• Best customer support

  • Payment via invoice or credit card

  • WORLDWIDE EXPRESS SHIPPING

  • Flow Control
    • Baoding Shenchen
    • Bartels
    • DK Infusetek
    • Elveflow
    • Harvard Apparatus
    • HNP Mikrosysteme
    • Ismatec
    • Jun-Air
    • LabTech
    • Longer
    • Masterflex
    • New Era
  • Chips & Microfabrication
    • BlackHole Lab
    • Droplet Genomics
    • Grace Bio-Labs
    • iBioChips
    • IVTech
    • KemLab
    • MesoBioTech
    • microfluidic ChipShop
    • Micronit
    • SynVivo
  • Imaging
    • Fastec Imaging
    • Nikon
    • Phantom (Ametek)
    • Photron
    • Pixelink
    • Zeiss
  • Accessories
    • BD
    • Diba
    • Elveflow
    • Emulseo
    • Hamilton
    • Saint-Gobain
  • Sensors
    • Elveflow
    • Sensirion
    • Zimmer & Peacock
  • Valves
    • Bürkert
    • Elveflow
    • Memetis
  • Contact Us
  • Register or Sign in
0
Darwin Microfluidics
  • CHIPS & BIO
    Droplet Generators
    • Flow Focusing
    • T-Junction
    • Co-Flow
    • Drop-seq (scRNA-seq)
    Micromixers
    Organ-on-a-Chip
    • Chips
    • Bundles
    • Accessories
    Cell Sorting / Trapping
    Enhanced Oil Recovery
    Flow Cells
    Chip Holders
  • FLOW CONTROL
    Syringe Pumps
    • Syringe Pump Systems
    • OEM Modules
    • Syringes
    • Accessories
    Pressure Control
    • Pressure Controllers
    • Reservoirs & Accessories
    Peristaltic Pumps
    • Systems & Drives
    • Pump Heads
    • Tubing
    • Accessories
    Miniature Pumps
    • Gear Pumps
    • Piezo Pumps
    Valves
    • Solenoid Valves
    • Miniature SMA Valves
    • Manual Valves
    • Rotary Valves
    Sensors
    • Flow Sensors
    • Pressure Sensors
    Compressors & Vacuum Pumps
  • IMAGING
    Cameras
    • USB Cameras
    • High-speed Cameras
    Microscopes
    • Inverted Microscopes
    • Stereo Microscopes
  • ACCESSORIES
    Bubble Traps
    Tanks & Reservoirs
    Tubing
    • PTFE, PEEK, FEP Tubing
    • Silicone & Tygon Tubing
    • Tubing with stoppers
    Assortment Kits
    Syringes & Needles
    • Syringes
    • Needles & Couplers
    Oils & Surfactant
    Surface Treatments
    Fittings & Connectors
    • Threaded Fittings
    • Luer Fittings
    • Barbed Fittings
    • Sleeves & Ferrules
    • Splitters & Manifolds
    Filters
    Check Valves
    Microfabrication
    • Soft-lithography Systems
    • PDMS
    • Photoresists
    • Wafers
    • Punchers
    • Chip Prototyping Tools
(+33) 189 197 051 contact@darwin-microfluidics.com
Browse By Brand
  • Flow Control
    • Baoding Shenchen
    • Bartels
    • DK Infusetek
    • Elveflow
    • Harvard Apparatus
    • HNP Mikrosysteme
    • Ismatec
    • Jun-Air
    • LabTech
    • Longer
    • Masterflex
    • New Era
  • Chips & Microfabrication
    • BlackHole Lab
    • Droplet Genomics
    • Grace Bio-Labs
    • iBioChips
    • IVTech
    • KemLab
    • MesoBioTech
    • microfluidic ChipShop
    • Micronit
    • SynVivo
  • Imaging
    • Fastec Imaging
    • Nikon
    • Phantom (Ametek)
    • Photron
    • Pixelink
    • Zeiss
  • Accessories
    • BD
    • Diba
    • Elveflow
    • Emulseo
    • Hamilton
    • Saint-Gobain
  • Sensors
    • Elveflow
    • Sensirion
    • Zimmer & Peacock
  • Valves
    • Bürkert
    • Elveflow
    • Memetis
  • Get a Quote
  • 0
  • CHIPS & BIO
    Back
    Droplet Generators
    • Back
    • Flow Focusing
    • T-Junction
    • Co-Flow
    • Drop-seq (scRNA-seq)
    Micromixers
    Organ-on-a-Chip
    • Back
    • Chips
    • Bundles
    • Accessories
    Cell Sorting / Trapping
    Enhanced Oil Recovery
    Flow Cells
    Chip Holders
  • FLOW CONTROL
    Back
    Syringe Pumps
    • Back
    • Syringe Pump Systems
    • OEM Modules
    • Syringes
    • Accessories
    Pressure Control
    • Back
    • Pressure Controllers
    • Reservoirs & Accessories
    Peristaltic Pumps
    • Back
    • Systems & Drives
    • Pump Heads
    • Tubing
    • Accessories
    Miniature Pumps
    • Back
    • Gear Pumps
    • Piezo Pumps
    Valves
    • Back
    • Solenoid Valves
    • Miniature SMA Valves
    • Manual Valves
    • Rotary Valves
    Sensors
    • Back
    • Flow Sensors
    • Pressure Sensors
    Compressors & Vacuum Pumps
  • IMAGING
    Back
    Cameras
    • Back
    • USB Cameras
    • High-speed Cameras
    Microscopes
    • Back
    • Inverted Microscopes
    • Stereo Microscopes
    • Back
    • Back
  • ACCESSORIES
    Back
    Bubble Traps
    Tanks & Reservoirs
    Tubing
    • Back
    • PTFE, PEEK, FEP Tubing
    • Silicone & Tygon Tubing
    • Tubing with stoppers
    Assortment Kits
    Syringes & Needles
    • Back
    • Syringes
    • Needles & Couplers
    Oils & Surfactant
    Surface Treatments
    Fittings & Connectors
    • Back
    • Threaded Fittings
    • Luer Fittings
    • Barbed Fittings
    • Sleeves & Ferrules
    • Splitters & Manifolds
    Filters
    Check Valves
    Microfabrication
    • Back
    • Soft-lithography Systems
    • PDMS
    • Photoresists
    • Wafers
    • Punchers
    • Chip Prototyping Tools
  • Call
  • Contact
  • Store info

172 rue de Charonne
Bâtiment B1, 1er étage
Paris, France

  • Darwin MicrofluidicsHome
  • Tutorials
  • Peristaltic Pumping: How Does It Work?

Peristaltic Pumping: How Does It Work?

  • Tutorials
  • 19 Nov, 2019
  • Posted by: Vincent Rocher

Functional principle of peristaltic pumps

Peristaltic pumps are so-called roller pumps in which the rollers are rotated over a tube placed in the pump head, leading to the mechanical alteration of the form (squeezing) of the tube.

The restitution of the tube following the roller triggers pumping of the medium in the interior of the tube, so that only the pump tube comes into contact with the medium.

The flow rate is determined by the shape and the speed of the roller head, the amount of rollers and the inner diameter of the tube. Find our peristaltic pumps catalogue here!

 1. The tube is tensioned between the tubing bed and the rotor. Each roller compresses the tube

Roller pump head

2. The rotor rollers move along the tube. The tube is squeezed continually through the rollers which displace the liquid in the direction of the roller head motion.

Roller pump head

3. The tube behind the roller resumes its original shape, creates a vacuum and suctions the liquid. 

Roller pump head

4. The process begins anew.

Roller pump head


Pros and cons of peristaltic pumps for microfluidics

Pros

  • Long term experiments are possible: the reservoirs are not closed and can be refilled while the pump is working.
  • Robust and reliable: can work for weeks continuously.
  • Easy recirculation setup: the outlet tubing can be in the same reservoir than the inlet tubing.
  • Multichannel: you can extend the number of channels easily by changing the pump head. Generally, peristaltic pumps can be extended to up to 24 channels working at the same flow rate.
  • Wide range of pumps and pump heads to accommodate the user's requirements (tubing size, flow rate, environment...).
  • Some peristaltic pumps have a dispensing feature, and can be programmed to dispense a certain volume based on time.

Cons

  • Pulsatility: the peristaltism principle generates a more pulsatile flow than other technologies (syringe pumps, pressure controllers), while it is still stable on average. To compensate this pulsatility, more rollers can be added to the perisaltic pump head.
  • Tubing wear: the pressure applied by the rollers to the peristaltic tubing leads to tubing deformation by the time. The lifetime for a standard silicone tubing is approx. 200 hours, while it is approx. 1000 hours for specialized peristaltic tubing.
  • Flow rate: at low flow rates (below 10 µL/min), most of the peristaltic pumps are not accurate enough for microfluidic applications.
  • All the channels in a peristaltic pump have the same flow rate. Only one peristaltic pump can drive up to 4 channels independently, the Reglo ICC from ISMATEC.

A question? Need a hand to choose the right instrument? Contact us!

  • Share
  • Tweet
welcome to our blog!
Our team keeps you informed of the latest news at Darwin Microfluidics. We also write some nice reviews and tools to guide you through the vast world of microfluidics!
Categories
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • Tools
Recent posts
Hardness Shore A vs. Shore D
06 Jul, 2021
Tygon Tubing Hardness Table
06 Jul, 2021
Tygon tubing chemical compatibility comparison chart
05 Jul, 2021
Tags
  • All
  • cell culture
  • microfluidic chip
  • new products

Recently Viewed

Ismatec - Darwin Microfluidics
Elveflow - Darwin Microfluidics
Microfluidic ChipShop - Darwin Microfluidics
Zeiss - Darwin Microfluidics
Harvard Apparatus - Darwin Microfluidics
Cole-Parmer - Darwin Microfluidics
Sign up to our Newsletter

...for latest news in microfluidics.

Darwin Microfluidics
Got questions? Call us! (+33) 189 197 051
Contact info Darwin Microfluidics
40 rue Alexandre Dumas
75011 Paris
France
  • Social
Blog
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • Tools
Information
  • Bank Details
  • General Terms & Conditions
  • Delivery Terms
  • Payment Terms
The Company
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Terms of Service
  • Refund policy

© 2023 Darwin Microfluidics. All Rights Reserved

  • Payment

Product successfully added to your Shopping Cart

Request a Quote
Proceed to Checkout