How Does a Peristaltic Pump Work?

A Peristaltic Pump works by either two shoes (high-pressure applications) or rollers (low-pressure applications) rotating on a wheel inside of the pump and compressing an internal hose, which then forces through a certain quantity of fluid. The hose inside of a Peristaltic Pump is designed to return to its original shape after the shoes or rollers have passed over, so the quantity and flow of fluid are consistently maintained.

Why Use a Peristaltic Pump for Fluid Transfer?

Peristaltic Pumps are an excellent option for fluids that need to be kept clean and sterile, such as food and beverage applications, due to no contamination occurring in the pump. As mentioned before, the interior hose is the only part of the pump to come in contact with the application, which completely minimises the risk of bacteria growth, making the pump ideal for the hygienic industry.

What is CIP Peristaltic Pump?

CIP stands for “Clean in Place” and is an effective cleaning solution often used within the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical markets. CIP Pumps allow cleaning in place of the pumping equipment including tanks and pipes, without the need to dismantle. This includes sterilisation which can be carried out at temperatures up to 85ºC.

Hoses can be supplied in the below materials to suit a wide variety of applications. Natural Rubber NBR Natural Rubber FDA Approved EPDM FKM – Viton CSM Hypalon Rubber The price of the hose usually works out to around 8 – 10% of the cost of the pump.

Applications and Industries

Peristaltic Pumps are suited for both low & high-pressure transfer, metering and dosing of low or high viscous applications, pasty, pure, neutral, aggressive or abrasive liquids, those containing gases or which tend to froth, or those containing solids. The pumps are commonly used in the following industries: Food & Beverage Bakeries Paint Meat and Fish Processing Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics Wastewater Chemical & Petrochemical Pulp & Paper Ceramics Surface Treatment Anaerobic Digestion Mineral Processing Agricultural

Why Choose a Peristaltic Pump over a Diaphragm Pump?

Air Operated Diaphragm Pumps require a compressed air supply to drive them. If this does not already exist it can be very expensive to install. Even the best-maintained air supply systems are inefficient with at least 30% air leakage. The energy costs of supplying air for a Diaphragm Pump are much higher than for a Peristaltic Pump. Air pressure limits the discharge pressure – it just stops pumping beyond its limits. Changing pumped fluid is complex as cleaning a Diaphragm Pump is difficult, often requiring a complete strip-down. Peristaltic Pumps offer a quick maintenance schedule for their pumping elements. Simply change the tube and you’ve created a new pump! The difficulty in accurately controlling the air supply makes a Diaphragm Pump a poor choice for metering duties. Even Double Diaphragm Pumps have a high level of pulsation. As with all Diaphragm Pumps, AODDs generally rely on ball valves. These do not work well unless there is positive back pressure to close them between cycles. They are prone to abrasive wear and can clog with crystals, fibres or solidifying fluids such as inks and powders. Whilst the initial purchase cost is lower, the cost of ownership can be much higher due to energy and maintenance costs.

Peristaltic Pump vs Progressive Cavity Pump: How to Choose

Author written by:

Adam Evans

Design and Engineering Manager

Adam Evans, Process & Mechanical Engineering Manager at Tapflo Pumps UK, has over 10 years of expertise in the process industry. Adam’s wealth of experience and technical insights contribute to the development of innovative pump solutions and the continuous improvement of engineering processes.

27/08/2026

Author Of This Article

Author written by:

Adam Evans

Design and Engineering Manager

If you have further questions,

our specialists will have the answer.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch:

Tel: 02380 252 325 Email: enquiries@tapflopumps.co.uk

Peristaltic Pumps are more suited to shear-sensitive, abrasive, or aggressive chemical media where the hose is the only wetted part and hose changes are the only maintenance. Whereas Progressive Cavity Pumps are suited to high-solids, high-viscosity, or high-pressure applications, including sludges, pastes and fibrous slurries – where consistent, low-pulsation flow at higher discharge pressures matters more than minimal wetted-part contact. This guide will help you choose between the two pumps when needing the best pump for your application.

How do Peristaltic and Progressive Cavity Pumps work?

What is a Peristaltic Pump?

A Peristaltic Pump is a positive-displacement pump that moves fluid by pressing a flexible hose rather than moving it through internal metal components. Rollers or shoes on a rotating wheel press against the hose, and as the compression point moves, it pushes fluid ahead of it. Because the hose is the only part in contact with the fluid (no seal, no diaphragm, no metal touching the media), it’s well-suited to abrasive slurries and aggressive chemicals without the wear that other pumps experience. For a full breakdown on how it works, see our guide: ‘What is a Peristaltic Pump?’.

What is a Progressive Cavity Pump?

A Progressive Cavity Pump is a rotary positive displacement pump built around a helical metal rotor turning inside a resilient elastomer stator. As the rotor turns, it forms a sequence of sealed cavities that “progress” from the suction side to the discharge side, moving fluid at a steady, near pulsation-free rate. This geometry lets Progressive Cavity Pumps handle highly viscous, heterogeneous fluids containing gas, solids, abrasive particles and fibrous material, and reach higher discharge pressures than most other positive displacement designs.

Pump Specifications

When selecting a pump, compare the application requirements with each pump type’s operating range to ensure it can transport your media consistently.

Specification	Peristaltic Pump	Progressive Cavity Pump
Max Outlet Pressure	Up to 15 Bar	Up to 48 Bar
Max Flow Rate	Up to 60m³/h	Up to 420 l/min
Max Viscosity Handling	Up to 60,000cPs (12,000 low-pressure)	Up to 1,000,000cPs
Max Self-Priming Lift	Up to 9.8m	Up to 8m wetted
Dry Running	Safe to run dry	Not designed for sustained dry running

Contamination Risk

Contact surface matters most in food & beverage, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical applications where hygienic standards are non-negotiable.

Peristaltic: Only the hose is wetted, with no seals. The lowest-contact, easiest-to-clean option of the two, with nothing to disassemble for cleaning.

Progressive Cavity: The wetted parts comprise the rotor, stator, joint and shaft seal. The Hygienic Progressive Cavity Pump range, part of the Diamond Series, addresses many of these requirements. It features stainless steel construction, models designed to minimise dead zones, and full CIP/SIP compatibility, with pumps available to meet EHEDG and 3-A hygienic standards for applications in the dairy, bakery, meat processing, confectionery, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.

For non-abrasive, lubricating products, the open-joint DXO/JXO/FXO design provides optimum sanitisation. For abrasive fluids, the pin-joint DXC/JXC/FXC design is more suitable, as the joint can be independently lubricated.

Application Suitability

It’s important to know whether the pump you select suits the application. Read below to find out the suitability of the pumps for the applications/industries:

	Peristaltic	Progressive Cavity
ATEX-Suitability	The PXTL is an ATEX-rated model	ATEX certification available on request
Food & Beverage	Tomato sauce, mashed potatoes, pastes, oils, wine, eggs, cream, dairy	Brewing, distilling, oenological, bakery, dairy, meat and confectionery
Pharmaceutical & Cosmetics	Chemicals, vaccines, plasma, shampoos, serums	Pharmaceutical sludges, cosmetic pastes and creams
Wastewater/Water Treatment	Lime cream, ferric chloride, sodium bisulphate, fluoride, polymers, coagulants, flocculants, sludge and foams	Sewage sludge, dewatered cake, polyelectrolytes, flocculants and polymers
Chemical	Acids, PVDF latex, alcohol, soap, solvents	Industrial detergents and chemicals, emulsion, vegetable and mineral oil
Pulp & Paper	Latex, kaolin, paper waste sludge, chemicals	Pulp and paper process sludges
Paint & Print	Water-based paints, acrylics, pigments, inks	Heavy pigment pastes, resins, varnishes, high-viscosity ink
Surface Treatment	Zinc, copper, nickel, tin, silver, gold plating, chromates, passivation	Not a typical application

If you don’t see your specific media listed, contact our pump specialists to confirm suitability.

Running Costs and Maintenance

Peristaltic: Usually costs less to run. They’re electrically powered and require little maintenance; the only wear part is the hose, which you can replace quickly, giving you a ‘new’ pump suited to different media in minutes.

Progressive Cavity: Electrically driven, with running costs largely dependent on motor sizing and discharge pressure. The stator is the main wear part, as the elastomer flexes continuously against the rotor; wear rates depend heavily on media abrasiveness and running speed. On hopper- and auger-fed models, the auger screw feed also needs periodic inspection when running high-solids content media.

Pump Accessories & Configuration Options

Tapflo currently offer the following as optional accessories.

Peristaltic Accessories: A range of hoses and fittings to suit different media and applications, plus a pulsation dampener to smooth the flow.

Progressive Cavity Configuration Options: Open-joint or pin-joint rotor/stator combinations, hopper and auger feed screw inlets for high-solids and poor-flowing media (up to 18–35% dry substance depending on model), close-coupled or bearing-housing-supported drive arrangements, and a wide choice of rotor, stator and sealing material combinations.

Whether you need a hygienic or non-hygienic construction depends on your application, media viscosity and site requirements. Contact our pump specialists to find the right configuration for you.

FAQs

Is a Peristaltic Pump or Progressive Cavity Pump better?

Are Peristaltic Pumps or Progressive Cavity Pumps pulse-free?

Are Peristaltic or Progressive Cavity Pumps ATEX-rated?

Are Peristaltic or Progressive Cavity Pumps better for hygienic applications?

Can Peristaltic or Progressive Cavity Pumps handle high-solids or highly viscous media?

Is a Peristaltic Pump or Progressive Cavity Pump better?

Neither is better outright; the right choice depends on your application. Choose Peristaltic for shear-sensitive or abrasive media where minimal wetted parts and fast, simple maintenance are most important. Choose Progressive Cavity for high-solids, high-viscosity, or high-pressure applications that require consistent flow across multiple stages.

Are Peristaltic Pumps or Progressive Cavity Pumps pulse-free?

Both pump types produce less pulsation than many other pump technologies. Progressive Cavity Pumps are inherently near pulsation-free due to their continuous rotor/stator cavity design. Peristaltic Pumps produce a slight pulse with each roller or shoe pass, which you can further smooth with a pulsation dampener if your application requires fully pulse-free flow.

Are Peristaltic or Progressive Cavity Pumps ATEX-rated?

Yes, both pump types are available in ATEX-rated configurations for hazardous or explosive atmospheres. Tapflo’s PXTL is an ATEX-rated Peristaltic Pump, and ATEX certification is available on request across the Progressive Cavity range, including hopper- and auger-fed biogas models.

Are Peristaltic or Progressive Cavity Pumps better for hygienic applications?

Peristaltic Pumps have the fewest wetted parts (just the hose), making them naturally low risk for contamination. The Hygienic Progressive Cavity range closes much of this gap through EHEDG and 3A-certified design, CIP/SIP compatibility, and a dead-zone-free geometry suited to dairy, bakery, meat processing and pharmaceutical applications.

Can Peristaltic or Progressive Cavity Pumps handle high-solids or highly viscous media?

Both handle high-viscosity, solids-laden media well, but in different ways. Peristaltic Pumps push media through a hose with no internal moving parts in contact with the fluid, so abrasive solids simply wear the hose rather than a metal component. Progressive Cavity Pumps, particularly hopper and auger-fed models, are built specifically for very high-solids content (up to 35% dry substance on some models) and viscosities as high as 1,000,000 cPs, using an auger screw to feed poorly flowing material into the rotor/stator.