Pump Technology
Most pumps transfer fluid. PIXER® controls it. The flow profile your pump creates determines shear exposure, pressure stability, mixing quality, and whether your scale-up succeeds or fails. PIXER® engineers predictable behavior at source — so you stop compensating downstream.
What is PIXER®?
PIXER® is Alphinity's single-use positive displacement diaphragm pump for bioprocessing. It uses a radial diaphragm design (3, 5, or 7 diaphragms depending on model) with vertical orientation to deliver ultra-low shear, very low pulsation flow — protecting sensitive biologics that conventional peristaltic pumps damage. Five models span from 0.73 mL/min to 240 L/min. The pump head is single-use and disposable; the drive unit is reusable.
The case for behavior-first design
Every time fluid moves through a bioprocess, the pump determines the outcome. Pressure spikes destroy cells. Flow instability destabilises TFF. Pulsation corrupts in-line sensors. Viscosity resistance causes cavitation. These are not downstream problems — they originate at the pump. Legacy fluid handling was designed for industrial transfer, not biological processes. PIXER® was engineered from the physics up to control flow behavior — not just move volume.
Each roller revolution in a peristaltic pump creates a pressure transient. In viral vector and CGT manufacturing, those transients translate directly to cell stress and yield loss. PIXER®'s five overlapping diaphragm strokes eliminate the spike at source.
Pressure sensors, flow meters, and in-line analytics rely on stable signals. Pulsatile flow introduces noise that masks real process variation and makes closed-loop control unreliable. Near-pulseless flow means your instruments measure the process, not the pump.
Peristaltic and centrifugal pumps lose output as viscosity rises. Operators compensate with higher speeds, which increases shear, heat, and tubing wear. PIXER®'s positive displacement design is viscosity-independent — 200 cP behaves like water, and 3,000 cP does too.
If your pump at lab scale and your pump at production scale produce different flow profiles, your process doesn't transfer — it has to be re-developed. PIXER®'s platform architecture delivers the same radial diaphragm behavior from P0 to P40. What you develop at bench is what you manufacture at scale.
The conventional approach is to add downstream compensation: dampeners, pressure regulators, inline mixers, additional sensors. PIXER® makes these unnecessary by eliminating the variability at source. Fewer components means simpler validation, lower hold-up volume, and fewer failure modes.
Closed-loop control algorithms depend on consistent, predictable process signals. A pump that creates noise cannot be reliably automated. PIXER®'s stable flow profiles are a prerequisite for Pharma 4.0 automation — not an optional feature.
How the PIXER® pump works
PIXER® uses odd numbers of diaphragms — 3, 5, or 7 depending on model — arranged in a tight radial pattern with vertical orientation. Product enters through a large-bore top inlet for gravity-flooded suction, instant air-free priming, and zero cavitation risk.
Why odd numbers? In a multi-diaphragm pump, each diaphragm operates at a phase offset of 360°/N. With even numbers (e.g., 4 diaphragms at 90°), opposing pairs create symmetric harmonic reinforcement — residual pulsation peaks that no amount of tuning can eliminate. Odd-numbered arrangements break this symmetry: no two diaphragms are ever in direct opposition, so even-order harmonics cancel naturally and discharge overlap is distributed more uniformly across the full rotation. The result is measurably smoother flow at every operating point — verified in independent testing showing 5-diaphragm PIXER® pumps outperforming 4-diaphragm competitors on pressure stability, flow rates, and speed efficiency.
Product never contacts moving parts. No compression, no stretching, no tubing fatigue. The gentlest pump technology available for bioprocessing.
Five overlapping diaphragm strokes produce near-continuous flow. Stable pressure profiles for TFF, chromatography, and filtration operations.
Positive displacement means flow rate doesn't change with system backpressure. Accurate, repeatable delivery regardless of downstream conditions.
Up to 3,000 cP natively. High-concentration mAbs, dense formulations, and viscous buffers — no output loss, no cavitation, no workarounds.
The pump's one-way flow design eliminates backflow. No separate check valves required — simplifies flowpath and reduces hold-up volume.
Vertical orientation with large-bore top inlet means instant priming. No negative pressure at the suction side — eliminates inlet cavitation entirely.
Internal Mixing
Every PIXER® pump supports injection ports — secondary inlets where fluid is positively pumped into the pump body during operation. The result: complete internal mixing within the pump itself. Any fluid mixed internally can be considered fully mixed at the outlet.
Injection ports require fluid to be positively pumped in — they are not gravity-fed inlets. This gives precise control over what enters the pump and when.
Achievable across 1–99% of the pump's pressure and flow range. From trace additions to near-equal blends — controlled by injection flow rate relative to main flow.
Injection ports sit in the top slice, outlets in the bottom slice — both can be populated simultaneously to their maximum count. Internal check valves prevent cross-contamination between the main inlet, injection ports, and outlets.
Inline buffer dilution, pH adjustment, additive dosing — all achievable within the pump body itself. No external static mixers, no additional hold-up volume, no extra connections. Internal check valves isolate each injection port from every other port and the main inlet, preventing any cross-contamination. One component does the pumping and the mixing — safely.
| Model | Max Injection Ports | Max Outlets | Mix Ratio Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| P0 / P0 Fast Prime | 3 | 3 | 1–99% |
| P10 | 10 | 5 | 1–99% |
| P20 / P20 Fast Prime | 10 | 5 | 1–99% |
| P30 | 5 | 5 | 1–99% |
| P40 | 7 | 7 | 1–99% |
At high viscosity, peristaltic pumps lose output, generate excessive heat, and accelerate tubing failure. Centrifugal pumps lose head entirely. PIXER®'s positive displacement architecture is viscosity-independent — 3,000 cP runs the same as water.
High-concentration mAb formulations routinely exceed 50 cP and can reach 200+ cP. PIXER® handles these natively, with headroom to spare for the most demanding viscous applications in bioprocessing.
Pump Family
The PIXER® platform spans from bench-scale process development to production. Seven models from 0.73 mL/min to 240 L/min — same radial diaphragm architecture, same flow behaviour, consistent results regardless of scale.
P0
3 diaphragms
Up to 1.1 L/min
P10
5 diaphragms
Up to 5.1 L/min
P20
5 diaphragms
Up to 40 L/min
P30
5 diaphragms
Up to 175 L/min
P40
7 diaphragms
Up to 240 L/min
Click any pump model below to highlight its specifications.
| Specification | P0 Fast Prime | P0 | P10 | P20 Fast Prime | P20 | P30 | P40 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diaphragms | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Tubing ID | 1/8" | 1/8" | 1/8", 1/4" | 1/2", 3/4" | 1/2", 3/4" | 3/4", 1" | 1", 1.5" |
| Displacement | 0.73 mL/rev | 0.73 mL/rev | 1.7 mL/rev | 16.7 mL/rev | 16.7 mL/rev | 135 mL/rev | 185 mL/rev |
| RPM range | 1–1,000 | 1–1,500 | 1–3,000 | 1–1,800 | 1–2,400 | 1–1,300 | 1–1,300 |
| Flow (min @ 1 RPM) | 0.73 mL/min | 0.73 mL/min | 1.7 mL/min | 16.7 mL/min | 16.7 mL/min | 135 mL/min | 185 mL/min |
| Flow (max) | 0.73 L/min | 1.10 L/min | 5.10 L/min | 30.1 L/min | 40.1 L/min | 175.5 L/min | 240.5 L/min |
| Internal volume | 14 mL | 22 mL | 45 mL | ~190 mL | 300 mL | 1,300 mL | 2,150 mL |
| Main inlet | 3/4" TC | 1.5" TC | 1.5" TC | 1.5" TC | 3" TC | 4" TC | 6" TC |
| Max outlets | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Max injection ports | 3 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 7 |
| Weight | 0.3 kg | 0.3 kg | 0.44 kg | 2 kg | 2 kg | 8 kg | 12.8 kg |
| Operating pressure | 6 bar | 6 bar | 6 bar | 6 bar | 6 bar | 6 bar | 6 bar |
Fast Prime variants — P0 Fast Prime (3/4" TC inlet, 14 mL internal volume) and P20 Fast Prime (1.5" TC inlet, 1,800 RPM max) are optimised for fast priming, low hold-up, and transfer pump applications. The P0 Fast Prime is used as the transfer pump (P01) in all TFFi™ configurations.
Five is smoother than four. Independent testing shows the PIXER® 5-diaphragm pump delivers 67% greater flow rates and achieves target flow at 50% lower motor speed compared to competing 4-diaphragm designs — with significantly lower pressure pulsation at every operating point.
Materials & Compliance
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Pump body material | Polypropylene |
| Diaphragm material | TPV (thermoplastic vulcanizate) |
| Biocompatibility | USP Class VI |
| BSE/TSE | Free |
| Manufacturing | ISO Class 7 cleanroom |
| Sterilization | Gamma irradiation compatible |
| Regulatory | FDA-compliant wetted materials |
The pump body and diaphragms are single-use, disposable wetted components. The drive unit is reusable and designed for tool-free pump head changeover.
GMP-compatible by design. All materials and manufacturing processes support customer validation for GMP environments. Start developing today — validate when you're ready.
Applications
Who PIXER® is designed for
PIXER® is for engineers and scientists who understand that fluid handling quality is a process variable — and who want to control it, not tolerate it.
AAV, lentiviral, and cell therapy products are damaged by shear and pressure events. If you're losing titre or viability during transfer, your pump is a likely cause. PIXER® removes it from the equation.
Lipid nanoparticles are sensitive to mixing dynamics and shear history. PIXER®'s internal mixing architecture and low-shear flow profile give you control over what the particle experiences from the moment it forms.
High-conc mAb formulations exceed 50–200 cP. Peristaltic pumps can't transfer them reliably without output loss and excessive back-pressure. PIXER® handles 3,000 cP without cavitation or compensation.
Stable transmembrane pressure requires stable flow. Pulsatile flow causes TMP oscillation that is misread as process variation. PIXER®'s near-pulseless delivery gives your TFF system the stable inputs it needs to perform correctly.
If you're developing at bench scale and planning to transfer to GMP manufacturing, the platform architecture matters from day one. PIXER® scales without redesign — same behavior, P0 to P40.
Closed-loop control requires reliable process signals. If you're building towards Pharma 4.0 or continuous biomanufacturing, PIXER®'s stable flow behavior and ConSynSys™ integration give you the control layer your automation needs.
FAQ
Peristaltic pumps compress tubing with each roller revolution, creating pressure spikes, shear damage, and cavitation. PIXER® eliminates all of these — no tubing, no compression, near-pulseless flow. Product never contacts moving parts.
Yes — up to 3,000 cP. As a positive displacement pump, PIXER® flow rate is independent of viscosity and backpressure. High-concentration mAbs, dense formulations, and viscous buffers run without output loss or cavitation.
Seven models: P0 Fast Prime (up to 0.73 L/min), P0 (up to 1.1 L/min), P10 (up to 5.1 L/min), P20 Fast Prime (up to 30 L/min), P20 (up to 40 L/min), P30 (up to 175 L/min), and P40 (up to 240 L/min). The platform spans from 0.73 mL/min to 240 L/min.
The pump body and diaphragms are single-use, disposable wetted components manufactured from USP Class VI materials in ISO Class 7 cleanrooms. The drive unit is reusable.
The PIXER® pump is the core of Alphinity's TFFi™ tangential flow filtration system, and is available as a standalone component for integration into bespoke systems. It integrates with ConSynSys™ automation for closed-loop control.
From pump to platform
PIXER® is the core actuation component in Alphinity's integrated bioprocessing platform. Standalone, it replaces a legacy pump. Integrated with VannX™ valves and ConSynSys™ automation, it becomes a closed-loop process control element — with real-time flow monitoring, automated deviation response, and full 21 CFR Part 11 audit trails.
Combine precise positive-displacement flow control with electric pinch valve routing. Configurable multi-outlet flowpaths with no manual intervention — fully automatable switching between process steps.
ConSynSys™ automation software turns PIXER®'s stable flow output into closed-loop process control. Flow setpoints, pressure feedback, deviation alarms, and electronic batch records — all integrated from the pump upward.
The TFFi™ tangential flow filtration system is built around PIXER® pumps. P0 Fast Prime handles transfer, P10 drives the recirculation loop — both configured for the stable, low-shear flow that TFF operations demand.
Already running a bespoke process? PIXER® integrates into existing flowpaths via standard tri-clamp fittings. No custom manifolds, no proprietary connectors. If you're replacing a peristaltic pump or retrofitting a legacy system, PIXER® fits where it needs to fit.
Get Started
Tell us about your process — fluid type, flow range, scale, automation requirements. We'll specify the right PIXER® configuration and show you what controlled flow behavior looks like in your application.