Accumulators

Accumulators typically come in two main types - Bladder and Diaphragm which each work in varying ways to achieve the same goal - to store and discharge energy in the form of pressurised fluids.

With Bladder accumulators, the hydraulic pump brings up the system pressure and pushes fluid into the accumulator. The bladder then moves to compress the gas volume because the fluid pressure will always exceed the pre-charge pressure. This is the source of the stored energy. The movement then stops when there is a balance of system and gas pressure.

Diaphragm accumulators work in a similar way to bladder accumulators with the main difference being that an elastic diaphragm is used to separate the volumes of gas and oil.

They typically offer flow and volume to around one gallon and are popular due to their light weight and good economy. They can handle high compression ratios of up to around 10:1 as the surrounding rubber barrier does not suffer as much from distortion as a bladder accumulator. They can accommodate a wide range of mounting flexibility and can deal with contamination better than alternatives. Diaphragm accumulators are also suitable for shock applications as they can respond very quickly to changes in pressure.