Making a Peristaltic Pump

We are Team Turtle, for the group project Hydro Do That at the Glasgow School of Art, and this is our submission of a step-by-step instruction build and spec for our peristaltic water pump.  The pump is designed to lift 5 litres of water through a vertical distance of (approx) 600mm within five minutes, as efficiently as possible.

This peristaltic pump is a type of positive displacement pump which can be used to move water.  The water is contained inside a flexible tube within a circular pump casing and is moved by a rotor with three rollers that compress the tubes external circumference. As the rotor turns, the section of the tube under compression closes thus forcing the fluid to be moved through it.  Then, as the tube opens after the passing of the roller, fluid flow is induced to the pump.

It can be used for pumping a variety of fluids, as you will see in this video, filmed shortly after the end of the project.

Best of luck!

Step 1 Materials and Tools

You will require the following:

Aluminium Sheet - 6mm x 200mm x 200mm
Aluminium Sheet - 1mm x 5mm x 25mm
Aluminium Rod - 20mm diameter
Aluminium Rod - 15mm diameter
Steel Rod - 3mm diameter
Silicone Tubing - 1.6mm wall thickness / 4.6mm internal diameter  (RS Components)
2 x Transparent Plastic Sheet - 6mm x 400mm x 350mm
MDF sheet - 150mm x 400mm x 350mm
Rectangular steel bar - 6mm x 10mm x 55mm
L - shaped steel bar 20mm x 30mm

3 x 'L' shaped Aluminium Bars
3 x Compression Springs  (RS Components)
1 x Plastic Gear Kit  (Maplin electronics)

Multiple Washers
Multiple Screws - M3
Multiple Nuts (Nyloc) - M3

24v DC motor

3mm Drill
Screwdriver
File
Ruler
Pen
Tapper

Comments

[rmclean]

Note: Also about tubing material choice..... solvents, fuels, oils, and alcohols actually degrade certain materials or "melt" them over time....and leaks will develop.... and make a huge mess.....so I need to learn what tubing works best for what fluids...otherwise I imagine it'll be like a wet cat running all over the place making a huge mess......and hard to clean up after!!!! Especially if the motor to the pump runs really fast!!! LOL!

P.S. Also look into Brumbee airlift pumps...uses air bubble in pipes or tubes to lift water vertically without using motors...just air injected from a basketball needle into a pipe or tube slowly to lift the water up......cool stuff...I use those too.... They work best if submerged in a larger tank far under water..the further the stronger the Brumbee pump...

[rmclean]

I want to thank you for doing this instructable! I am inspired to make my own pumps for everything from transfer of solvents/fuels/oils to pumping slurries (thick viscous liquids), water for hydroponics and so much more. I am even thinking it would work much better as a water pump for miniature live steam model boiler. Bravo!

BTW: I researched peristaltic pumps and from what I can see the tubing and how tight it is around the rollers kinda dictates if it will wander off the rollers and also how much it will pump per rotation..... Also tubing material seems to play a big part as well... too loose and no liquid to suction into the tube as the tube rebends back to its original position after the roller(s) pass over it.... to stiff of a material and it wont deflect or bend to squish the liquid material through the tube and may, again, wander off the rollers.......a bracket to hold the tube as it enters and exits the housing to adjust tubing tightness seems to work best.... I guess it's just experimentation and all....