Guide to Liquid Pumps Use the guide below to help you select the best type of pump for your application. This information is intended as a general guideline and will not hold true for all pumps within a classification; check individual pump specifications on the given product pages for complete details. | Pump type | Max flow
ranges | Max
pressure | Self-
priming | Pulseless
flow | Fluid
viscosity | Particulate
matter | Run
dry | Advantages | | GPM | L/min | Air-operated
diaphragm | 5.0 to
225 | 19.0 to
851 | Up to
125 psi | Excellent | Fair | Medium | Yes | Yes | Use for highly viscous or particulate-laden
fluids and where electric is not available | | Bellows | 0.008 to
26.4 | 0.03 to
100 | Up to
73 psi | Good | Poor | Medium | Yes | Yes | Can pump liquids or gases | | Centrifugal | 2.3 to
1200 | 8.7 to
4542 | Up to
275 psi | Poor | Excellent | Light | No | No | Fluid transfer at high flow rates
and low pressures | | Diaphragm | 0.003 to
5.2 | 0.01 to
19.7 | Up to
300 psi | Good | Poor | Medium | No | Yes | High-accuracy; for applications
such as pH/ORP control | Double-
diaphragm | 1.0 to
4.0 | 3.79 to
15.1 | Up to
95 psi | Excellent | Fair | Medium | Yes | Yes | Use for viscous or
particulate-laden fluids | | Drum | 6.0 to
63.0 | 22.7 to
238 | Up to
35 psi | Poor | Excellent | Medium | No | No | Economical. No electrical parts | Flexible
impeller | 3.8 to
50.0 | 14.4 to
189 | Up to
60 psi | Excellent | Excellent | Light | No | No | Low-cost utility pump | Flexible
liner | 1.0 to
10.0 | 3.8 to
37.8 | Up to
50 psi | Excellent | Excellent | Medium | Yes | Yes | Gentle pumping action uses no
seals—pulseless, can run dry | | Gear | 0.006 to
74.0 | 0.026 to
280 | Up to
1500 psi | Poor | Excellent | Medium | No | No | Pulseless flow at high pressures | | Hand | 2.0 to
48 | 7.6 to
181.7 | — | Good | Fair | Light | No | No | Economical. No electrical parts | | Hose | 0.66 to
68 | 2.5
257.4 | Up to
220 psi | Excellent | Poor | Medium | Yes | Yes | Noncontaminating; Use for high flow and
high pressure applications | Ismatec™
peristaltic | 0.00002
to 1.43 | 0.00008
to 5.4 | Up to
22 psi | Excellent | Fair | Heavy | Yes | Yes | Noncontaminating; high accuracy; available
in a wide variety of tubing materials; | Manostat®
peristaltic | 0.0008 to
1.3 | 0.003 to
5.0 | Up to
25 psi | Excellent | Fair | Heavy | Yes | Yes | Noncontaminating; available in
a wide variety of pump materials | Masterflex
peristaltic | 0.0000034
to 12.0 | 0.013
45 | Up to
100 psi | Excellent | Fair | Heavy | Yes | Yes | Noncontaminating; available in
a wide variety of pump materials | | Nutating disc | 0.25 to
1.0 | 0.95 to
3.8 | Up to
15 psi | Good | Poor | Medium | Yes | Yes | PTFE wetted parts;
positive displacement | | Piston | 0.004 to
107 | 0.015 to
405 | Up to
5000 psi | Good | Poor | Medium | No | Yes | Highest pressure and accuracy;
ideal for HPLC applications | Pressure
Washer | 2.0 to
4.0 | 7.6 to
15.1 | Up to
3000 psi | N/A | Excellent | Light | No | No | High pressure capabilities;
portability, heating | Progressing
cavity | 0.5 to
13 | 1.9 to
49 | Up to
100 psi | Fair | Excellent | Very
heavy | Yes | No | Pulseless flow for highly viscous
or particulate-laden fluids | | Rotary vane | 0.75 to
4.3 | 2.8 to
16.3 | Up to
240 psi | Fair | Very
good | Light | No | No | High-pressure capabilities;
low shear | | Submersible | 3.0 to
180 | 11.4 to
681.3 | Up to
50 psi | Poor | Excellent | Light | No | No | Use for emptying tanks or sumps | | Syringe | 0.002 to
0.04 | 0.008 to
0.15 | Up to
40 psi | N/A | Excellent | Light | No | Yes | Low flow rates at high pressures | | |