Accumulator Systems

Abstract

Accumulators form an energy store in a hydraulic system and have two common uses

• (1) To provide a source of energy that may be required over a short period of time. In such a system a small pump (high pressure, small volumetric output) is commonly used to charge the accumulator over a relatively long time period and then a sudden demand for energy is made over a small time period; this being provided by the accumulator.

• (2) To smooth out pressure fluctuations in a system e.g. variations in pump delivery and transient pressures due to sudden changes of fluid velocity in the system.