Research on Damage Mode Analysis and Countermeasures for Accumulators

Abstract As energy storage devices, the accumulators are indispensable energy-saving components in modern hydraulic technology, which includes various structural types such as bladder type, piston type and diaphragm type etc. The safety performance and reliability of the accumulators directly determine the performance of the hydraulic system. Accumulators are widely used in industrial fields such as energy, automotive, aerospace etc. Accumulators belong to the category of pressure vessels, and there is a certain degree of danger during service, such as cracking and explosions. In this paper, the damage mechanism and failure modes of accumulator components such as the accumulator shell, capsule, and piston during the manufacturing process were systematically analyzed. Some measures for manufacturing and supervision inspection have been proposed, so as to provide reference for improving the manufacturing quality of accumulators. For accumulators during service, the failure analysis of a damaged accumulator was conducted as an example. The damage mode of the in-service accumulators was systematically analyzed afterward. Some measures from various aspects such as safety management, periodical inspection, operation, and supervision are proposed accordingly. At the same time, suggestions were made for the revision of regulations and standards, so as to ensure safety performance and reliable service from multiple aspects.