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CHAPTER 16: Accumulators

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CHAPTER 16: Accumulators

Bud Trinkel
Sun, 2007-05-20 (All day)

Hydro-pneumatic accumulators
Hydraulic accumulators
Accumulators make it possible to store useable volumes of almost non-compressible hydraulic fluid under
pressure. The symbols and simplified cutaway views in Figure 16-1 show several types of accumulators
used in industrial applications. They are not complete representations but they illustrate general working
principles.
A 5-gal container completely full of hydraulic oil at 2000 psi will only discharge a few cubic inches of fluid
before the pressure drops to 0 psi. If the same container were filled half with oil and half with nitrogen gas,
it could discharge more than 1 1/2 gallons of fluid while pressure only dropped 1000 psi. This is the great
advantage of hydro-pneumatic accumulators.
Related
Quiz on Chapter 16: Accumulators
CHAPTER 17: Air-Oil Systems & Intensifiers
CHAPTER 18: Miscellaneous Fluid Power Items

Accumulator types
No separator: Some original accumulators were high-pressure containers with a sight glass to show fluid
level. They were filled approximately half with oil and half with nitrogen gas -- with no separation barrier
between them. Before stopping the pump, a shut off valve at the accumulator discharge port was closed to
prevent fluid and gas from escaping. This type of accumulator is not used on new circuits today, but there
still are many in service.
Gas-charged bladder: Many accumulators now use a rubber bladder to separate the gas and liquid. A
poppet valve in the discharge port keeps the bladder from extruding when the pump is off. The original
design was the bottom-repair style, shown on the left in Figure 16-1. It is still offered by most
manufacturers. The top-repair style on the right is now available and makes bladder replacement simple
and fast.
Gas-charged piston: The gas-charged piston accumulator has a free-floating piston with seals to separate
the liquid and gas. It operates and performs similarly to the bladder type, but has some advantages in
certain applications. A gas-charged piston accumulator can cost twice as much as an equal-sized bladder
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CHAPTER 16: Accumulators

type.
Spring-loaded piston: A spring-loaded piston accumulator is identical to a gas-charged unit, except that a
spring forces the piston against the liquid. Its main advantage is that there is no gas to leak. A main
disadvantage is that this design is not good for high pressure and large volume.
Weight loaded: All gas-charged accumulators lose pressure as fluid discharges. This is because the nitrogen
gas was compressed by incoming fluid from the pump and the gas must expand to push fluid out. The
weight-loaded accumulator in Figure 16-1 does not lose pressure until the ram bottoms out. Thus 100% of
the fluid is useful at full system pressure. The major drawback to weight-loaded accumulators is their
physical size. They take up a lot of space and are very heavy if much volume is required. They work well in
central hydraulic systems because there usually is room for them in the power unit area. However, central
hydraulic systems are falling out of favor, so only a few facilities use weight-loaded accumulators. (Rolling
mills are one application where space to place large items is not a problem.) Note that there is often a long
dwell time to fill these monsters.
Diaphragm accumulators: There are also diaphragm accumulators with resilient or metal diaphragms.
They are used where the stored volume is small.

Why are
accumulators
used?
To supplement pump flow:
The most common use for
accumulators is to
supplement pump flow.
Some circuits require highvolume flow for a short
time and then use little or
no fluid for an extended
period. Generally
speaking, when half or
more of the machine cycle
is not using pump flow, the application is a likely candidate for an accumulator circuit.
The circuit in Figure 16-2 uses several accumulators to supplement pump flow because the dwell time is 45
seconds out of the 57.5-second cycle time. This circuits 22-gpm fixed-volume pump operates on pressure
during most of the cycle to fill the cylinder and the accumulators. Without the accumulators, this circuit
would require a 100-gpm pump driven by a 125-hp motor. The first cost of the smaller pump and motor
plus the accumulators is very close to that of the larger pump and motor. However, energy savings over the
life of the machine make the pictured circuit much more economical.
One drawback of using accumulators to supplement pump flow is that the circuit must operate at a pressure
higher than needed to perform the work. In the circuit in Figure 16-2, a minimum of 2000 psi is necessary
to perform the work. This means the accumulators must be filled to a higher pressure so they can supply
extra fluid without dropping below the minimum pressure. This circuit uses 3000-psi maximum pressure
to store enough fluid to cycle the cylinder in the allotted time and still have ample force to do the work.
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The flow control in the circuit is necessary to

keep the cylinder from cycling too rapidly. An
accumulator discharges fluid at any velocity the
lines can handle at whatever the pressure drop is
when a flow path is opened.
The circuit in Figure 16-2 uses a fixed-volume
pump and an accumulator unloading-and-dump
valve. The valve forces pump flow to the
accumulators when pressure drops
approximately 15% below its maximum set
pressure. At set pressure, the unloading valve
opens and all pump flow bypasses to tank at 25to 50-psi pressure drop. While the pump is
bypassing, a check valve keeps the accumulators
from unloading to tank. The dump valve (which
is a high-ratio, pilot-to-close check valve) is held
closed by pump idle pressure until the pump
shuts down.
To maintain pressure: Another common
application for accumulators is to maintain
pressure in a circuit while the pump is unloaded. This is especially useful when using fixed-volume pumps
on long holding cycles. The laminating-press circuit in Figure 16-3 clamps material and holds it at force for
one to five minutes. If the pump were flowing across the relief valve at high pressure for this length of time,
a lot of heat would be generated, wasting energy. With a pressure-compensated pump, energy loss would be
less, but the system might still overheat in a short time.
Adding an accumulator, flow control, and
pressure switch to the fixed-volume pump
circuit allows the pump to unload when
pressure is at or above the pressure switchs
minimum setting. If leakage at the valve or
cylinder seals allows pressure to drop about
5%, the pressure switch shifts the directional
control valve to pressurize the cylinder cap
end and build pressure back to maximum. The
only time the pump is loaded is when fluid is
required. This circuit will laminate parts
continuously and does not need a heat
exchanger. The flow control should be set at a
reduced rate so the accumulator does not
dump too rapidly when the directional control
valve shifts to retract the platen. Flow to make
up for leakage is minor and does not need a
high rate.
The accumulator dump valve in Figure 16-3 is
a high-ratio pilot-to-close check valve that is held closed by the low pressure when the pump is unloaded. It
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opens to discharge any stored energy when the pump shuts down.
To absorb shock: Fast-moving hydraulic circuits can produce pressure spikes that cause shock when flow
is stopped abruptly. Accumulators can be installed in such shock-prone circuits to reduce damaging
pressure and flow spikes to an acceptable rate -- or eliminate them completely. (Accumulators can handle
other pressure-spike concerns with some valve additions for special instances.)
Figure 16-4 depicts an accumulator installed to eliminate the pressure spike caused by sudden flow
blockage. The nitrogen charge in this installation should be 5 to 10% above the working pressure. This
keeps the accumulator out of the circuit except during pressure spike situations. A bladder-type
accumulator works best here because of its fast response to pressure changes. (Use caution when applying
accumulators to shock situations. It is possible to actually increase shock instead of reducing or
eliminating it.)
As an emergency power supply: Some hydraulically operated
machines may always need to stop in the open position to keep
from damaging product or equipment. When a power failure
shuts the hydraulic pump off and the machine happens to be some
position other than open, there needs to be some way to get it
open. An engine-driven standby pump could fill the bill and in
some instances might be the best remedy. Another option is to use accumulators that are charged before
the first cycle and held that way until the machine shuts down. The stored energy is ready to cycle the
machine to the open position in case of a power failure.
The circuit in Figure 16-5 operates a slide gate on a waste material bin that opens hydraulically to fill a
transfer truck. The circuit is located in a remote area that is prone to power failure, so it was designed to
automatically close the gate in case power went off.
The schematic diagram shows the cylinder at
rest with the pump running. When the unit
starts, solenoids C and C2 on the normally
open 2-way directional valves are energized.
They stay energized while the pump is on. The
first pump flow goes through the check valve
and fills the accumulator with enough fluid to
extend the cylinder from any open position.
When electrical power is available, the gate
can be opened and closed to dump waste
material into the waiting truck. If a truck is
filling and a power failure occurs, the pump
stops and all solenoids de-energize. At this
point the accumulator is ported to the
cylinder cap end and fluid in the cylinder rod
end has a free path to tank.
Notice the manual drain connected to the line
between the check valve and the accumulator. This drain must be opened before working on the circuit. A
placard on the machine warns maintenance personnel of the potential danger if the accumulator is not
drained. Emergency power supplies are the only accumulator circuit that cannot be drained automatically
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in most cases.

Accumulator precautions
Always arrange some method to drain the accumulator at shut down. (At the end of this section,
several ways to drain an accumulator automatically are shown. Plus, there is always the old standby,
a manual drain.) Never work on a circuit with an accumulator until you are sure it is depressurized.
Make sure accumulator flow is restricted to a reasonable rate during operation and shut down to
avoid damage to the machine or piping. Accumulators will discharge fluid at any rate the exit flow
path will allow. Such high flow does not last long, but the damage it causes is done quickly.
Always isolate the pump from the accumulator with a check valve so fluid cannot back flow into the
pump. Without a check valve, accumulator back flow can drive the pump backward -- and overspeed
it to destruction in some instances.
Check the accumulators pre-charge pressure at installation and at least once a day for the first week
of operation. If there is no noticeable loss of pressure during this time, do the next check a week
later. If all is well then, do a routine check every three to six months thereafter. Whenever the
accumulator pre-charge drops below nominal pressure, the volume of available fluid is reduced and
finally the cycle slows.
One way to check accumulator pre-charge is to turn off the pump, allow the accumulator to empty all oil
back to tank, and then connect the items in a charge kit, Figure 16-6. First remove the gas-valve cap and
install the charge kit gauge, hose, and tee-handle assembly on the gas valve. Next, turn the tee handle in to
open the valve and read gauge pressure. However, every time this operation is performed there is the
chance the valve will not reseat and gas will start to leak.
To avoid potential gas leakage, Figure 16-7 illustrates two noninvasive
methods to check pre-charge. Both are fast, simple, and can be done almost
anytime without a lengthy interruption of production. Either of these ways
gives a fast reasonably close check without invading any plumbing. They are
not 100% accurate, but will be within 5% of the gauge reading -- with almost
anyone doing them. The method on the left is the least accurate -- especially
when using a glycerin-filled gauge.
The Pump Just Starting method on the left shows a jump in pressure after the
pump starts then a steady climb to set pressure. This first jump is the precharge pressure and the steady climb is during compression of the gas in the
bladder or behind the piston. The length of time between the first pressure
jump and reaching system pressure depends on the volume of the accumulator and the pump output.
The Pump Shutoff From Full Pressure method is easiest and most accurate, especially if the accumulator
dump valve is manually operated. Fluid can be bled off slowly with a manual dump so the gauge reaches
pre-charge pressure slowly.
With this method the system must be at pressure and the accumulator charged at least above pre-charge
pressure. At system shut down either an automatic or manual drain is opened and pressure starts to fall.
Because the gauge is reading oil pressure and the only reason there is pressure is because of trapped gas
above it, pressure will fall to a point then suddenly drop to zero. Read the pressure as the gauge suddenly
drops to zero to determine gas pre-charge.
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This method is the most accurate but is not

precise like a gauge reading, so use it for a
cursory check as often as necessary to see if the
gas charge is holding.

Accumulator pre-charge pressure

Normally, gas-charged accumulators are precharged to approximately 85% of the systems
minimum working pressure. This assures that
the bladder or piston does not discharge all the
fluid during every cycle. If all fluid is evacuated
at high rates, bladders can get caught in the
poppet valves and pistons can be deformed when metal hits metal.
In certain applications, this 85% figure may be low because minimum system pressure is low. In such a
case, use a piston-type accumulator because the piston can move up the bore almost any distance without
damage. A bladder accumulator should not be used when pre-charge pressure is less than half the
maximum pressure. This avoids compressing the bladder so tightly that rubbing action on itself wears
holes in it.

Applying accumulators
Many applications can use any type accumulator with equally satisfactory results. However, there are
some cases where one particular style is more responsive or offers a longer service life. As mentioned in
the previous section, the amount of pre-charge pressure is one reason for selecting a bladder or piston
accumulator.
Weight-loaded accumulators respond to pressure buildup slowly so they do not work well as shock
absorbers. Weight-loaded accumulators will reduce but not stop pressure spikes. Piston accumulators are
not as fast as bladder types at responding to fast increases to pressure. So in these situations, the best
choice is a bladder-type accumulator.
Some accumulator circuits are installed to dampen high-pressure spikes at the outlet of piston pumps. A
piston accumulator in this application cannot respond quickly enough to do the job. Also, the short
stroking distance of the piston and seals can cause excessive wear to the bore and seals. A bladder
accumulator works best in this type circuit.

Sizing accumulators
Most accumulator suppliers offer information in their literature about sizing accumulators for any of the
above circuits. Many offer computer programs that only require the input of system requirements. The
program then figures accumulator size and outputs a part number. One company offers a formula and
software for use on the Internet.

Accumulator dump valves

In all the foregoing accumulator applications (except the one for emergency power supply), the
accumulator fluid was drained automatically at shut down. This is very important because accumulators
store energy that can be a safety hazard and can cause damage to the machine. Here are examples of
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different types of accumulator dump valves and circuits.

Figure 16-8 shows one frequently used circuit. A normally open, solenoid-operated, 2-way directional
control valve is teed into the pump line between the isolation check valve and the accumulator. The
solenoid is wired so that it is energized when the pump starts and de-energized when the pump stops. An
orifice in front of the 2-way valve controls flow when the accumulator is discharging to prevent damage to
the valve. This arrangement works equally well with fixed-displacement or pressure-compensated pumps.
A note of caution: Some solenoid valves, even though they are
designed for continuous duty, get very hot when energized for
long periods. Such overheating can cause varnish deposits to
form and lock the valves internal parts in the closed condition
after the pump shuts down. This means the trapped energy
does not get discharged and the accumulator can cause harm to
anyone working on the circuit.
The dump circuit in Figure 16-9 is only for pressurecompensated pumps. A packaged set of valves isolates the
accumulator while the pump is running and automatically
dump it at shut down. The package consists of an isolation check valve, a pilot-to-close check valve, and a
flow-control orifice.
At pump startup, flow goes to the circuit and the accumulator.
Pressure from the pump outlet shifts the pilot-to-close check
valve, blocking flow to tank. When the accumulator is full, the
pump compensates to no flow and the circuit waits for a new
cycle. When pressure drops, the pump comes back on stroke
and makes up for flow going to the circuit. At pump shut down,
pilot pressure to the pilot-to-close check valve drops and the
valve shifts to open. Now, stored energy in the accumulator is
ported to tank through the orifice. This circuit is very reliable
because it depends on system or pump pressure to close and/or
open valves.
A fixed-volume pump must be ported to tank at very low
pressure when its flow is not doing work. A common circuit for
unloading a fixed-volume pump and dumping an accumulator is shown in Figure 16-10. An internally
piloted unloading relief valve with integral check valve forces all pump flow to the circuit and the
accumulator until the system reaches the set pressure. As the control ball starts to relieve, system pressure
pushes against the unloading piston and forces it off its seat. This takes all pressure off the top of the relief
valve poppet. The pump unloads to tank at 25 to 100 psi until system pressure drops approximately 15%.
After that drop, spring force pushes the unload piston back and pump flow goes to the circuit again.

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The accumulator dump valve blocks fluid from

going to tank while the pump is running and
opens to discharge stored energy when the
pump shuts down. The accumulator dump valve
is a high ratio (up to 200:1) pilot-to-close check
valve that is held shut by the pump's unloaded
or work pressure. With a 200:1 area ratio
between the poppet and the pilot piston, 25-psi
pressure at the pilot port will stop as much as
5000 psi at the poppet shut off. This keeps fluid
in the accumulator circuit until the pump is shut
down. Then, all stored pressurized fluid flows to
tank quickly and safely. (One supplier offers the
unloading relief valve and the accumulator
dump valve in a single body. This combination
simplifies piping while offering the same effect.)

Other accumulator applications

Accumulators are also used for systems where thermal expansion could cause excessive pressure.
Cylinders with blocked ports in a high ambient heat area can go to high pressure if there is no place for
expanding fluid to go.
Another use for accumulators is as a barrier between two different fluids. The pump that uses hydraulic
fluid keeps pressure on a circuit that uses water or another incompatible medium.
One supplier offers low-pressure accumulators as breathing devices for sealed reservoirs. This keeps
airborne contaminants out of the hydraulic oil as the fluid level rises and falls.
For more circuits and other information on accumulators, see the authors upcoming e-book Fluid Power
Circuits Explained.
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