Principle and Advantages of Quattroflow Pumps

The Idea: Pump Follows Evolution

How can a pump be designed to convey extremely delicate biologically active molecules? The solution is in nature itself! Millions of years of evolution developed the perfect device to pump blood that contains albumin, gamma globulins, clotting factors and cells. It is the heart!

The Quattroflow® pump is based on this principle, featuring quaternary (four-piston) diaphragm technology that enables a gentle pumping through soft “heartbeats.” Each stroke of the four diaphragms is generated by an eccentric shaft, which is connected to the electric motor. This method of operation allows the Quattroflow pump to gently, safely and securely convey shear-sensitive aqueous solutions and biologic products with minimal impact.

The four-piston design of Quattroflow pumps also does not require a mechanical seal or wetted rotating parts, ensuring total product containment without abrasion and minimum particle generation. Additionally, the four-piston pumping principle provides risk-free dry running, low pulsation, self-priming and a high turndown ratio.

Quattroflow Pumps and Lobe Pumps Compared

When compared to the features and benefits of Quattroflow pumps, lobe pumps have a variety of operational limitations and shortcomings that do not lead to an optimized production process. The Quattroflow advantages include:

• Scalable: High turndown allows multiple flow duties
• Durable: Self-priming (even when running dry)
• Designed for fast maintenance: Seal-less engineering for fast and easy maintenance
• Consistency: Low pulsation for high precision
• Efficiency: Even with low-viscosity, low-flow applications
• Purity: No metal-to-metal wear, no seals to ensure virtually zero particle generation
• Flexible: Suitable for multiple-use and single-use applications

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Quattroflow Pumps and Peristaltic Pumps Compared

Unlike the operation of a peristaltic pump, the gentle working principle of Quattroflow pumps has been specifically designed to help eliminate particle contamination of your product. This makes Quattroflow pumps ideally suited for optimizing the handling of expensive and/or sensitive liquids often found in a variety of biopharma applications.

To help verify the ability of our pumps to minimize particle generation, we commissioned a third-party test that featured a comparison between a Quattroflow QF150SU model pump and a peristaltic pump. After the test was completed, an examination of the filter membranes showed that 2 Mio particles with sizes between 6.1 and 12.7 µm were generated during the operation of the peristaltic pump. Conversely, no identifiable particles were generated during the operation of the Quattroflow pump.

In addition to the particle generation concerns mentioned above, there are additional disadvantages inherent in peristaltic pumps that could potentially threaten the quality of your process and final product, including:

• Pulsation: Due to their operational design, peristaltic pumps create a pulsing flow, which can adversely affect the process.
• Tube failure: High mechanical stress can result in tube rupture that can lead to a catastrophic failure, costly product loss, downtime and maintenance.
• Flow rate consistency: With increasing operating time of the tube, mechanical stress changes the hose geometries over time and can lead to an inconsistent flow.
• Particle generation outside the hose: Spallation release may also occur outside the hose. This may compromise the fluid path but also contaminate the external cleanroom environment.
• Pump technology change: Limited flow and pressure capabilities of peristaltic pumps mean changing pump technologies as processes move from process development to cGMP creating scale-up issues.