UNIT II

Hydraulic Accumulators
Department of Mechanical
Engineering
Hydraulic Accumulators
A type of power storage devices, functioning as a temporary
storage tank of fluid energy to provide or absorb
momentary flow.

A hydraulic accumulator is a device that stores the potential
energy of an incompressible fluid held under pressure by an
external source against some dynamic force.
An accumulator can serve as
an auxiliary power source,
a pulsation absorber,
a shock damper,
a leakage makeup source, and
a thermal expansion compensator

Functions of an Accumulator
o Energy storage
o Pulsation absorption
o Shock cushioning
o Supplementing pump flow
o Maintaining pressure
o Fluid dispensing
Types Commonly used Accumulators
Weight-loaded
Spring-loaded Pressure gas-loaded
Types Commonly used Accumulators
Weight-loaded or gravity accumulator
It is a vertically mounted cylinder with a large
weight.
When the hydraulic fluid is pumped into it, the
weight is raised.
The weight applies a force on the piston that
generates a pressure on the fluid side of piston.
The advantage of this type of accumulator over other
types is that it applies a constant pressure on the fluid
throughout its range of motion.
The main disadvantage is its extremely large size and
heavy weight. This makes it unsuitable for mobile
application.
Weight-loaded or gravity accumulator
Spring Loaded Accumulator
In the spring-type accumulator, the energy is stored
as elastic energy of the spring.
The spring is compressed by pumping oil into the
accumulator.
This class of accumulators delivers the oil at
varying pressures.
The delivery pressure of this type decreases with
the spring relaxation due to the decrease of the
spring force.
The delivery pressure is proportional to the volume
of oil in the oil chamber of the accumulator.
Spring Loaded Accumulator
Spring Loaded Accumulator
In a spring loaded accumulator, a
change in fluids volume is
proportional to its pressure.

As the spring compression
increases as fluid enters the
chamber and decreases as the
accumulator is discharged, the
pressure is not constant.
Gas Charged Accumulators
Here the force is applied to the oil using compressed
air.
Schematic diagram of a gas loaded accumulator is
shown in figure.
A gas accumulator can be very large and is often used
with water or high water-based fluids using air as a
gas charge.
Typical application is on water turbines to absorb
pressure surges owing to valve closure and on ram
pumps to smooth out the delivery flow.
Gas Charged Accumulators
In a closed chamber, a
change in gas volume
must result in an identical
fluids volume. It can
maintain a constant fluid
pressure
Gas Charged Accumulators
In a closed
chamber, a change
in gas volume
must result in an
identical fluids
volume.

It can maintain a
constant fluid
pressure
Gas Charged Accumulators
Gas-charged accumulators with separating elements
consist of a steel body containing two chambers for
the oil and the compressed nitrogen.
The gas chamber is pre-charged with compressed
nitrogen through a charging check valve. The
charging process is carried out while the accumulator
is completely empty of oil.
The gas and oil chambers are completely separated.
During operation, the oil is pumped into the oil
chamber.
When the oil pressure exceeds the gas-charging
pressure, the oil flows into the accumulator,
decreasing the gas volume and increasing its pressure.
The steady-state equilibrium is reached when the oil
pressure is equal to the gas pressure. The oil is stored
at high pressure under the action of the compressed
gas.
Gas Charged Accumulators
(a) empty - no gas charge; (b) precharged with dry nitrogen;
(c) system pressure exceeds precharge pressure, and hydraulic fluid
flows into accumulator;
(d) system pressure peaks, maximum fluid has entered accumulator, and
system relief opens;
(e) system pressure drops, precharge pressure forces fluid from
accumulator and into system; and
(f) system pressure reaches minimum needed to do work.
Applications of accumulators
There are five basic applications where accumulators are
used in a hydraulic system:
1. Accumulator as an auxiliary power source:
The purpose of accumulator in this application is to store
the oil delivered by the pump during a portion of the work
cycle.
The accumulator then releases the stored oil on demand to
complete the cycle, thereby serving as a secondary power
source.
Applications of accumulators
1. Accumulator as an auxiliary power source:
Applications of accumulators
2.Accumulator as a leakage compensator:
An accumulator can be used as a compensator for internal
and external leakage during an extended period in which the
system is pressurized but not in operation.
The pump charges the accumulator and the system until the
maximum pressure sets the pressure switch ON.
The contacts on the pressure switch then open to
automatically stop the electric motor that drives the pump.
The accumulator then supplies leakage oil to the system
during a long period.
Finally, when the system pressure drops to the minimum
pressure setting of the pressure switch, it closes the electrical
circuit of the motor until the system gets recharged.
Applications of accumulators
2.Accumulator as a leakage compensator:
Applications of accumulators
3. Accumulator as an emergency power source:
In some hydraulic systems, safety dictates that a cylinder be
retracted even though the normal supply of oil pressure is lost
due to a pump or electrical power failures.
In it, a solenoid activated three-way valve is used along with
the accumulator.
When the three-way valve is energized, oil flows to the blank
end of the cylinder and also through the check valve into the
accumulator and the rod end of the cylinder. The accumulator
charges as the cylinder extends.
If the pump fails due to an electric failure, the solenoid de-
energizes, shifting the valve to its spring offset mode. Then the
oil stored under pressure is forced from the accumulator to the
end of the cylinder. This retracts the cylinder to its starting
position.
Applications of accumulators
3. Accumulator as an emergency power source:
Applications of accumulators
4. Accumulator as a hydraulic shock absorber:
One of the important applications of accumulators is
the elimination of hydraulic shock.
Hydraulic shock is caused by the sudden stoppage or
declaration of a hydraulic fluid flowing at relatively
high velocity in a pipe line.
Rapidly closing a valve creates a compression wave.
This compression wave travels at the speed of sound
upstream to the end of the pipe and back again to the
closed valve, which causes an increase in pressure.
Applications of accumulators
4. Accumulator as a hydraulic shock absorber:
Applications of accumulators
5. Accumulator as a thermal expansion compensator:
When closed-loop hydraulic systems are subjected to heat
conditions, both the pipe lines and the hydraulic fluid expand
volumetrically.
Because the coefficient of cubical expansion of most fluids is
higher than that for pipe material, this expanded liquid volume
increases the entire system pressure.
This condition may cause pressures to exceed the limits of
safety and may damage the system components.
Under these conditions, an accumulator of proper capacity
pre-charged to the normal system working pressure is
installed.
It takes up any increase in the system fluid volume, thus
reducing the system pressure to its safe limits. The
accumulator also feeds the required volume into the system as
thermal contraction takes place
Applications of accumulators
5. Accumulator as a thermal expansion compensator
Accumulator Selection