Answer to Question #208725 in Physics for ali

Question

 Explain the nature of hydraulic accumulators and bottle jacks’ application

and biases

Answer 1

Hydraulic accumulators are energy storage devices. Analogous to rechargeable batteries in electrical systems, they store and discharge energy in the form of pressurized fluid and are often used to improve hydraulic-system efficiency.

An accumulator itself is a pressure vessel that holds hydraulic fluid and a compressible gas, typically nitrogen. The housing or shell is made of materials like steel, stainless steel, aluminum, titanium and fiber-reinforced composites. Inside, a moveable or flexible barrier—usually a piston or rubber bladder—separates the oil from the gas.

Hydraulic jacks function based on a concept in fluid mechanics known as Pascal’s Principle. Essentially, if two cylinders (a large and a small one) are connected by an incompressible fluid, and a given amount of pressure is applied to one cylinder, that same pressure is imparted to the second cylinder through the fluid connecting them. However, because pressure is equal to force per unit area, the cylinder that has a larger area will experience a force multiplication effect. Even though the pressure on both cylinders is the same, the force which is produced on the larger cylinder will be higher, proportionally higher based on the area of the cylinder.

 Bottle jacks feature a vertical shaft, which supports a platform (called a bearing pad) that directly bears the weight of the object as it is lifted.

Although they are most commonly used in the automobile industry (1.5 to 5-ton jacks are the range of capacities typically used to lift cars), bottle jacks have other uses as well. In the medical industry, they can be used in hydraulic stretchers and patient lifts. In industrial applications, they can be found as pipe benders used in plumbing, in cable slicers for electrical projects, and as material lifts within warehouses. Their ability to lift heavy loads plays a big role in enabling the repair of large agricultural machinery and in many construction operations. Bottle jacks can be secured within a frame, mounted on a beam, or simply used as free-standing to allow for repositioning as needed.