High Energy Density Elastic Accumulator and Method of Use Thereof

摘要

The invention is an accumulator which stores energy by deforming from its original shape in response to the flow of a pressurized fluid. The stored energy is returned when the fluid flow is reversed and the accumulator returns to its original shape. At least one part of the novelty of the accumulator is that it captures elastic strain energy of a stretched bladder, as opposed to relying on gases and metals for energy storage as is usually seen in conventional accumulators.