Backyard Aquaponics
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Hi. I'm doing a project at the Rich Earth Institute with urine recycling (not peeponics, but related) and I'm looking for a peristaltic pump that can move at least 2.5 liters/minute. Does anyone know of an affordable unit that would do that? There are lots of lab-grade ones online, but they cost a fortune!

Thanks,
Abe

We use these pumps on the golf course all the time. But the flow you are talking about might be a little high for that type of pump. My calculations put it around
720 gallons a day. The biggest ones I have seen have had a capacity of around 100 gallons a day. We get ours from Grainger supply and they usually cost around 360 dollars for a lot less flow than what you are requiring. I'm not sure of what other type of pump you could use for that application.

http://www.grainger.com/product/MEC-O-M ... s_pp=false

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2.5L/minute is a huge flow for a peristaltic pump. You might have to make your own?

Do you really need the accuracy a peristaltic pump can provide?

At that rate you might be better off with a PD pump and a VSD...

Try secondhand machinery from the food industry.

Great, thanks for the tips!

Why do you specifically need a peristaltic pump for this project out of interest?

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A peristaltic pump is a pdp (positive displacement pump) it is sometimes called a dosing pump as it can deliver with a stepper motor an accurate amount of fluid/semisolid per minute/hour.
If you are doing experiments with controlled amounts being dosed ie x amount per minute/hour it is fairly accurate.

+1 on considering other types of pumps. You can get self-priming pumps that are not peristaltic (saving $$$), and then use a flow meter for dosing control if necessary?

E bay Masterflex I/P Easy-Load Pump Head Model 77601-60
Cut and paste to ebay search
Seems from what I've read this is very high flow rate 13 L / min
Replaceable tubing
Suppose it depends what you call pricey, this sort of equipment is going to cost a lot compared to the type of things we are likely to be looking for on this site. Most of us want higher volume at head for little or no power with high reliability and I don't think a peristaltic pump cover enough of those parameters.

I was talking with a pump supplier the other day and saw a 4" peristaltic pump. It was huge. Massive head but stuff all flow. Relatively speaking that is. For a peristaltic pump it was a lot, around 1000L/min.

I bought a dozing pump on fleabay. It used a 12v motor and peristaltic tube - at ~ 2 litres/hour

Cost around $15 and lasted less than a week. Buyers beware!

It probably will be ok for (very) intermittent use

Great link! Thanks.