Accumulator
BY
AFTAB AHMAD MAZARI
Accumulator
A hydraulic accumulator is a pressure storage
device that holds hydraulic fluid under pressure,
typically using compressible gas like nitrogen.
It serves multiple functions within hydraulic
systems, such as energy storage, shock absorption,
and pressure maintenance.
Accumulator
Functions of a Hydraulic Accumulator:
Hydraulic accumulators perform several critical
functions:
Pulsation Dampening: They absorb pressure spikes and
pulsations from pumps, reducing noise and vibration.
Pressure Maintenance: In the event of minor leaks,
accumulators help maintain system pressure until
maintenance can be performed.
Emergency Power Supply: Accumulators can provide
immediate hydraulic power during system failures or
when rapid response is required, such as in brake systems.
Accumulator
How Does a Hydraulic Accumulator Work?
In hydraulic systems, pulsations often originate from the
operation of hydraulic pumps.
An accumulator mitigates these pulsations by absorbing
pressure fluctuations, thereby stabilizing the system.
A typical accumulator consists of:
A durable shell, usually made of carbon steel.
An elastomeric diaphragm or bladder that separates the
hydraulic fluid from a pre-charged nitrogen gas chamber.
When the hydraulic system experiences pressure changes, the
accumulator responds by compressing or expanding the gas
chamber, effectively dampening shocks and maintaining a stable
pressure.
Accumulator
Types of Hydraulic Accumulators
There are five primary types of hydraulic
accumulators:
Bladder Accumulators
Diaphragm Accumulators
Piston Accumulators
Metal Bellow accumulator
Spring Type Accumulator
Accumulator
Bladder Accumulators
Bladder accumulators feature an
internal bladder filled with nitrogen
gas.
They are widely used due to their
rapid response time and effectiveness
in absorbing high-frequency, low-
amplitude pulsations.
However, the vulcanized seam in the
bladder can be a point of failure under
high-frequency cycling.
Accumulator
Diaphragm Accumulators
These accumulators use a diaphragm
to separate the gas and fluid
chambers.
They are suitable for applications
requiring high cycle life, as the
seamless diaphragm design reduces
the risk of failure.
Diaphragm accumulators are
commonly used in systems with
frequent pressure fluctuations.
Accumulator
Piston Accumulators:
Piston accumulators utilize a
piston to separate the gas and
fluid.
They are highly versatile,
accommodating a wide range of
pressures and volumes.
Their robust design makes them
ideal for heavy-duty applications
requiring large fluid capacities and
high-pressure ratings.
Accumulator
Metal Bellow type accumulator:
Metal bellow type accumulator are used in variety of
industries to store the energy of liquid or gases.
The Metal bellow type accumulator is similar to bladder
type accumulator except the elastic is replaced by a
hermitically sealed welded metal bellows.
It is used when a fast response is not critical yet
reliability is more important.
Metal bellow type accumulators are pre-charged by
supplier and then permanently sealed leading to
maintenance free accumulators.
Accumulator
Metal Bellow type accumulator
Accumulator
Spring Type Accumulator
It is used the energy stored in spring to create a
constant force on the liquid contained in an ram
assembly.
The load characteristics of a spring are such that the
energy storage depends on the force required to
compress a spring.
The free (uncompressed) length of a spring
represents zero energy storage.
Accumulator
Spring Type Accumulator
As a spring is compressed to the maximum installed
length, high pressure value of the liquid in a ram
assembly is established.
As liquid under pressure enters the ram cylinder,
crushing spring to compress, the pressure on liquid
will rise because of increased loading required to
compress the spring.
Accumulator
Spring Type Accumulator