OEM peristaltic pumps bring controlled flow to scientific instruments

Automated sample delivery in spectroscopy applications is a huge help for analysts, but places stringent demands on sipper systems in terms of accurate and repeatable flow. Which is why leading scientific instrument designer and manufacturer Cecil Instruments relies on Watson-Marlow peristaltic pumps across its whole range of spectrophotometers.

The Cecil range of UV/Visible spectrophotometers includes models designed for student teaching, routine analysis, quality control applications and cutting-edge research. Its instruments are widely used across a huge range of industry sectors, water analysis to food and beverage analysis, and from life science analyses to the determination of chemicals, as well as for pharmaceutical product development.

With the instruments often working with very low volumes of sample, frequently involving harsh and aggressive chemicals, the accuracy and reliability of the pump is critical to the effectiveness of the instrument.

To meet these requirements, Cecil Instruments employs Watson-Marlow 100 Series OEM pumps in its spectrophotometers. These high precision, low-flow peristaltic pumps have become almost a de facto standard across the world for applications such as fermentation systems and scientific equipment, and for Cecil Instruments they combine the required accuracy and good chemical resistance with extreme reliability and ease of use.

“The accuracy of flow rate and sample delivery are extremely good, whilst the operating principle of the pumps negates the effects of any precipitation that might take place is the liquid vessels,” say Cecil Instruments. “At the same time, the 100 Series pumps are very reliable, easy to maintain and easy to control, which is essential as our typical users are chemists and biologists, not engineers.”

Cecil’s options for its spectrophotometers extend to complete tablet dissolution systems. “A pharmaceutical company, for example, developing a new controlled release product would want to test the rate of release of the drug over time,” Cecil Instruments explains. “The tablet would be released into a vessel of chemicals that mimic the human stomach, and at predetermined intervals a sample of the vessel would be drawn into the spectrophotometer to measure the absorbance of the drug. These tests could run over a period of several hours or more, so an automated process is of real benefit.”

More information about the Watson-Marlow OEM pumps range.