As an energy storage device, bladder accumulators have many functions, mainly including energy storage, pulsation damping and shock absorption.
Bladder accumulators can compress gas (usually nitrogen) and store it in a flexible bladder to store mechanical energy. When the external energy source is sufficient, the gas is compressed by the compressor and filled into the bladder, which then expands and stores energy. When the energy needs to be released, simply open the release valve, the gas will flow out of the bladder, and the mechanical energy can be converted into electrical energy or other forms of output energy by appropriate devices. This energy storage function makes bladder accumulators widely used in renewable energy storage, peak load reduction, emergency backup power supply and electric vehicle charging.
Bladder accumulators have good pulsation damping properties, can smooth out the pipeline pulsation caused by positive displacement pumps such as plunger pumps and diaphragm pumps, and can eliminate hydraulic shock in the system. It isolates gas from liquid in the pipeline by means of a corrosion-resistant diaphragm, uses the volume change of the air chamber to smooth out the pulsation of the pipeline, and stores and releases the energy of the pressurized liquid. This function makes the bladder accumulator an indispensable accessory for equipment such as metering pumps, and is widely used in industries such as chemical industry, water treatment, food and beverage industry, electric power, papermaking, textile and liquid machinery. The bladder accumulator also has a good cushioning function, which can absorb the shock and vibration caused by the moving inertia or ground vibration in the mechanical system, thereby protecting the mechanical system from external forces. The cushioning function of the bladder accumulator is especially important in some industries with high vibration frequencies, such as aviation and high-speed railway. Through the regulation of gas pressure, the bladder accumulator can balance and stabilize the pressure of the hydraulic system to ensure the normal operation of the hydraulic system. In process control and automation equipment, the pressure regulation function of the cylinder accumulator is also very important to ensure the normal operation of the equipment.