Understanding Different Types of Liquid Filling Pump

1.What Is the Liquid Filling Pump?

Liquid Filling Pump - Sourced: Groninger

Liquid filling pump, as a key part of liquid filling machine, is a equipment specifically designed for liquid filling and transportation. This equipment serves as an important part in industrial production, because it can accurately deliver liquids to designated containers, such as glass bottle.

In fact, pharmaceutical preparations, beverages and other liquid all need filling pumps. Specifically, filling pumps can be used for precise metering and filling of pharmaceutical liquids in the pharmaceutical industry.

2.How Many Different Types of Liquid Filling Pump?

Different Types of Liquid Filling Pump

You may have heard of several types of liquid filling pumps, do you know which two types can be specifically classified? The above picture can clearly introduce different types of filling pumps for you.

(1)Piston pump

Piston Pump - Sourced: Anderson Process

Glass pump

Being made of glass material, so it is called as glass pump. It can fill high-purity and volatile liquids. Therefore, the cost is high, but it is easy to damage, o operators should use it carefully.

Stainless steel pump

Stainless steel pump is made of stainless steel material, commonly used being 304 and 316 stainless steel. Stainless steel filling pumps are relatively expensive, but have a longer service life.

Ceramic pump

Also known as ceramic filling pump, ceramic pump is a special type of pump. It is mainly used in industries such as chemical, pharmaceutical, food, beer, etc. The main materials for filling ceramic pumps include alumina, silicon nitride, and zirconia.

(2)Peristaltic pump

Also known as hose pump or peristaltic squeeze pump, peristaltic pump is a new type of industrial fluid conveying equipment. It mainly transports liquids or gases through compressed hoses or corrugated pipes. In terms of liquid transportation, it is widely used in high viscosity media and precision machining, and has high practical value.

3.What Are the Pros and Cons of Different Types of Liquid Filling Pump?

As is well known, no one is perfect, and products are not perfect either. Different types of liquid filling pumps have their own advantages and disadvantages, involving durability, cost, safety, and other aspects.

Glass pump

Glass Pump - Sourced: Aurora Pro Scientific

Advantages	Disadvantages
Strong corrosion resistance: The glass pump has high corrosion resistance, so it will not be affected by chemical properties.	Easy to clog: It has a small aperture, is easy to clog, and has a narrow range of use.
High precision: The working accuracy is very high, which can ensure accurate measurement of liquids, especially fit for fields such as pharmaceutical production.	Fragility: Glass materials are susceptible to damage and breakage caused by external factors, so glass pump is easy to break.
High safety: With high safety performance, it can avoid the leakage of hazardous substances generated by chemical reactions, thereby ensuring the safety of laboratories and production workshops.

Stainless steel pump

Stainless Steel Pump - Sourced: Pump Engineering Ltd

Advantages	Disadvantages
Strong corrosion resistance: The main materials of stainless steel pumps are 304 and 316L stainless steel, which have excellent corrosion resistance.	High price: Compared with ordinary cast iron pumps, stainless steel pumps are more expensive and have higher costs for some small and medium-sized enterprises.
Wear resistance: Due to the advanced manufacturing process and materials used in stainless steel pumps, they have strong wear resistance.	Pressure difference: The compressive strength of stainless steel pumps is relatively low, which may not be suitable for some situations with high requirements.
Pollution free: The stainless steel pump has been polished internally, with a smooth surface and no rust residue, which will not cause secondary pollution to the fluid.

Ceramic pump

Ceramic Pump - Sourced: Unipretec

Advantages	Disadvantages
High wear resistance: Under high pressure and high-speed working conditions, ceramic materials can significantly reduce wear and prolong the service life of pumps.	High cost: Compared to traditional metal pumps, ceramic plunger pumps typically have higher costs, which may increase initial investment.
Corrosion resistance: It has good resistance to most chemicals, making ceramic pumps be used for transporting corrosive media such as acid, alkali, and salt solutions.	Fragility: Although ceramic materials have high hardness, they are also relatively fragile. Ceramic plungers may rupture when subjected to impact or improper operation.
Thermal stability: Ceramic materials have good thermal stability and can maintain their performance in high temperature environments.	Temperature limitation: Although ceramic materials have good thermal stability, thermal expansion may still occur at extreme high temperatures, leading to performance degradation or damage.

Peristaltic pump

Peristaltic Pump - Sourced: Watson Marlow

Advantages	Disadvantages
Low pulse: The slow pushing method of the peristaltic pump reduces the pulse during the liquid flow process, avoids liquid loss, and makes the flow rate more stable.	Pressure limitation: The pressure limitation of peristaltic pumps is generally not more than 03MPa, usually between 02MPa. For some liquids that require high-pressure delivery, peristaltic pumps may not be able to meet the requirements.
Small interaction: Peristaltic pumps transport liquids through rotating and squeezing pump tubes, with fewer moving parts compared to other pump devices, simple maintenance, low noise, and minimal impact on the environment.	Vulnerable parts: The pump tube of the peristaltic pump is a vulnerable part that needs to be replaced regularly, which may increase maintenance costs.
Non pollution: The working principle of the peristaltic pump is to transport liquid by rotating and squeezing the pump pipe, which will not produce bubbles and foam, so it will not pollute the liquid.	Low pressure: The pressure of the peristaltic pump is relatively low, and for some liquids that require high-pressure delivery, the peristaltic pump may not be able to meet the demand.
Stable flow rate The flow rate of the peristaltic pump can be controlled by adjusting the speed of the motor, thus maintaining a stable flow rate.

4.What Are the Material Features of Different Types of Liquid Filling Pump?

Are you familiar with the material features of liquid filling pumps? Since these characteristics can influence the materials you choose, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of them.

	Glass pump	Stainless steel pump	Ceramic pump	Peristaltic pump
Hardness	55-70HRC	55-70HRC	85-90HRC Maximum hardness and wear resistance	50-65HRC
Thermal expansion index	Small	Big	Small	Big
Acid resistance	Acid-resisting	Not acid resistant	Acid-resisting	Acid-resisting
Fracture resistance	Alkali-resisting	Not alkali resisting	Alkali-resisting	Alkali-resisting
Material particle size	larger The surface of the pump is rough after processing, and there is a large fit gap.	Suitable The surface is electroplated and prone to detachment.	Minimum, nanoscale The pump surface is the smoothest and has the smallest clearance, but it is not easy to lock up during operation.	Minimum

5.What Are the Filling Precision of Different Types of Liquid Filling Pump?

As manufacturers, all want pumps with good filling accuracy and choose the appropriate filling pump according to our own needs. After different years, the accuracy of the filling pump will also vary.

	Glass pump	Stainless steel pump	Ceramic pump	Peristaltic pump
New	±2%	±0.05-0.5%	±0.05-0.5%	±2%
After one year of use		±0.1-0.5%	±0.05-0.5%
After three year of use		±0.3-1.0%	±0.1-0.5%
After five year of use		±0.5-1.5%	±0.1-0.5%

The filling precision is directly related to the stability of product quality. High precision filling ensures consistent product quantity. Therefore, it is very important to have a clear understanding of the filling accuracy of the filling pump.

6.What Are the Applications of Different Types of Liquid Filling Pump?

Applications of Different Types of Liquid Filling Pump - Sourced: Makwell

For products with different capacities, different liquid filling pumps can be selected, so let’s take a look at the application of each filling pump.

	Application scope	Adaptation field
Glass pump	For low value-added products with a loading capacity greater than 2ML and low precision requirements, the viscosity of the product should not be too high.	It is suitable for filling high-purity, volatile liquids in industries such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food.
Stainless steel pump	The product loading capacity is greater than 0.1-2000ML, with high precision requirements for loading and a wide range of product viscosity.	It is suitable for filling pumps in industries such as food, medicine, beverages, cosmetics, etc., they can also be used in some special working conditions, such as filling corrosive liquids and high-temperature liquids.
Ceramic pump	The product has a loading capacity greater than 0.1-2000ML, with high precision requirements for loading, and the maximum viscosity range of the product.	It is mainly used in industries such as chemical, pharmaceutical, food, beer, etc.
Peristaltic pump	For low value-added products with a loading capacity greater than 5ML and low precision requirements, the viscosity of the product should not be too high.	It is widely used in scientific research, pharmaceuticals, chemical industry, environmental protection, beverages, food, printing and other fields.

7.What Is the Working Principle of Different Types of Liquid Filling Pump?

Due to their different working principles, they can be divided into plunger pumps and peristaltic pumps. What are the differences between these two types of pumps?

Piston pump

Working Principle of the Piston Pump

The working principle of a piston pump is to achieve fluid delivery by reciprocating the plunger in the pump chamber. When the piston moves forward, the volume inside the pump chamber decreases, causing the fluid to be under pressure and flow towards the outlet direction. When the piston moves backwards, the volume inside the pump chamber increases, causing the fluid to receive suction and enter the pump chamber from the inlet.

Peristaltic pump

Working Principle of the Peristaltic Pump - Sourced: VKPAK

The working principle of a peristaltic pump is to transport fluid by compressing or releasing a hose. When the hose is compressed, the volume inside the hose decreases, causing the fluid to be under pressure and flow towards the outlet. When the hose is released, the volume inside the hose increases, causing the fluid to experience suction and enter the hose from the inlet.

8.What Is the Lifespan of Different Types of Liquid Filling Pump?

Different types of liquid filling pumps have different lifespan due to differences in materials and other factors.

	Glass pump	Stainless steel pump	Ceramic pump	Peristaltic pump
Lifespan (imported pump)	About 3 months (Italian products)	≤3 years (Germany products)	≥6 years	Replace the silicone hose every 1-3 months
Lifespan (Domestic pump)	About 3 months	≤1 year	≥6 years	Replace the silicone hose every 1-3 months

9.How to Choose Suitable Liquid Filling Pump?

Choosing the appropriate liquid filling pump can achieve twice the result with half the effort, improve one’s production efficiency, and achieve a bountiful harvest of benefits.

Liquid properties

Liquid Properties - Sourced: Oinoteka

When choosing a pump, the first thing to consider is the properties of the liquid, such as viscosity, particle content, etc. Different types of pumps need to be selected for liquids of different properties to ensure effective delivery. As detailed in question 6, if the liquid viscosity is high, a ceramic pump can be chosen.

Liquid traffic requirements

Liquid Traffic Requirements - Sourced: Asset Packaging Machines

Determine the required flow range based on production needs, and then select the pump that can meet this excellent flow requirement. Excessive or insufficient traffic may affect production efficiency and product quality. If the flow rate is high, ceramic pumps and stainless steel pumps can be chosen.

Precision requirements

For products that require high-precision measurement, such as drugs, cosmetics, etc., pumps with higher precision should be selected, such as plunger pumps or peristaltic pumps. If high precision is required, stainless steel pumps and ceramic pumps can be chosen.

Maintenance and cleaning

The maintenance and cleaning of the pump are also factors that need to be considered when choosing. You can choose liquid filling pumps that are easy to clean and maintain can save production costs and improve equipment lifespan.

Conclusion

Filling pumps play an important role in the entire liquid filling process. Do you feel confused when facing different types of liquid filling pumps? After reading this article, do you have a clear idea? If you have any questions about which liquid filling pump to choose, you can contact AIPAK at any time.