Peristaltic pumps for gas-pumping

[Alex]

Hi,

I would like to ask about a technical details of the peristaltic pump provided with the Chi.Bio assembly from LabMaker:
Does these pumps completely flatten the initial tubing when functioning, theoretically being able to pump out gases, or do they not pinch the tubing and rely on the fluid viscosity?

I’m trying to see if, by having the waste outlet pump functioning continuously I could create a small vacuum to induce air entry from another pipe (in a sealed lid setup).
I could also dedicate a full pump to gas-pumping, and use a thicker-walled tubing to force the pump to flatten it completely.
Thank you!

[harrison]

Hi Alex,

I do not think they always make a perfect seal, so I wouldn’t use them to try to e.g. create a permanent vacuum. However, I think that they would work for the application you outlined: I expect that by running the output pump continuously you would generate some amount of suction (it doesn’t sound like you need much for your application), which would draw in air from another pipe.

I come to this conclusion because I have observed that if you block the input end of the pipe with your finger you can observe the motor struggle, implying that it is able to create a fairly good seal and generate suction.

[Author]

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