NAME
|
Caleb Sancken |
PROJECT
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2C: Compact Energy Storage Using "Open Accumulators" |
ABSTRACT
|
Energy storage and regeneration can be useful in many hydraulic applications--such as excavators (Test bed 1), small urban vehicles (Test bed 3), compact rescue crawlers (Test bed 4), and portable hand tools (Test bed 5). However, due to the relatively low energy density of current closed accumulators, their implementation is often too bulky and heavy to be useful. Closed accumulators contain the displaced working fluid and expanded gas, which limits the expansion ratio of the compressed gas. By allowing the stored gas to expand to atmospheric pressure and by recycling the working fluid, open accumulators drastically increase the energy density. The challenges of the open accumulator project include the design of efficient means of compressing and expanding air, recycling hydraulic fluid, transferring heat, and regulating fluid pressure. After surmounting the challenges, open accumulators will potentially achieve a 20 fold increase in energy density over closed accumulators. |