Impact of Material Selection on the Performance of Peristaltic Pump Tubes
As a non-contact fluid transfer device, the peristaltic pump relies on its tube as the core component—this is the only part that comes into contact with the fluid and endures extrusion wear. The selection of tube material not only determines the service life of the tube itself but also directly affects the pump's flow accuracy, fluid compatibility, and operational safety. Different materia...
Advantages: Excellent elasticity and flexibility, enabling rapid shape recovery. Suitable for long-term operation at medium-low speeds (≤300rpm) with minimal extrusion wear.
Temperature Resistance: Operates within the range of -60℃ to 150℃. Compatible with neutral/weakly corrosive fluids such as water, pharmaceutical liquids, and food products. Complies with food-grade (FDA) and pharmaceutical-grade (GMP) standards.
Limitations: Not resistant to organic solvents (e.g., acetone, ethanol). Moderate tear resistance; prone to aging and cracking under high pressure.
Advantages: Outstanding corrosion resistance, capable of withstanding strong acids, strong alkalis, organic solvents, and strong oxidants. Ideal for transferring corrosive fluids in the chemical and electroplating industries.
Temperature Resistance: Operates within the range of -20℃ to 200℃. Maintains high stability at high temperatures without softening or deformation.
Limitations: Slightly lower elasticity than silicone tubes. Prone to fatigue under long-term high-frequency extrusion. Higher cost; not suitable for high-precision transfer of low-viscosity fluids.
Advantages: Exceptional wear resistance—3 to 5 times that of silicone tubes. Suitable for high-speed (≥500rpm) or high-pressure working conditions, with a long service life.
Temperature Resistance: Operates within the range of -40℃ to 120℃. Compatible with oils and weakly corrosive chemicals. High mechanical strength and resistance to breakage.
Limitations: Reduced flexibility and increased brittleness at low temperatures. Not suitable for hygienic scenarios such as food and pharmaceutical industries (some PU materials contain plasticizers).
Advantages: Extremely high chemical inertness, resistant to all acids, alkalis, and organic solvents. Ideal for transferring high-purity, highly corrosive fluids (e.g., hydrofluoric acid, concentrated sulfuric acid).
Temperature Resistance: Operates within the range of -200℃ to 260℃. Maintains stable performance under high temperature and high pressure without leaching harmful substances.
Limitations: Poor elasticity; must be used with low-speed peristaltic pumps. Slow shape recovery after extrusion, and prone to permanent deformation due to repeated extrusion, which affects flow accuracy.
Silicone tubes, with their excellent elasticity and rapid shape recovery, ensure uniform fluid discharge per extrusion, resulting in a flow error of ≤±1%. They are suitable for high-precision scenarios such as pharmaceutical filling and laboratory titration.
Materials with poor elasticity (e.g., PTFE, rigid PU) cannot fully recover after extrusion, leading to "volume loss." The flow error can exceed ±5%, making them only suitable for transfer scenarios with low precision requirements.
In high-speed or high-frequency operation scenarios, polyurethane tubes’ superior wear resistance extends their service life to 2 to 3 times that of silicone tubes, reducing replacement frequency and downtime losses.
At low temperatures, silicone tubes and fluororubber tubes maintain good flexibility, while PU tubes become brittle, significantly shortening their service life. At high temperatures, fluororubber tubes and PTFE tubes are more durable, whereas silicone tubes tend to age and harden.
Transferring organic solvents (e.g., methanol, acetone) with silicone tubes will cause the tube to swell and crack, not only contaminating the fluid but also potentially damaging the pump head. In such cases, fluororubber tubes or PTFE tubes should be selected.
Using PU tubes containing plasticizers in the food and pharmaceutical industries may cause fluid contamination. Food-grade silicone tubes or PTFE tubes should be prioritized.
When transferring high-temperature fluids (e.g., 120℃ steam, high-temperature pharmaceutical liquids), silicone tubes and fluororubber tubes operate stably, while ordinary PU tubes soften and leak. For low-temperature fluid transfer (e.g., -50℃ liquid nitrogen), PTFE tubes or low-temperature resistant silicone tubes must be used.
Under high-pressure conditions (≥0.3MPa), polyurethane tubes and fluororubber tubes have sufficient mechanical strength to withstand pressure, whereas silicone tubes are prone to bulging and bursting due to excessive pressure.
Prioritize Fluid Compatibility:
Choose silicone tubes for neutral/hygienic fluids;
Choose fluororubber/PTFE tubes for corrosive fluids;
Choose PU tubes for oil-based fluids.
Adapt to Working Conditions:
Choose PU tubes for high-speed/high-pressure scenarios;
Choose fluororubber/PTFE tubes for high-temperature scenarios;
Choose silicone/PTFE tubes for low-temperature scenarios.
Balance Precision and Cost:
Choose silicone tubes (low cost) for high-precision, low-speed scenarios;
Choose PU tubes for high-speed, long-service-life requirements;
Choose fluororubber/PTFE tubes (invest on demand) for highly corrosive or high-temperature scenarios.
