An accumulator is an
energy storage
Energy storage is the capture of energy produced at one time for use at a later time to reduce imbalances between energy demand and energy production.
A device that stores energy is generally called an accumulator or battery.
Energy comes in ...
device: a device which accepts
energy
In physics, energy (from Ancient Greek: ἐνέργεια, ''enérgeia'', “activity”) is the quantitative property that is transferred to a body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of work and in the form of ...
, stores energy, and releases energy as needed. Some accumulators accept energy at a low rate (low power) over a long time interval and deliver the energy at a high rate (high power) over a short time interval. Some accumulators accept energy at a high rate over a short time interval and deliver the energy at a low rate over longer time interval. Some accumulators typically accept and release energy at comparable rates. Various devices can store
thermal energy
The term "thermal energy" is used loosely in various contexts in physics and engineering. It can refer to several different well-defined physical concepts. These include the internal energy or enthalpy of a body of matter and radiation; heat, de ...
,
mechanical energy
In physical sciences, mechanical energy is the sum of potential energy and kinetic energy. The principle of conservation of mechanical energy states that if an isolated system is subject only to conservative forces, then the mechanical energy is ...
, and
electrical energy
Electrical energy is energy related to forces on electrically charged particles and the movement of electrically charged particles (often electrons in wires, but not always). This energy is supplied by the combination of electric current and elect ...
. Energy is usually accepted and delivered in the same form. Some devices store a different form of energy than what they receive and deliver performing
energy conversion
Energy transformation, also known as energy conversion, is the process of changing energy from one form to another. In physics, energy is a quantity that provides the capacity to perform work or moving, (e.g. Lifting an object) or provides heat ...
on the way in and on the way out.
Examples of accumulators include
steam accumulators,
mainsprings,
flywheel energy storage,
hydraulic accumulator
A hydraulic accumulator is a pressure storage reservoir in which an incompressible hydraulic fluid is held under pressure that is applied by an external source of mechanical energy. The external source can be an engine, a spring, a raised weigh ...
s,
rechargeable batteries
A rechargeable battery, storage battery, or secondary cell (formally a type of energy accumulator), is a type of electrical battery which can be charged, discharged into a load, and recharged many times, as opposed to a disposable or prima ...
,
capacitor
A capacitor is a device that stores electrical energy in an electric field by virtue of accumulating electric charges on two close surfaces insulated from each other. It is a passive electronic component with two terminals.
The effect of ...
s,
inductor
An inductor, also called a coil, choke, or reactor, is a passive two-terminal electrical component that stores energy in a magnetic field when electric current flows through it. An inductor typically consists of an insulated wire wound into a c ...
s,
compensated pulsed alternator
A compensated pulsed alternator, also known by the portmanteau ''compulsator'', is a form of power supply.
As the name suggests, it is an alternator that is "compensated" (see below) to make it better at delivering pulses of electrical energy tha ...
s (compulsators), and
pumped-storage hydroelectric plants.
In general usage in an electrical context, the word ''accumulator'' normally refers to a
lead–acid battery
The lead–acid battery is a type of rechargeable battery first invented in 1859 by French physicist Gaston Planté. It is the first type of rechargeable battery ever created. Compared to modern rechargeable batteries, lead–acid batteries have ...
.
The London
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is a Grade I listed combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, built between 1886 and 1894, designed by Horace Jones and engineered by John Wolfe Barry with the help of Henry Marc Brunel. It crosses the River Thames clos ...
is operated via an accumulator. The original raising mechanism was powered by pressurised water stored in several hydraulic accumulators.
In 1974, the original operating mechanism was largely replaced by a new
electro-hydraulic drive system.
See also
*
Rechargeable battery
A rechargeable battery, storage battery, or secondary cell (formally a type of energy accumulator), is a type of electrical battery which can be charged, discharged into a load, and recharged many times, as opposed to a disposable or prima ...
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
Energy storage
cs:Akumulátor
nl:Accumulator#Accumulatie van energie
ru:Аккумулятор
{{energy-stub