What is the difference between gear pump, peristaltic pump and diaphragm pump?

Micro pump as a pump in the small size of the subdivision, with the development of science and technology, the application field is more and more extensive.

Micro pumps can be divided into micro air pumps and micro liquid pumps according to different fluids. A related article on micro air pumps can be viewed here.

The following is a discussion of miniature liquid pumps.

Common micro-liquid pumps are gear pumps, peristaltic pumps, diaphragm liquid pumps.
These three pumps are widely used in the chemical industry, medical industry, automotive industry, filling industry, printing industry, etc..
The difference between them is that the difference in structure leads to a very different shape of the design.
In terms of performance, pressure, flow rate and cost performance are the main reasons affecting the user’s selection.

This article will analyze and compare these three types of pumps according to their performance, advantages and disadvantages, and cost performance, so as to better help the user to select a model.

Classification of pumps

As a kind of power equipment, a pump is a machine that conveys fluid or makes fluidly pressurized.

According to the working principle, it is divided into:

1. volumetric pump

Relying on the movement of the working parts in the process of periodically changing the volume of the pump cavity, with the role and displacement of the periodic changes in the ability to transfer to the conveyed value, so that its pressure directly to the required pressure value to achieve delivery.
According to the different ways of moving parts movement is divided into the reciprocating pump and rotary pump two types.

Reciprocating pump

It is a kind of positive displacement pump and is widely used. A reciprocating pump is a conveying machine that provides energy to the fluid directly in the form of pressure energy through the reciprocating motion of the piston.

Reciprocating pumps include：

• Piston pumps
• Plunger pumps
• Diaphragm pump
• Squeeze pump

Rotor pump

A rotor pump, also known as a colloid pump, lobe pump, triple lobe pump or universal transfer pump, etc., is a volumetric pump. It is the purpose of conveying fluid by means of the periodic transformation of multiple fixed volumes conveying units in the working chamber.

Types of rotor pumps: (the following all belong to rotor pumps)

• Screw pumps
• Liquid ring pumps
• Gear pumps
• Sliding vane pumps
• Roots pumps
• Roller pumps
• Cam Pumps
• Peristaltic pumps

2. Impeller type pump

The impeller pump is driven by the impeller to rotate the liquid at high speed and transfer the mechanical energy to the conveyed liquid.

According to the pump impeller and flow channel structure characteristics of different impeller type can be divided into.

• Centrifugal pumps
• Axial flow pumps
• Mixed-flow pumps
• Peripheral pump

3. Jet pump

It relies on the high-speed jet generated by the working fluid to induce the fluid, and then the energy of the induced fluid increases through momentum exchange.

Classification of micro pumps

Micro pump usually refers to the small size, low flow pump products.

According to different technical principles can be divided into miniature centrifugal pumps, miniature gear pumps, miniature diaphragm pumps, miniature piston pumps, miniature peristaltic pumps, miniature rotary vane pumps, vortex pumps, etc…

• According to the driving method can be divided into direct connection, magnetic drive type.
• According to the movement mode can be divided into reciprocating and rotary type.
• According to the material can be divided into metal pumps, plastic pumps, composite pumps, etc..
• According to the temperature of the conveyed liquid, it can be divided into low temperature pump, high temperature pump and normal temperature pump.
• According to different power sources can be divided into pneumatic pumps, DC pumps (3V, 6V, 12V, 24v, 48v, etc.), servo pumps, AC pumps, inverter pumps, etc..
• Users are often accustomed to use their actual needs to name the pump, such as circulation pump, pressurization pump, sampling pump, cooling pump, urea pump, chromatography pump, flushing pump, atomization pump, etc..

With so many subdivisions, it is inevitable that the user’s choice of pump brings a lot of confusion, here I am for the structure and performance characteristics of the miniature pump, combined with common applications to do some analysis and recommendations for reference when selecting a pump.

No matter what type of pump, everything changes, their role is to make the liquid to be transported by doing work, so that the liquid to be transported to produce the required flow.

Here comes the most basic parameters of pump selection: flow rate and pressure.

Generally speaking, centrifugal pumps are difficult to achieve high head (high pressure) at small flow rates, so in the need for small flow rates and high-pressure occasions, the frequency of volumetric pumps is very high.

One of the three most frequently used volumetric pumps are miniature gear pumps, peristaltic pumps, miniature diaphragm liquid pumps.

This article will analyze and compare the following three miniature pumps in terms of their ability to transport liquids, to help customers better choose the type of pump.

Micro Gear Pump VS Peristaltic Pump VS Diaphragm Liquid Pump