The peristaltic pump borrows its trick from biology: the same wave-like squeezing your gut uses to move food along. A roller or shoe presses a flexible hose against a curved housing and travels along it, pushing the liquid ahead and drawing more in behind. The liquid touches nothing but the inside of the hose, which is what makes these pumps so good at handling sterile, abrasive and shear-sensitive fluids that would defeat or contaminate other designs.
We supply peristaltic pumps from Enviroflex and Graco (the Solotech range), and can source other makes for a specific job. The ranges are below, or call +44 1332 913500 for help choosing.
Inside the pump, rollers or shoes on a rotor press a flexible hose or tube against a fixed housing. As a roller travels along, it squeezes the liquid in front of it toward the outlet, and behind it the hose springs back to shape, pulling fresh liquid in through the suction side. There are always at least two compression points on the hose, so the flow is continuous rather than pulsing.
The key point is that nothing but the hose ever meets the liquid. No valves, seals or glands sit in the flow path, which is exactly why peristaltic pumps suit sterile, hygienic, corrosive, abrasive and shear-sensitive duties where contamination or product damage cannot be allowed.
Peristaltic pumps split into two camps depending on the flexible element.
Peristaltic hose pumps use a heavy, reinforced rubber or elastomer hose squeezed by shoes or rollers in a circular housing. Built for industrial duty, a peristaltic hose pump handles high viscosities, over 50,000 cPs in some cases, along with abrasive slurries, solids-laden fluids and aggressive chemicals, at higher pressures and flows than tube pumps. The Enviroflex and Graco Solotech ranges we supply are hose pumps.
Peristaltic tube pumps use a thinner, smaller-bore tube squeezed by rollers on a rotor. A peristaltic tube pump suits lower flows, precision dosing and laboratory work, and is common in medical, pharmaceutical, water treatment dosing and analytical equipment.
Both run on the same principle; the choice comes down to flow, pressure, the fluid and whether the job is heavy process work or fine metering.
Since the hose is the only wetted part, its material is critical. Common options are natural rubber for general duty and abrasive slurries, EPDM for water-based chemicals and food, NBR or Nitrile for oils, fats and hydrocarbons, Hypalon for acids and chemical resistance, and food-grade compounds certified to FDA and EC 1935/2004. We advise on the right hose for your fluid.
To specify a peristaltic pump we need the flow rate, the discharge pressure or system back-pressure, the fluid (viscosity, solids, abrasiveness, chemistry, temperature) and the suction conditions. Hose size and rotor speed are then matched to the duty. Tell us about the application on +44 1332 913500 and we will recommend the right pump and hose, sourcing beyond Enviroflex and Graco Solotech if your requirement calls for it.
If your questions have not been answered here, get in touch with our team for more information.
A peristaltic pump is a positive displacement pump that moves fluid by squeezing a flexible hose or tube with rotating rollers or shoes. The fluid only contacts the inside of the hose, so the pump is inherently contamination-free, self-priming and gentle on shear-sensitive products. Peristaltic pumps are also known as hose pumps or roller pumps.
A peristaltic hose pump uses a heavy-duty reinforced hose and is designed for industrial process duties, handling high viscosities, abrasive slurries, solids and aggressive chemicals at higher pressures and flow rates. A peristaltic tube pump uses a thinner, smaller-diameter tube and is typically used for lower flow rates, precision dosing and laboratory applications. Both work on the same principle.
Yes. Peristaltic hose pumps can handle fluids with suspended solids, fibres and particulates without blockage, because there are no valves, close tolerances or narrow passages for solids to clog. They are widely used for sludge, slurry, pulp and other solids-laden fluids.
Peristaltic pumps are dry-run capable: they can operate without fluid for short periods without immediate damage, as the hose compresses against itself rather than relying on the fluid for lubrication. Prolonged dry running will accelerate hose wear, so it should be avoided where possible.
Hose life depends on the fluid, pressure, speed and how abrasive or aggressive the pumped liquid is. On clean, non-abrasive fluids at moderate duty, a hose may last 12 months or more. On highly abrasive slurries or aggressive chemicals, replacement intervals may be shorter. The hose is the only wear part, and replacement is quick and straightforward.
Yes. Because the fluid only contacts the inside of the hose, peristaltic pumps are inherently hygienic. With food-grade hose materials (FDA and EC 1935/2004 certified), they are widely used for pumping beer, wine, wort, cream, fruit pulp, sauces and other food products without contamination or product damage.
