquids with hygienic requirements.

Advantages of peristaltic pumps:

• No contamination: the pumped liquid only touches the hose.
• High chemical compatibility, depending on the hose material (e.g. silicone, Viton, Norprene).
• Gentle pumping: Ideal for sensitive media or biological material.
• Easy hose replacement: Low maintenance requirements.
• Self-priming and dry-running: No additional technology required.
• Reversible flow direction: Ideal for applications with changing flow requirements.
• Good dosing capability: Especially in combination with a speed-controlled drive.

Limits and challenges of peristaltic pumps:

• Hose wear: The hose is a typical wear part and must be replaced regularly.
• Limited pressure capability: Usually limited to around 2-8 bar (depending on the model).
• Pulsation: The flow rate is not completely even, but can be reduced by special designs.
• Limited flow rate: Not suitable for very large volume flows.

Overall, peristaltic pumps are a reliable and versatile solution - especially where hygiene, dosing accuracy and media-contact-free pumping are paramount. They also enable precise dosing and are capable of both pulsating and continuous pumping. Disadvantages such as the limited service life of the hose and the lower maximum pressure compared to other pump types are often outweighed by their flexibility, self-priming capability and dry-running reliability.

Here you will find an overview of the most important criteria to look out for when buying peristaltic pumps:

When buying peristaltic pumps, there are some important factors to consider to ensure that the pumps meet the expectations placed on them and work reliably. The most important selection criterion is the medium to be pumped.

• Safe and long-lasting operation can only be guaranteed if the peristaltic pumps - especially the hose - are suitable for the medium.
• It is therefore important to consider where and for what purpose the pump will be used before making a purchase:
• Laboratory use, industrial production, food processing, biotechnology, medical technology, etc.
• Should it run continuously or intermittently?
• Is it for dosing, conveying or transferring**?
• Not every medium is suitable for every pump. Check before buying:
• The viscosity of the medium (e.g. water vs. honey).
• The abrasiveness (does the medium contain solids?)
• The chemical composition (aggressive, solvent-containing, sterile)
• The temperature range in which the pump is to operate.
• Is the medium to be pumped sensitive to shear forces?
• The performance must match the application:
• How much volume per minute or hour is required?
• How high are the system pressures (inlet/outlet)?
• What delivery head must be overcome?
• How precisely do you need to convey or dose?
• As only the hose comes into contact with the medium, its selection is crucial:
• Material compatibility e.g. silicone, PharMed, Norprene, Viton.
• Lifetime of the hose in continuous operation?
• Certifications: FDA, USP Class VI, food approval?
• The design of the pump head influences performance, maintenance and smooth running:
• How many rollers or shoes are installed?
• How easy is it to replace the hose?
• Are there models with multi-channel systems?
• How easy is it to clean (CIP/SIP-capable)?
• The drive and control system determine how well the pump can be integrated into an overall system:
• Manual, analog controlled or digitally programmable?
• Are there interfaces, e.g. RS232, USB, Ethernet, Modbus?
• Is the drive speed variable?
• Are automated processes supported, e.g. via PLC?
• A cheap pump is not necessarily cheap to operate:
• How long will the hose last in actual use?
• Are spare parts readily available at short notice?
• How accessible are wearing parts?
• What services does the manufacturer offer?
• Is the pump designed for continuous operation or only for short-term use?
• What is the workmanship, stability and material quality like?
• Depending on the industry, certain requirements may be mandatory: GMP conformity, FDA approval, ISO certificates?
• Are validation documents available (DQ/IQ/OQ)?
• In addition to the purchase price, the following points should be included in the evaluation:
• Cost of replacement hoses and accessories, the service life of the components. energy consumption.
• Slightly more expensive but high-quality pumps are often cheaper in the long term than cheap models.

When purchasing peristaltic pumps, it is not just the pumping capacity that is important, but also a well thought-out combination of media compatibility, hose material, control technology and ease of maintenance. It is crucial that the pump fits the application perfectly - both technically and economically. If you take a comprehensive look at the requirements in advance, you can avoid expensive bad purchases and work more efficiently in the long term.

Peristaltic pumps can be purchased from various suppliers. Comprehensive information about manufacturers and suppliers of Peristaltic pumps from all over the world can be found on Exportpages.