Explosion Reason Analysis of a Piston Accumulator

A piston accumulator exploded during operation process. The explosion reason was found by means of visual examination, chemical compositions analysis, mechanical properties testing, SEM observation, X-ray diffraction phase analysis and energy spectrum analysis, and the burst pressure of the accumulator was calculated with finite element method. The results show that oxygen was unconsciously filled in the accumulator and mixed with the hydraulic oil permeating from the liquid part to the gas part of the accumulator. When the oxygen concentration reached a certain value, under the action of exciting energy resource from the machine operation process, violent burning chemical reactions would take place and produce high temperature and pressure in a moment, which resulted in the explosion of the accumulator.