The peristaltic pump filling machine, as the name suggests, utilizes a peristaltic pump for precise measurement in liquid filling processes.
**How Do Peristaltic Pumps Work?**
A peristaltic pump, also known as a roller pump, is a type of positive displacement pump utilized for pumping various fluids. The principle involves a flexible tube enclosed within a circular pump casing. While most peristaltic pumps operate via rotary motion, there are also linear peristaltic pumps available. The rotor of the pump features several "wipers" or "rollers" attached to its external circumference. As the rotor rotates, these rollers compress the flexible tube, causing the part of the tube under compression to close and forcing the fluid to move through the tube. Simultaneously, as the tube returns to its natural state after the rollers pass, more fluid is drawn into the tube. This mechanism, known as peristalsis, is reminiscent of biological systems such as the gastrointestinal tract. Typically, two or more rollers compress the tube, creating a body of fluid between them. This body of fluid is then transported through the tube towards the pump outlet. Peristaltic pumps can operate continuously or be indexed through partial revolutions to deliver smaller fluid volumes.
Rollers or shoes within a peristaltic pump apply pressure to the tube or hose as they rotate, effectively squeezing it shut and creating a vacuum. This action propels the fluid forward through the tube, allowing for precise and controlled movement of liquids in the pumping process.
**Advantages of Peristaltic Pump:**
- **Contamination-Free Operation:** Peristaltic pumps ensure that only the tube comes into contact with the fluid, eliminating the risk of pump contamination or fluid contamination.
- **Ease of Installation and Operation:** They are straightforward to install, operate, and maintain, offering cost-effective solutions.
- **Scalability:** Peristaltic pump technology can be scaled to meet various processing requirements, providing flexibility in application.
- **Gentle Handling:** With low shear and gentle handling, peristaltic pumps are ideal for sensitive fluids, avoiding the use of impellers, vanes, lobes, or valves in the fluid path.
- **Flow Stability and Accuracy:** They deliver consistent flow stability and metering accuracy, ensuring precise control over the pumping process.
- **Low Maintenance:** The only replacement part is the inexpensive tube, which can be quickly replaced in-situ, minimizing downtime and maintenance costs.
**Working Principle of Peristaltic Pump Fillers:**
Peristaltic pump fillers ensure accurate fills of liquids in small volumes where cross-contamination is prohibited. The pump makes intermittent contact only on the outside of the surgical tubing, ensuring that the product only touches the inside of the tubing. The filler's master computer independently tracks the rotations of the peristaltic pump head, precisely measuring the delivered product volume. Once the target fill volume is reached, the pump stops, and any remaining fluid does not drip out due to pipette action. All fill parameters are stored in memory for efficient changeovers.
The complete closure of the tube when occluded between the roller and the track provides the pump's positive displacement action, preventing backflow and obviating the need for check-valves when the pump is not operational.
**Peristaltic Pump Fillers Working Principle**
**Application:**
These fillers are specifically engineered for high-value, small-volume fills with exceptional accuracy. They are well-suited for aqueous and other low-viscosity products.
**Examples:**
Common applications include pharmaceutical preparations, fragrances, essential oils, reagents, inks, dyes, and specialty chemicals.
**Advantages:**
The disposable fluid path ensures easy cleanup and eliminates cross-contamination issues. Achievable accuracies of up to 0.5% make them ideal for fill volumes less than 1 ml.
