How It Works
Boyle's Law for Accumulators
Hydraulic accumulators use compressed nitrogen gas. Boyle's Law governs gas behavior:
P0 × V0 = P1 × V1 = P2 × V2 (isothermal)
- P0, V0 = Pre-charge pressure and total volume
- P1, V1 = Min pressure and gas volume
- P2, V2 = Max pressure and gas volume
Pre-Charge Rule
P_precharge = 0.9 × P_min (bladder)
P_precharge = 0.95 × P_min (piston)
Usable Volume
V_usable = V1 - V2 = V0 × (P0/P1 - P0/P2)
Accumulator Pre-Charge
Calculate pre-charge pressure, usable volume, and stored energy using Boyle's Law.
0 = calculate available from accumulator size
Volume Visualization
Pre-Charged
100% gas
At P_min
--
At P_max
--
Pre-Charge Results
Pre-Charge Pressure (N2)--
Usable Oil Volume--
Energy Stored--
Gas Vol at P_min--
Gas Vol at P_max--
Compression Ratio--
Adequacy--
Pre-Charge Guidelines
| Type | Pre-Charge | Max Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Bladder | 90% P_min | 4:1 |
| Piston | 95% P_min | 8:1 |
| Diaphragm | 80% P_min | 3:1 |