Peristaltic Pump Guide

Guide To: Peristaltic Pumps

Working alongside Albin Pumps for better Peristaltic and Hose Pump Solutions.

 

What is a Peristaltic Pump?

A Peristaltic Pump is a positive displacement pump that is known for being simple in operation, sanitary, extremely versatile and robust. The pump is designed with rollers or shoes within the pump that push down on the hose to move the product.

 

How does a Peristaltic Pump work?

The Peristaltic Pump operates by rollers or shoes within the pump turning. As they do, they push down on the wall of the hose within the pump. As they push down and continue to turn, they generate a force that pushes the product through the hose towards the discharge port. The operating principle is much like that of squeezing toothpaste out of the tube, the pressure caused by pushing down and rolling forward forces the product along.

What options are available in the Peristaltic Pump range?

• High Pressure Peristaltic Pump (ALH) – for applications requiring high pressures up to 15 Bar.
• Low Pressure Peristaltic Pump (ALP) – for applications requiring a lower flow and low pressure of up to 4 Bar.
• High Pressure Peristaltic Pump with Roller Design (ALHX) – for application requiring high flow rates and a high degree of accuracy.
• CIP Peristaltic Pump (ALH) – for applications requiring high pressures, up to 15 Bar, and a Clean In Place functionality. The Clean In Place is achieved by the shoes within the wheel system being pulled away so that they are not in contact with the hose during cleaning and enabling a full clean through of the pump without it operating.

 

What are the benefits of using a Peristaltic Pump?

• Peristaltic Pumps can self-prime up to 9.8 meters
• Reduced risk of leaks and contamination due to a sealless design. The Peristaltic Pump is the only positive displacement pump on the market that separates the pump from the fluid
• The hose is the only component that comes into contact with the product being pumped which ensures that the pump can handle aggressive fluids and is simple to maintain
• Peristaltic Pumps have a low operating noise level at 1 meter < 70 dB
• Albin Pumps provide Peristaltic Pumps in 21 different sizes with a range of flow rates from 0 to 200m3/hr
• Superior design of hoses. The hoses used in a Peristaltic Pump are manufactured from 2 – 6 individual layers of braided polyamide. These are compressed together to provide customers with a hose that lasts almost 30% longer than standard hoses on the market. The long life of these hoses will keep maintenance costs low
• Capable of dry running without causing damage to the pump
• The Peristaltic Pump can be ATEX rated upon request
• Bi-Directional flow meaning the pump can be used for emptying and re-filling applications by simply adjusting the direction of rotation. Performance in both directions remains the same

These pumps are also available with the following accessories:

• Vacuum Assist Systems for high viscosity fluids
• Trolley mounted
• Tri-Lobe for precise dosing
• Hose rupture detector
• Revolution counter with digital display or pulsed output
• Diesel or Hydraulic drive options available
• Heating coils for maintaining product temperature
• Mounted variable speed controllers (Mechanical & Electrical)
• Twin or multi-headed configurations

 

What applications can a Peristaltic Pump be used for?

Peristaltic Pumps can handle a variety of applications including transferring, metering and dosing at low and high pressures for viscous, aggressive, neutral or abrasive liquids.

• Food, dairy & beverage: Beer yeast, olive oil, wine, tomato sauce, milk, yoghurt, gelatine, mash potatoes, cream
• Bakeries: Natural flavourings, fats, cake dough/mixtures that require nut or fruit pieces to stay whole
• Paint: Acrylics, ink, water-based paint
• Meat & Fish processing
• Pharmaceutical & Cosmetics: Shampoos, vaccines, chemical dosing, syrups
• Waste water & water treatment: Fluoride, activated carbon, lime cream, sludge, foams, dispersion, caustic soda
• Chemical & Petrochemical: Alcohol, soap, PVDF latex, non-aromatic solvents
• Pulp & Paper: Paper waste sludge, chemical dosing, latex
• Ceramics: Mould filling, filter press feeding, plaster, cement flooring, light concrete
• Surface Treatment: Acids, alkalis, paints and copper, nickel, zinc-iron, silver, gold plating
• Anaerobic Digestion: Waste sludge, process food and general waste

 

Hoses for your application

Each hose that we supply is ideal for particular applications, but all hoses have been designed to ensure that they can withstand:

• Highly abrasive products
• Cyclic compression
• Varying temperatures of the fluid being pumped
• Chemically aggressive products
• High Pressures

We have a range of hoses per your application, see below for the ALH series:

• Natural Rubber (NR): Flexible in application, this hose has a high abrasion resistance
• NR Food: This pump is appropriate for the food industry as the natural rubber is FDA approved and holds a CE 1935-2004 certificate
• Nitrile Buna (NBR): This hose is appropriate for greases, oils and polymers
• NBR Food: This pump is ideal for the food industry as it is CE 1935-2004 certified and FDA approved
• Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM): Ideal for applications requiring a high chemical resistance
• Hypalon/Synthetic Rubber: This hose is ideal for applications requiring a high chemical resistance, including liquids such as chromic, nitric, sulfuric, sodium hypochlorite and sulfuric acid
• Viton/FKM: This hose is ideal for fluids such as petrol, lubricants, fuel and solvents that require a high chemical resistance. This hose is also ideal for applications requiring temperature resistance

 

Hose Maintenance

Cleaning the hose:

It is important to clean the hose within your Peristaltic Pump. With certain products, such as sticky fluids, this needs to be done regularly (ideally after every use of your pump) to avoid the product being pumped, hardening the inside of the hose. Luckily, cleaning the hose in your Peristaltic Pump is straight forward as there is no need for the hose to be removed from the pump.

It is important to check that the cleaning liquid being used is compatible with the material that your hose is manufactured from, as well as the temperature of the liquid.

Hose Replacement:

Hose replacement is quite straight forward but it’s important that it is completed by someone who is familiar with the Peristaltic Pump Maintenance Manual.

If your pump installation is fitted with an inverter, it is possible that the inverter can do the work for you. The inverter can feed the hose in and out of the pump. If the hose life is too short, please check that the pump is being operated under the correct circumstances for the material of the hose, this could include:

• The pump speed being too high
• Product temperature being too high
• Discharge pressure being too high
• Bad roller / shoe adjustment & shimming
• The hose material not being compatible with the product being pumped

 

How to maintain a Peristaltic Pump?

The following checks should be carried out to maintain your Peristaltic Pump:

• Check the oil level in the gearbox
• Check the pump lubricant. For ALH this is lubricant and for ALP it is grease
• Check for leakages surrounding the inlet and outlet ports of the pump as well as the leakage channel at the back of the pump casing on for the ALH series
• Strange noises coming from the pump, gearbox or bearing case could suggest worn bearings that require replacement
• Check the temperature of the pump casing. The cover and the pump casing are likely to become very hot during operation due to friction on the hose, the fluid temperature may also make the pump very hot. The temperature of the pump casing is only a problem if it is abnormally hot. If the temperature of your pump becomes a problem, please get in contact with us
• When changing the hose, check for wear on the roller pressing surface

 

 

At TS Pumps we specialise in the supply and service of industrial pumps and systems into key industries and markets, so if this pump isn’t quite right for you, you can read more about our full range of pumps here or contact our team today to discuss your business requirements.