Industry-Knowledge

Types of roller pumps

Roller pumps are a type of positive displacement pump commonly used in medical, industrial, and laboratory applications. They work by using rotating rollers to compress a flexible tube, pushing fluid through it. Here are the main types of roller pumps:

1. Standard Roller Pump (Peristaltic Pump)

  • Uses two or more rollers that rotate, compressing a flexible tube to move fluid.

  • Common in medical applications like dialysis machines and IV infusion pumps.

  • Provides steady, pulse-free flow.

2. Rotary Roller Pump

  • Features multiple rollers (usually 2–12) mounted on a rotating rotor inside a circular housing.

  • The rollers compress the tubing against the pump casing, creating a peristaltic action.

  • Used in chemical dosing, food processing, and wastewater treatment.

3. Linear Roller Pump

  • Uses rollers mounted on a linear track instead of a circular rotor.

  • The rollers sequentially compress the tubing in a straight line.

  • Often used in analytical instruments and low-flow applications.

4. Occlusion Roller Pump

  • Designed to fully occlude (close) the tubing to prevent backflow.

  • Adjustable occlusion allows control over fluid flow.

  • Common in cardiopulmonary bypass machines and bioprocessing.

5. Non-Occlusive Roller Pump

  • Does not fully compress the tubing, allowing some backflow.

  • Provides gentler fluid handling, reducing hemolysis in blood pumps.

  • Used in ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) and some IV pumps.

6. Twin Roller Pump (Dual-Roller Pump)

  • Uses two rollers working alternately to ensure smooth, continuous flow.

  • Reduces pulsation compared to single-roller designs.

  • Found in high-precision liquid handling systems.

7. Multi-Channel Roller Pump

  • Contains multiple tubing channels, allowing simultaneous pumping of different fluids.

  • Used in laboratory automation and industrial mixing applications.

Key Applications:

  • Medical: Dialysis, heart-lung machines, IV infusion.

  • Industrial: Chemical processing, food & beverage, wastewater treatment.

  • Laboratory: Analytical instruments, bioreactors.