Pumps used in the laboratory play many roles. Some move liquids and gases between containers, others provide suction for filtration or sample aspiration, some reduce vapour pressure, and others control the flow rate during experiments. For every application, there is a corresponding pump.
Common types of pumps used in the laboratory include peristaltic pumps, piston pumps, vacuum pumps, and syringe pumps. These pumps have different functionalities, each tailored to a particular work environment and purpose, as you will find out in the article.
Here are five types of pumps used in the laboratory.
Diaphragm pumps, also known as AODD (Air Operated Double Diaphragm), function by displacing compressed air back and forth between two sides of the pump with the help of a pneumatic valve. Diaphragm pumps are optimal for laboratory experiments requiring high-speed liquids or gas movement. Like the human diaphragm, the name comes from its rubber membrane that enables the pump’s pumping action.
Like in other sectors, diaphragm pumps have benefitted from technological changes, increasing their value in the lab and longevity. Pumps in KNF UK, for example, have incorporated technology that leaves the diaphragm pump self-priming and safe to run even after processing liquid reagents. In gaseous experiments, the technology has made it resistant to moisture, making it one of the most effective types of pumps to use in the laboratory.
The diaphragm pump is helpful in laboratory research due to its high precision, durability, low maintenance requirements, and reliability of up to 97%. Diaphragm pumps can be used in experiments where liquids are corrosive, highly viscous, have high pressure, or have a relatively high solid content.
Diaphragm pumps uses are diverse and varied. They are, for example, efficient in making air pumps for filters in fish tanks and artificial hearts.
The unique selling point of the syringe pump is its capacity for high precision and accuracy. The syringe pump administers small quantities of liquids used during chemical or biomedical research in the laboratory. Syringe pumps are helpful when laboratory tests demand slow fluid incorporation into a solution.
The syringe pump’s advantages include working at high pressure and maintaining high precision and a pulse-free flow. It is also accurate in dispensing both slow and large volumes, can be easily sterilized, can be used both to dispense and withdraw fluid and has several channels of operation.
When looking for a syringe pump, consider the viscosity of the liquid you are pumping and the pressure requirement of the experiment. Also, consider the mechanics needed to get the pump to operate optimally (like whether it needs to be programmable or computer-controlled) and whether the pump will be infusing continuously over a 24-hour time frame.
Piston pumps are one of the types of pumps used in a laboratory. They are often used to either move liquids or compress gases over a wide range of pressures. There are two types of piston pumps: Lift Piston Pump and Force Piston Pump, which can be operated manually or by an engine.
The type of materials used in making piston pumps varies depending on the application. Some employ cast iron, others plastic, some stainless steel, and others of metals like aluminium and brass. Piston pumps can be used in laboratory experiments with wide pressure ranges and can move thick fluids with slurry and abrasive fluids. Its maintenance and operating costs are high, and it is also susceptible to pulsing, which makes it unsuitable for experiments that require high accuracy.
As the name suggests, a vacuum pump creates a partial vacuum by drawing gas particles from a sealed volume through suction, enabled by an inbuilt revolving shaft. Types of vacuum pumps include positive displacement, momentum transfer, regenerative, and entrapment pumps.
A vacuum pump has many use cases, from uranium enrichment to medical processes requiring suction. It also has relevant use cases in sewage systems, composite plastic moulding, electronic microscopy, and freeze-drying.
The peristaltic pump receives its name from peristalsis, the digestive process in the gastrointestinal tract. Peristaltic pumps are typically capable of dispensing sterile or highly reactive fluids without exposing them to contamination from the pump components. The peristaltic pump transports liquids through a hose connected to the rotor. Think of it in terms of how the heart pumps blood to body organs.
Some of the uses of peristaltic pumps include pumping IV fluids, highly reactive chemicals, and slurries. Its utility is also evident in open heart bypass equipment, analytical chemistry, infusion pumps, and auto analyzers.
Parting shot
The choice of pump is vital to consider when conducting your lab experiment. The wrong pump can damage your research and the equipment and risk injury in case of a malfunction. So, to establish the best pump to use in the laboratory, narrow down to the nature of your experiment and decide which pump will be the safest and most optimal for the best results.
