Accumulators  
At  the  end  of  this  video,  you  should  be  able  to:  
•  Describe  why  accumulators  are  used  
•  Explain  how  different  types  of  accumulators  work  
•  Use  physics  principles  to  explain  how  accumulators  store  and  release  energy  
•  Use  governing  equaAons  to  calculate  how  much  energy  is  stored  in  an  
accumulator  
 
 
Accumulators  Store  Energy  
•  Are  the  potenAal  energy  storage  element  for  
fluid  power  
•  Store  energy  in  raised  weight,  steel  spring  or  
compressed  gas  
•  Use  to:  
–  Provide  pressurized  fluid  during  brief  high-­‐
demand  periods  
–  Smooth  pulsaAons  by  absorbing  pressure  surges  
Accumulator  in  a  Hydraulic  System  
LOAD

LOAD
Ankle  Power,  85  Kg  Person  Walking  

Peak ~200 W

Average ~13 W
Accumulators  in  Ac=on  
Types  of  Accumulators  

Spring-­‐Loaded  
Weight-­‐Loaded  

Gas-­‐Charged  Piston  
Bladder  

Eaton  Corp.  
Bladder  Accumulator  Opera=on  

Eaton  Corp.  
What’s  on  the  Inside  

From  Tobul  Accumulator  

booth  at  IFPE  2014  trade  show  

Piston  Accumulator   Bladder  Accumulator  

Accumulator  Physics  
Governed  by  moving  boundary  (𝑃𝑑𝑉)  work   P  

P   1  

𝑊=∫1↑2▒𝑃𝑑𝑉   
2  

𝑑𝑉 V  

Ideal  gas   Polytropic  Process  

Isothermal:  𝑛=1  
𝑃𝑉=𝑚𝑅𝑇     𝑃​𝑉↑𝑛 =𝐶     AdiabaAc:  𝑛=𝛾=​𝐶↓𝑃 /​𝐶↓𝑉  =1.4
Calcula=ng  the  Stored  Energy  
Isothermal  Case  

P  
𝑃𝑉=𝐶    
1  

𝐸=𝑊=∫1↑2▒𝑃𝑑𝑉   

2  
=∫1↑2▒​𝐶/𝑉 𝑑𝑉   

V  

=𝐶​ln(⁠​𝑉↓2 /​𝑉↓1  )   

𝐸=𝑃𝑉​ln(⁠​𝑉↓2 /​𝑉↓1  )   
 Calcula=ng  the  Stored  Energy  (cont.)  
AdiabaAc  Case  
𝛾=1.4
𝑃​𝑉↑𝛾 =𝐶    
P   1   𝐸=𝑊=∫1↑2▒𝑃𝑑𝑉   

2  
=∫1↑2▒​𝐶/​𝑉↑𝛾  𝑑𝑉   

V  
=​𝐶(​𝑉↓2↑1−𝛾 −​𝑉↓1↑1−𝛾 )/1−𝛾   

𝐸=​𝑃​𝑉↑𝛾 (​𝑉↓2↑1−𝛾 −​𝑉↓1↑1−𝛾 )/1−𝛾   
Calcula=ng  the  Stored  Energy  (cont.)  
AdiabaAc  Case   𝛾=1.4
Isothermal  Case  

𝐸=𝑃𝑉​ln(⁠​𝑉↓2 /​𝑉↓1  )    𝐸=​𝑃​𝑉↑𝛾 (​𝑉↓2↑1−𝛾 −​𝑉↓1↑1−𝛾 )/1−𝛾   

𝑟=​𝑉↓2 /​𝑉↓1  
RaAo  of  expanded  to  compressed  gas  volume  

𝐸=​𝑃↓1 ​𝑉↓1↑𝛾   (​𝑉↓2↑1−𝛾 −​𝑉↓1↑1−𝛾 )/1−𝛾   

𝐸=​𝑃↓1 ​𝑉↓1 (1−​𝑟↑1−𝛾 )/𝛾−1   
𝐸=​𝑃↓1 ​𝑉↓1 ​ln(⁠𝑟)   
 Expansion  Process  MaLers  
P   1  
Example  
isothermal  
adiabaAc  

2  

Full  volume  =  5  L  =  .005  cubic  m  

V   System  working  pressure  =  200  bar  =  20  Mpa  =  20E6  Pa  
 
Squeeze  gas  to  2.5  L  by  applying  working  pressure,  then  
expand  to  full  volume  to  see  how  much  energy  is  
stored  
 

𝑟=​𝑉↓2 /​𝑉↓1  =2
​𝑃↓1 =20  M  Pa              ​𝑉↓1 =  .0025  cu.  m

Note:  Here  P  =  gauge  P,  but  formulas  require  absolute  pressure.  For  this  example,  ignoring  Pa  =  0.1  MPa    
 Example  (cont.)  
Isothermal   AdiabaAc  

𝐸=​𝑃↓1 ​𝑉↓1 (1−​𝑟↑1−𝛾 )/𝛾−1   
𝐸=​𝑃↓1 ​𝑉↓1 ​ln(⁠𝑟)   

=​(20𝐸6)(.0025)  (1−​2↑1−1.4 )/1.4−1   
=(20𝐸6)(.0025)​ln​(2⁠)   

=35  kJ   =30  kJ   14%  less  energy  

Summary  
•  Accumulators  store  energy  
•  Use  to  provide  energy  bursts,  or  to  smooth  
out  ripples  
•  Physics  are  dictated  by  compressed  gas  laws  
•  Have  high  power  density,  but  modest  energy  
density  
•  Because  they  are  energy  storage  elements,  
Ame  history  ma`ers