Generally, the pump body of a peristaltic pump does not experience wear and tear. Therefore, the life of a peristaltic pump mainly refers to the life of the motor and the pump tubing.
1. Motor Life: Different types of motors have different lifespans. Motor lifespan is expressed in hours, referring to the cumulative time of intermittent operation. Continuous operation has a significant impact on the motor, and continuous operation is not recommended. Special attention should be paid to avoiding overloading, such as operating under negative pressure exceeding the motor’s capacity, as this will severely affect its lifespan.
1.1 The life of a DC motor is generally within 500 hours (intermittent operation time). Continuous operation will quickly damage it.
1.2 The life of an AC motor is generally over 2000 hours (intermittent operation time). It can run continuously for a certain period at low speeds, but it is recommended to stop it for one hour each day to reduce the motor temperature.
1.3 Stepper motors have a very long lifespan, generally over 10,000 hours, and are almost never damaged. However, attention should be paid to waterproofing and handling corrosive liquids.
2. Pump Tubing Life: The lifespan of different pump tubing types also varies. Pump tubing lifespan is generally expressed in hours, referring to the peristaltic pump’s operating time, excluding downtime. The lifespans of the various pump tubing types listed below are theoretical; actual lifespan is also affected by particle content and liquid corrosivity.
2.1 Silicone tubing has a life of over 200 hours (continuous operation at 300 rpm). Lifespan increases as the pump speed decreases; for example, at 100 rpm, the lifespan is over 600 hours.
2.2 A-60-F, A-60-G tubing, and Chemical tubing have a life of over 1000 hours (continuous operation at 300 rpm), similar to silicone tubing, with extended lifespan at lower speeds.
2.3 Pharmed BPT tubing has a life of over 800 hours (continuous operation at 300 rpm), with extended lifespan at lower speeds.