Hydraulic accumulator is a pressure vessel, that contains liquid under pressure. Due to its volume and high working pressure, hydraulic accumulator is often classifed as a pressure vessel with a high level of hazard, which suggests it has to be periodically tested with appropriate non-destructive methods. Acoustic emission testing method is one possible type of acceptable testing methods for hydraulic accumulators. It enables us to perceive potentially critical material flaws, that could lead to an instant collapse of a pressure vessel, which can be hazardous to surrounding property and personnel. We made an overview of non-destructive methods for pressure vessels and as such also for hydraulic accumulators. We focused mainly on acoustic emission method and displayed an example of an acoustic emission test of a hydraulic accumulator with evaluation of the results.
|
