Peristaltic Pump
What Is a Peristaltic Pump?
A peristaltic pump is a type of positive displacement pump that moves fluids through flexible tubing using a rotating mechanism. As rollers or shoes compress the tubing in a wave-like motion, fluid is pushed forward without ever touching the pump’s internal components. This makes peristaltic pumps an ideal solution for sterile, corrosive, or abrasive fluid transfer.
If you’ve ever seen an IV drip or lab dosing system, you’ve likely seen a peristaltic pump in action. Their simple, sealed design makes them a go-to for applications where cleanliness, precision, and chemical resistance matter.
Where Are Peristaltic Pumps Used?
Peristaltic pumps are common in industries that require reliable and sanitary fluid movement, including:
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Medical and Pharmaceutical: IV delivery, dialysis, and dosing
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Industrial Manufacturing: Precise chemical metering, fluid recycling, and coatings
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Food & Beverage: Flavor and additive dosing, syrup transfer, and filling
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Water & Wastewater Treatment: Sludge handling, pH adjustment, and polymer dosing
Because they are easy to clean and maintain, peristaltic pumps are widely used across industries that rely on dependable fluid handling equipment and fluid processing equipment.
How Does a Peristaltic Pump Work?
If you’re wondering, how does a peristaltic pump work?—think of how you might squeeze toothpaste from a tube. That same rolling, squeezing motion is exactly how a peristaltic pump moves fluid.
The Peristaltic Pumping Mechanism, Step by Step:
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Flexible Tubing is Placed Inside the Pump Housing
The pump contains a length of flexible tubing made from materials like silicone or Norprene.
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Rotors with Rollers or Shoes Compress the Tubing
As the rotor spins, rollers or “shoes” attached to it press down on the tubing.
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Fluid Is Pushed Forward
This compression traps a volume of fluid and pushes it toward the pump’s outlet as the rotor moves along the tubing.
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The Tubing Reseals Behind the Rollers
Once the roller moves past, the tubing returns to its original shape. This creates a vacuum that draws in more fluid from the inlet—no valves or seals needed.
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The Cycle Repeats
This rolling action creates a steady, pulse-like flow of fluid, ideal for low-shear, precision metering.
Single vs. Multiple Pumps
If you’ve searched how do peristaltic pumps work (plural), the same core mechanism applies—whether it’s one standalone unit or multiple pumps working in tandem within a dosing or metering system.
Types of Peristaltic Pumps
Peristaltic pumps come in several variations to suit different flow rates, pressures, and operating environments. Understanding the main types will help you select the right design for your system.
Fixed Occlusion vs. Adjustable Occlusion Pumps
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Fixed Occlusion pumps maintain a constant level of compression on the tubing. This ensures consistent flow and is ideal for applications where the same fluid and flow rate are used continuously.
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Adjustable Occlusion pumps allow you to fine-tune the squeeze on the tubing, extending tubing life and accommodating different tubing materials or fluid viscosities.
Tube vs. Hose Pumps
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Tube Pumps use smaller, flexible tubing ideal for low- to medium-flow applications. They’re widely used in lab dosing, medical devices, and small-scale chemical processing.
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Hose Pumps are built for high-pressure, high-flow situations. They use thick-walled hoses to handle abrasive slurries or high-viscosity fluids in industrial settings.
Both pump types rely on Peristaltic Pump tubing, but hose pumps are better suited for rugged, heavy-duty use.
Single-Channel vs. Multi-Channel Pumps
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Single-Channel Pumps move fluid through one tube or hose. They’re compact and simple—great for targeted dosing or transfer.
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Multi-Channel Pumps can run multiple tubes simultaneously, allowing for parallel dosing, mixing, or multi-stream operations in food, biotech, or pharmaceutical manufacturing.
How Peristaltic Pumps Compare to Other Pump Types
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Peristaltic vs. Diaphragm Pumps: Peristaltic pumps offer gentler, contamination-free pumping and easier maintenance—ideal for sanitary or chemical-sensitive fluids. Diaphragm pumps excel in high-pressure, rugged industrial applications.
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Peristaltic vs. Grinder Pumps: Grinder pumps are designed to shred solids before pumping. Peristaltic pumps can’t handle solids the same way but offer precision dosing and tubing-based separation.
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Peristaltic vs. Centrifugal Pumps: Centrifugal pumps are best for high-volume, continuous-flow applications. Peristaltic pumps handle thicker fluids and slurries more effectively, with better control over flow rate and direction.
Peristaltic pumps stand out for their tubing-based simplicity and contamination-free flow path—making them a unique solution in the world of fluid handling equipment.
Top Brands and Models: Masterflex & Watson Marlow Peristaltic Pumps
When it comes to trusted names in peristaltic pump technology, Masterflex and Watson Marlow lead the industry. Both brands offer reliable, high-performance solutions—but their strengths vary depending on the application.
Masterflex Peristaltic Pumps
Masterflex Peristaltic Pumps, manufactured by Cole-Parmer, are widely used in laboratories, research facilities, and light industrial settings. Known for their modular design and broad range of tubing options, Masterflex pumps provide precise control over low to moderate flow rates.
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Strengths: Accuracy, user-friendly digital interfaces, broad tubing compatibility
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Best For: Lab dosing, chemical metering, biotech, pharmaceutical R&D
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Explore More: Masterflex Pumps on Cole-Parmer
Watson Marlow Peristaltic Pumps
Watson Marlow Peristaltic Pumps are engineered for heavy-duty industrial environments. These pumps are designed to handle aggressive chemicals, slurries, and high-viscosity fluids with ease, making them ideal for 24/7 operation in process-critical systems.
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Strengths: High flow capacity, robust construction, industrial-grade hose pump designs
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Best For: Wastewater treatment, food and beverage, mining, chemical processing
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Explore More: Watson Marlow Pumps
Which Brand Is Right for You?
Both options offer dependable peristaltic pump tubing systems that support a wide range of fluid handling applications.
✅ Choose Masterflex for flexible lab-scale systems or precise chemical dosing.
✅ Choose Watson Marlow for demanding, industrial-scale fluid processing or 24/7 operations.
Peristaltic Pump Tubing and Materials
At the heart of every peristaltic pump is the tubing. It’s the only component that comes into direct contact with the fluid, making tubing selection a critical factor in overall system performance and reliability.
Why Tubing Matters
Peristaltic Pump tubing plays a dual role: it serves as both the conduit for fluids and the flexible surface compressed by the pump rollers. Because of this, the tubing must be chemically compatible, wear-resistant, and correctly sized for the pump and application. Selecting the wrong material can lead to leaks, inaccurate dosing, premature wear, or even system failure.
Common Tubing Materials for Peristaltic Pumps
Silicone
Widely used in food, medical, and pharmaceutical settings, silicone tubing offers excellent flexibility and temperature resistance but is less resistant to aggressive chemicals.
Viton®
Ideal for fluids containing oils, solvents, or corrosive chemicals. Viton is highly durable and chemically resistant, though stiffer than silicone.
Norprene®
Engineered for industrial use, Norprene tubing offers exceptional fatigue resistance, making it ideal for long service life in tough fluids handling environments.
Maintenance & Replacement Best Practices
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Monitor for wear: Look for signs like thinning walls, discoloration, or reduced flow rate.
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Replace on schedule: Follow manufacturer guidance based on hours of operation and fluid type.
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Clean properly: Rinse with compatible cleaning solutions to extend tubing life and avoid cross-contamination.
Applications and Industries
Peristaltic pumps are versatile workhorses across a wide range of industries, offering clean, accurate, and low-maintenance solutions for transferring fluids. Their gentle, contamination-free operation makes them especially useful in environments where hygiene, precision, or chemical resistance is critical.
Medical & Laboratory
In healthcare settings, peristaltic pumps are used for IV delivery, dialysis machines, and lab dosing systems, where precise and sterile fluid transfer is essential. Because the fluid only touches the tubing, these pumps reduce contamination risk—making them ideal for medical dosing and pharmaceutical processing.
Food & Beverage
The gentle, non-shearing action of peristaltic pumps makes them perfect for food-grade filling and dosing applications, such as flavorings, syrups, sauces, and dairy products. Their easy-to-clean design supports sanitary processing equipment standards.
Chemical Processing
In industrial settings, peristaltic pumps are used for chemical metering, slurry transfer, and fluid sampling. They’re often chosen over more complex systems because of their resistance to corrosive fluids, ability to handle abrasives, and straightforward maintenance. When integrated into automation-driven systems or custom skid assemblies, peristaltic pumps support precise, reliable chemical flow with minimal downtime.
Water Treatment & Waste Handling
Peristaltic pumps shine in sludge and chemical dosing applications for municipal and industrial water treatment systems. They handle viscous, abrasive, and particulate-laden fluids better than many alternatives and can support operations where mud pumps, trash pumps, or surface pumps are also in use.
Peristaltic Pump vs Other Pump Types
When selecting a pump for your application, it’s essential to understand how peristaltic pumps compare to other common technologies. Each pump type has strengths depending on flow requirements, fluid characteristics, and maintenance needs.
Peristaltic Pump vs. Centrifugal Pump
Peristaltic Pumps handle viscous, abrasive, or shear-sensitive fluids with precision. They’re self-priming and ideal for dosing or intermittent flow. Centrifugal Pumps are better for high-volume, continuous-duty applications with clean, low-viscosity fluids (e.g., water, chemicals).
In oilfield and industrial settings, both pump types are often used alongside essential tools like valves (float valves or kelly valves), crossover subs, and other fluid control equipment that ensure seamless integration and system compatibility.
✅ Choose peristaltic when accuracy and chemical compatibility are priorities.
✅ Choose centrifugal for large-scale, low-maintenance flow systems.
Peristaltic Pump vs. Diaphragm Pump
Peristaltic Pumps isolate fluid in the tubing, reducing contamination and maintenance. They’re effective for metering, medical, and food-grade applications. Diaphragm Pumps handle solids and slurries well and can run dry without damage. Ideal for industrial, chemical, and wastewater operations.
✅ Choose peristaltic when clean dosing or chemical resistance is critical.
✅ Choose diaphragm for rugged, solids-heavy processes and on/off cycling.
Peristaltic Pump vs. Gear Pump
Peristaltic Pumps offer gentle, low-shear flow and easy tubing replacement. Great for shear-sensitive or aggressive fluids. Gear Pumps are compact, powerful, and suited for high-pressure, consistent flow in lubrication or fuel applications.
✅ Choose peristaltic for flexible, low-pressure dosing tasks.
✅ Choose gear for steady flow of viscous fluids at higher pressures.
Maintenance, Troubleshooting & Longevity
Peristaltic pumps are known for their durability and low-maintenance design, but like any fluid handling solution, they benefit from routine care to stay in top condition, especially in demanding environments.
Common Signs of Wear
While the pump body often lasts for years, the Peristaltic Pump tubing is the primary wear point. Watch for:
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Flow inconsistencies or pulsation issues
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Visible cracks, flattening, or discoloration in tubing
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Leaks at connection points
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Reduced suction or backflow
Tubing failure is often gradual; catching these signs early can prevent downtime and ensure consistent fluid delivery.
Routine Maintenance Tips
To extend the lifespan of both the tubing and pump:
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Visually inspect tubing before each use, especially in high-volume or high-pressure applications.
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Rotate tubing regularly to distribute wear across different sections.
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Avoid over-occlusion, which can lead to early degradation of tubing walls.
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Use only chemical-compatible tubing to prevent swelling, brittleness, or breakdown.
When to Replace Tubing vs. Entire Pump
In most cases, tubing replacement is all that’s needed to restore performance:
✅ Replace tubing when it shows wear, fatigue, or signs of chemical breakdown.
❌ Replace the entire pump only if the motor, rollers, or housing becomes damaged or worn beyond repair.
Best Practices for Long-Term Performance
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Choose the right tubing material (e.g., Norprene for chemicals, silicone for general use).
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Maintain proper occlusion settings to avoid unnecessary stress.
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Operate within the pump’s rated speed and pressure to prevent excessive wear.
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Use in clean, dry environments—or protect with enclosures if used in wet or dusty conditions.
Peristaltic Pump FAQs
Here are answers to some of the most common questions we get about peristaltic pumps:
Are Peristaltic Pumps self-priming?
Yes. Peristaltic pumps are fully self-priming and capable of lifting fluids from dry starts. This makes them ideal for applications where suction is needed from below-grade tanks or vessels.
Can they handle solids or abrasive fluids?
To a degree. While peristaltic pumps can handle slurries, viscous fluids, and some suspended solids, they aren’t ideal for highly abrasive fluids over long periods. Using abrasion-resistant tubing and proper flow rates can help extend tubing life in these cases.
What’s the difference between peristaltic and diaphragm pumps?
Both are positive displacement pumps, but they operate differently:
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Peristaltic pumps use rollers to compress tubing and move fluid in a gentle, pulseless flow.
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Diaphragm pumps use a flexing diaphragm to push fluid through check valves.
✅ Use peristaltic pumps for clean dosing, sanitary processes, and fluids sensitive to contamination.
✅ Use diaphragm pumps for rugged, heavy-duty jobs involving solids, slurries, or chemical resistance.
How long does tubing last?
Tubing lifespan varies based on pressure, chemical compatibility, and run time. On average:
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Silicone tubing: 100–500 hours
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Norprene or Viton tubing: Up to 1,000+ hours
Regular inspections and routine changes based on application stress are key to avoiding failures.
Are they suitable for sanitary applications?
Absolutely. Peristaltic pumps are a favorite in sanitary, medical, and food-grade applications because the fluid only touches the inner surface of the tubing—minimizing contamination risks. Use FDA-compliant or USP Class VI tubing for regulated environments.
Do you have questions about peristaltic pumps or other fluid handling needs? No problem. Get in touch with Clark or ask him about a free site survey!