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Types of Hydraulic Accumulators

Gas-loaded accumulators use compressed gas to store energy and release hydraulic oil when circuit pressure changes. Weight-loaded accumulators rely on gravity to manage oil flow, while spring-loaded accumulators use mechanical springs for the same purpose. Each type has its own advantages and limitations, particularly regarding their suitability for heavy equipment.

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12 views3 pages

Types of Hydraulic Accumulators

Gas-loaded accumulators use compressed gas to store energy and release hydraulic oil when circuit pressure changes. Weight-loaded accumulators rely on gravity to manage oil flow, while spring-loaded accumulators use mechanical springs for the same purpose. Each type has its own advantages and limitations, particularly regarding their suitability for heavy equipment.

Uploaded by

2001-001907
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Gas-Loaded Accumulators

Although liquids tend not to compress, gases do

Compress; therefore, gases can be used to load a vol-

Ume of oil under pressure. In this type of accumulator,

The gas (usually an inert gas such as nitrogen) and

Hydraulic oil occupy the same chamber but are sepa-

Rated by a piston, diaphragm, or bladder. When circuit

Pressure rises, incoming oil to the chamber compresses

The gas; when circuit pressure drops off, the gas in the

Chamber expands, forcing oil out into the circuit. Most

Gas-loaded accumulators are pre-charged with the

Compressed gas that enables their operation. Figure 4-3

Shows a sectional view of a typical gas-loaded


Accumulator.

Weight-Loaded Accumulators

A weight-loaded accumulator uses a gravity piston

And cylinder. Weight is loaded to the piston so that it

Acts on hydraulic oil in the accumulator chamber. When

Circuit pressure rises, oil is unloaded into the accumu-

Lator chamber thus raising the piston and the weight it

Supports. When circuit pressure drops off, gravity forces

The weight down, thereby charging oil to the circuit.

Because the weight is constant, these types of accu-

Mulators are used to keep a specific charge pressure of

Oil throughout their loaded and unloaded cycles. Due to

Their large size, these types of accumulators are not very


Popular with heavy equipment.

Spring-Loaded Accumulators

A spring-loaded accumulator functions much like

The weight-loaded version except that the weight is

Replaced by a mechanical spring. Springs have a pro-

Gressive force characteristic—the further the spring is

Compressed, the greater amount of force is required to

Fully compress it. Due to this characteristic, spring-

Loaded accumulators also are not suitable for heavy

Mobile equipment.

For further details on accumulators, see Chapter 8

Section ‘‘Hydraulic Accumulators.’’.

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