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Originally Published MDDI March 2005

Cover Story: Pumps and Valves

New Benefits Flow from Pumps and Valves

Top suppliers can help you ask the questions that will enable you
to find the right components for your devices.
William Leventon

Medical device manufacturers should be

pumped up about cutting-edge gas- and
fluid-moving components. New and soon-to-
be-introduced pumps and valves feature
smaller sizes and dispense volumes, higher
flow rates, novel material and connection
options, and dramatically reduced power
consumption.
Pumps and valves
courtesy of KNF
Welcome as these innovations might be, a Neuberger Inc. (Trenton,
larger menu of choices may make it harder NJ) and Parker Hannifin
(Hollis, NH).
for an OEM to zero in on the right
component. According to suppliers, a key to successful pump
and valve shopping is a thorough understanding of how the
component will be used. Besides dispensing advice, suppliers
can help by letting customers try out different options and
making special products for unique applications.

Pump Progress

Many of the new pumps and valves are variations on older

ones. Take the latest version of the CeramPump, introduced
by Fluid Metering Inc. (Syosset, NY). Used for dispensing in
diagnostic systems, CeramPumps feature a valveless pumping
concept developed to eliminate valve-related problems and
maintenance. Key to valveless pumping is a ceramic piston
that reciprocates to pump fluid and rotates to open and close
ports, explains Herb Werner, marketing manager for Fluid
Metering.

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The company’s new CeramPump is designed to dispense half

a microliter per piston stroke. “As far as we know, there are
no other piston pumps that go down that low,” says Werner.

Typically, he notes, submicroliter pumping is

done by a syringe pump, which can
dispense fluid in even smaller amounts than
the CeramPump’s 0.5-µl limit. But syringe
pumps require a pair of valves to admit and The CeramPump by Fluid
discharge fluid, as well as a stepper motor Metering Inc. controls
both the pumping and
for each valve. Moreover, they can’t fill and valving functions with
dispense at the same time. So for only one moving part, a
special ceramic piston
applications that require continuous (click to enlarge).
dispensing, syringe pumps often work in
pairs, with one pump drawing in fluid and the other
dispensing it. The bottom line, Werner says, is that medical
device OEMs would need two syringes with four valves and
multiple stepper motors to do what the CeramPump does with
no valves and one stepper motor.

A peristaltic pump can also be used to dispense tiny amounts

of fluid. Although such pumps are inexpensive, their tubing
doesn’t return to its original shape after each use. To prevent
the drift and loss of accuracy caused by this shape change,
users would have to keep replacing the tubing, Werner notes.

On the other hand, he adds, the CeramPump features a piston

and liner made of a dimensionally stable ceramic material for
long-term, drift-free control. “The dispense you get after a
million cycles is going to be identical to the dispense you get
the first day you use it,” he says.

Another possible replacement for the syringe pump is the LPV

variable-volume pump from The Lee Co. (Westbrook, CT).
Measuring 1.5 ¥ 5 in., the LPV features direct drive off a
stepper motor. This feature enables it to be smaller than most
syringe pumps that include a rack and pinion, according to
Ralph Buck, Lee’s product manager for inert pumps and
valves.
New versions of the LPV will be even smaller, thanks to
shrinking stepper-motor size. Today, the pumps are paired
with motors measuring 1.8 in. in diameter. But according to
Buck, new 1.1-in. motors will provide the same performance
as their larger counterparts, enabling Lee to shrink the size of
the entire pump package.

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LPV pumps are used for reagent dispensing

in clinical chemistry applications. The latest
versions of the pump include new seal
geometries that help prevent seal damage
caused by liquids prone to crystallization.
The small LPV variable-
volume pump from The
Still not satisfied, some Lee customers are Lee Co. features direct
looking for pumps with smaller dispense drive off a stepper motor,
making it smaller than
volumes. So in the next year, the firm most syringe pumps that
include a rack and pinion.
hopes to introduce pumps capable of
dispensing fluid volumes measured in nanoliters, Buck
reports.

Air Alternatives

Pump manufacturers are also adding to their menus of air-

moving devices. In Europe, the German division of Rietschle
Thomas (Puchheim, Germany) has unveiled the Saphyr, an
air pump designed to inflate the cuffs of blood-pressure
devices. Rather than moving up and down, the Saphyr’s
diaphragm rolls in the pump’s cylinder, explains David
Droege, the company’s product support advertising manager.

According to Droege, the rolling diaphragm pump can be

made smaller than its counterparts with typical diaphragms.
(The Saphyr measures 27 mm in diameter and 70 mm in
length.) In addition, it can produce exact flow rates. “If you’re
looking for 0.95-L/min output, you can tune the pump to do
that,” he says. By contrast, he notes, the flow rate of a
conventional diaphragm pump might vary between 0.8 and
1.2 L/min unless a brushless dc motor powered the pump.

Another new offering from the company’s

German unit is the 4002. This pump’s
elongated diaphragm has a larger surface
area than a conventional round diaphragm,
Droege says. With its larger diaphragm, he
adds, the 4002 can produce higher flows (Top) The Saphyr rolling
than a similarly sized pump with a standard diaphragm air pump by
Rietschle Thomas can be
diaphragm. made smaller than pumps
with typical dia-
phragms. (Below)
Small and lightweight, the 4002 was Rietschle’s 4002 pump
has an elongated
originally designed for handheld glucose diaphragm that can
monitors. The pump is also a good fit for produce higher flows due
to increased surface area.
gas analyzers and eye-surgery equipment,
Droege says.

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Like Rietschle Thomas, the T Squared

Pumps unit of Parker Hannifin makes
miniature diaphragm pumps for medical and
analytical instruments. The latest offering
from T Squared is the T2-06, which comes
in single- and double-head configurations.
The single-head version is designed for a 6-L/min flow and up
to 20 psig of pressure. It has a volume of 7.73 cu in. and
weighs 190 g. Slightly larger and heavier is the double-head
version, which offers a flow rate of 12 L/min.

Although it fits in the palm of your hand, the T2-06 isn’t as

small as its predecessor, the T2-05. Nevertheless, the pump
offers a combination of small size and high performance that
makes it suitable for a variety of portable medical devices,
according to Robert Howard, sales and marketing manager for
Parker Hannifin’s Pneutronics Division (Hollis, NH).

Valves Open to Change

As for valves, familiar offerings are sporting some new

features. One of these is the Ultrasite from B. Braun Medical
Inc. (Bethlehem, PA). The needle-free valve is designed to
improve the handling and safety of intravenous devices. The
valve remains closed until a syringe or IV line is attached,
eliminating the need for caps or cannulas.

The original version of the Ultrasite is

compatible with luer-lock connectors. In the
past year, though, B. Braun has introduced
a European version of the valve that accepts
a luer slip, according to Kevin Minnich,
senior strategic engineer for the company’s
OEM Industrial Division. Parker Hannifin’s T2-06
miniature pump, although
larger than its
Another valve designed to provide needle- predecessor, includes
features that make it
free access to IV systems is the SmartSite, suitable for portable
developed by Cardinal Health Alaris medical devices.

Products (San Diego). The SmartSite features a straight-line

fluid path that prevents pooling when the valve is deactivated.
Made of silicone, the fluid path is virtually inert and therefore
won’t contaminate fluid flowing through the valve. Also
notable is the SmartSite’s lack of metal components that
could cause a malfunction if the valve were exposed to
magnetic fields from MRI equipment or other devices.

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Alaris is currently working on material changes that will

permit steam sterilization of the SmartSite. This will set the
unit apart from most other valves of its kind, which are
designed only for EtO or gamma sterilization, according to
Bob Tolliver, the company’s senior OEM sales manager.

For compact liquid-handling equipment, The Lee Co. offers the

VHS, a solenoid valve measuring 0.22 in. in diameter by
about 1 in. long. Soon, Lee plans to offer VHS valves with
precision restriction devices built into their outlet ports. This
will eliminate much of the valve-to-valve variation when VHS
units are used as metering orifices, Buck explains.

OEMs looking for tiny fluid-handling components can also opt

for Parker Hannifin’s X-Valve, a two-position, three-way valve
that’s less than 8 mm wide. Recently, the firm introduced a
nonelastomer version of the product, which can be used in
situations where the valve is exposed to aggressive fluids. It
is also a good choice if the cost of a valve that includes sturdy
but expensive perfluoroelastomer can’t be justified, says Jim
Burns, engineering manager for Parker Hannifin’s Pneutronics
Division. Inside the nonelastomer X-Valve, a metal-on-plastic
       
sealing design replaces the elastomer-on-plastic seal that is
common in the valve industry, Burns explains.

A variation on the X-Valve is designed for

compatibility with a wide range of media
used in medical instrumentation. Inside this
valve, called the Liquid X, the diaphragm
serves as a barrier that separates the
flowing medium from the springs, actuator, The Ultrasite valve from
B. Braun Medical Inc.
and solenoid. enables universal
compatibility with both
luer- slip and luer-lock
New versions of the Liquid X offer elastomer connections.
options for different applications. According
to Howard, one version features perfluoroelastomer, which
stands up to harsh fluids, while the other includes EPDM,
which can handle a broad range of less-
aggressive fluids.

In the coming months, Howard notes, the firm will be

unveiling a new high-flow proportional valve that will be 20%
larger than its current top-performing valves. But with the
extra size comes a big payoff: four times the flow of current
Parker Hannifin offerings, as well as 95% less power

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consumption. In addition, Howard says, the valve will have no

magnetic signature, so it won’t affect magnetic fields
emanating from MRI equipment and other medical devices.

In the same time frame, Parker Hannifin will also introduce

miniature and ultraminiature diaphragm pumps with no
magnetic signature. These pumps will require less than 250
mW of power and produce less noise than comparable pumps
now offered by the company.

The new pumps and valves “will enable OEMs to make a

breakthrough in the total size of their packages by getting
more performance out of their internal electromechanical
components,” Howard says. “The people we’re talking to
about this technology are really taken aback by what we’re
able to do with devices this size.”

Selecting the Right Component

Are you in the market for one of the new pumps or valves?
Before making a choice, consider the expected life of your
device. A device expected to last only 50,000 cycles won’t
demand nearly as much of components as a device that’s
supposed to last 5 million cycles without service to pumps or
valves, The Lee Co.’s Buck notes.

Buck also recommends that material compatibility be

considered. “Depending on the liquids in the system, you may
or may not need a chemically inert valve, and you may or
may not be able to have metal in the flow path. These things
will dictate a lot of the valve and pump design.”

Before choosing a valve, OEMs should

thoroughly understand their application,
according to Joel Bartholomew, B. Braun’s
research and development manager.
Besides knowing a valve’s pressure and flow
requirements, Bartholomew says, OEMs
should know details such as what alarms
and software are installed in their device. The George Fischer
“They should know that because they need electrically actuated ball
valves include features
to know what effect a valve would have on that offer manufacturers
greater flexibility, such as
the alarms and software programming,” he automatic adjustment.
points out.

When B. Braun representatives work with a valve customer,

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they’ll often send the customer some stock valve samples that
meet the pressure and flow requirements of the application.
“You can talk about it all day long, but it’s usually best if they
have some valves that they can physically test,” says Tom
Black, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing.

If none of the company’s products meet the customer’s

needs, B. Braun can redesign an existing product or make a
custom valve for the application. Sometimes, though, the
volumes are too low to justify the costs involved in developing
a new product for a customer, Black says. In such cases, the
firm’s engineers might work with customers to redesign their
devices so they can accept one of B. Braun’s standard valves.
Or if device specifications are the stumbling block, engineers
can show customers how to make acceptable changes. “After
talking to us, they might find out that they don’t have to be
as strict with the specs as they thought,” Black says. “And if
they alter the specs, they might be able to use an existing
valve.”

Pump Pointers

When it’s time for pump shopping, consider these questions

suggested by several top pump suppliers:

• How long will the pump operate? For example, says Werner
of Fluid Metering, if your application is a short-term one
requiring low accuracy, “you’re probably going to go with a
peristaltic pump. Typically, that’s going to be the least-
expensive option.”
• What’s the cost of ownership? Some pumps may be
inexpensive, but the cost of ownership should also be
considered, according to Werner. “Once a product is in the
field, you don’t want to have to send a technician halfway
around the world to work on the pump because it failed,” he
says. “So you might want to buy a pump that’s a little more
expensive.”
• What type of motor will you need? If you’re looking for
something that will last for 10,000 hours, “the only choice you
have is to go to a brushless dc motor,”
Rietschle Thomas’s Droege says. Small motors of this type
won’t change the overall size of a pump package, he notes,
but they’ll probably last more than three times longer than
other motors.
• Have you designed your system for real-world conditions?
For example, Buck says, engineers might think that a system

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that dispenses into air need only be designed for 15-psi

pressure. But what if the system gets clogged? In a case like
this, system pressure might build to over 100 psi. Sometimes,
Buck says, the resulting pressure buildup will dislodge the
obstruction, but other times it may damage the pump or
valve.

At KNF Neuberger Inc. (Trenton, NJ), pump customers

sometimes evaluate several different options, according to
David Vanderbeck, the company’s business development
manager. “They might start by picking out a product they
think will be ideal for their application,” he says. “Then they
may look at a pump that’s one size down because they like
the size of it. And they might also look at a pump that’s one
size bigger because they’re looking for long life and they think
a bigger pump will give them longer life.”

With several pumps under consideration, the designer must

decide which characteristics are most and least important in a
particular application. For example, Vanderbeck says, “a small
pump operating fast could provide the performance that’s
needed. But that will be a very loud construction—it’s going to
sound like a buzzing bee. On the other hand, a big pump
operating slowly might provide quiet performance and long
life. But it won’t have the size and weight that’s desired for
the system.”

According to Vanderbeck, more than 80% of the pumps KNF

sells are custom-modified constructions. Many customers
want KNF to shrink the size of one of its standard pumps but
maintain the same level of performance. The company
satisfies these customers by making changes such as
optimizing the efficiency of the pump’s diaphragm and valves.

It’s not uncommon for KNF to improve a variety of pump

performance measures—including flow, pressure, and self-
priming capability—by 50% or more, Vanderbeck claims. The
company does this by gaining a clear understanding of what’s
important to an application—and what’s not. For instance,
Vanderbeck says, flow rate could be increased at the expense
of maximum pressure capability, or something else deemed
noncritical in a particular situation. “It comes down to making
trade-offs that sacrifice something the customer doesn’t
need.”

No matter what that trade-off is, one thing is clear. Good

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communication with your pump and valve suppliers is key to

finding the best component for your device.

William Leventon is a frequent contributor to MD&DI. He is

based in Somers Point, NJ.

Copyright ©2005 Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry

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