@article{article_1746018, title={EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF PRESSURE DROP AND PUMP POWER IN PERISTALTIC PUMP-DRIVEN FLOW THROUGH FLEXIBLE PIPES OF VARYING DIAMETERS}, journal={Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Mühendislik Bilimleri Dergisi}, volume={29}, pages={448–466}, year={2026}, DOI={10.17780/ksujes.1746018}, url={https://izlik.org/JA66DP83EZ}, author={Yıldırım, Orhan}, keywords={Peristaltik pompa, boyutsuz analiz, viskoelastik deformasyon, duvar kayma gerilmesi, hemodinamik}, abstract={Although peristaltic pumps are common in biomedical, complex fluid-structure interactions within small flexible tubes are often oversimplified by standard hydraulic theories. This study experimentally investigates the hemodynamic performance of a peristaltic pump using flexible silicone tubes with different inner diameters (6-10 mm) and wall thicknesses. Unlike traditional parametric studies, a comprehensive dimensionless analysis was conducted using the Buckingham Pi theorem to evaluate the Flow Coefficient, Head Coefficient, and Power Coefficient as functions of the Reynolds number. Additionally, Wall Shear Stress was analyzed to assess hemocompatibility. While the 10 mm tube exhibited stable hydraulic behavior, the 6 mm tube suffered from significant volumetric loss and pressure fluctuations due to radial expansion. Most critically, the dimensionless Power Coefficient in the 6 mm tube was approximately 30 times higher than in the 10 mm tube, indicating that a massive portion of hydraulic energy is dissipated to overcome wall deformation and high frictional resistance. Furthermore, WSS analysis showed that the 6 mm tube generated shear stresses reaching 90 Pa, far exceeding the physiological safety limit for hemolysis (15 Pa), whereas the 10 mm tube remained within the safe range (4–14 Pa). Pressure generation requires optimizing trade-offs with efficiency and hemocompatibility.}, number={1}, organization={Scientific Research Projects Coordinatorship of Atatürk University}