Accumulator providing flow even when system pressure is sufficiently above preload pressure.

I have connected pump to actuator via accumulator using SimHydraulics. I want accumulator to provide flow only when pump cannot meet the demand. As of now accumulator provides flow every time actuator demands and then gets recharged from pump. How can I avoid this flow from accumulator?

[noman shah]

share your model so i understand the problem

Answer 1

[Sebastian Castro]

My understanding is that an accumulator connected directly to a system will still have some flow. A typical way to have more control over the accumulator is to implement a dump valve.

You put a check valve to the accumulator such that fluid can only enter the accumulator when the pressure is higher than accumulator + cracking pressure of the check valve, but not the other way around.

For the reverse case, when you want to discharge the accumulator, use a valve (variable-area orifice block) in parallel. Open the orifice to allow flow from the accumulator to the rest of the system based on some logic. This logic would be "when the actuator cannot sufficiently meet the demand".

- Sebastian