What is a Peristaltic Pump?
You might not realize this, but you are a peristaltic pump, or at least your gastro-intestinal tract is. When you swallow, your throat squeezes shut and forces food or liquids through your gut, all the way down the line. This is called peristalsis. In a similar manner, the pump operates by squeezing shut (occluding) flexible tube between a roller and a fixed surface. Fluid is pushed through the tube in the same manner as a human swallowing. As the rollers pass, the hose rebounds, gulping in more fluid from the intake manifold. The next roller squeezes the hose shut and the process repeats. The Accu-Staltic pump requires no valves, and the fluid is retained in the hose, never directly wetting the pump. The pump can meter a variety of difficult applications like oils, suspensions, concentrates, slurries, and emulsions. Fluids to 3000 cP (honey) can be pumped easily, and depending on the application and fluid properties, materials up to 10,000 cP (axle grease)can be pumped.
A peristaltic pump works by pressure and displacement. It is used mainly to pump liquids through a tube, which is different than most other pumps in which parts of the pump actually come into direct contact with the liquid. It is one of the most common types of tools used to pump liquids, especialy in medical settings. Because the mechanical workings of the peristaltic pump never come into contact with the fluid directly, it has a number of uses, especially in situations where sterile fluids are required. A peristaltic pump operates by allowing fluids into a hose. The fluid then flows into the pump casing through the hose. Once there, a rotor with a number of rollers compresses the tube forcing the liquid on through the pump and directing it to its final destination. This technique is known as peristalsis. Thus, the tool is called a peristaltic pump. Often, when using a peristaltic pump, the fluids must be kept in a pure environment. Therefore, the hoses must always contain the same fl
