Types Of Reservoir accessories

Reservoir accessories

Pump intake strainers are reservoir accessories that have already been described in Lesson Three. If the intake strainer is mounted with in the reservoir, an easily removable cover plate or door with an air and fluid – tight gasket should be provided. If the inlet strainer is mounted above or outside the reservoir, a gasket adaptor plate is usually provided in place of the cover plate. 

A suction gage, with a shut – of valve to protect it, is ordinarily provided as part of the inlet strainer assembly or piping. This allows the pump suction pressure to be measured, and aids in determining the condition of the intake strainer.

An air – breather equipped with a 10 microns filter is installed on the reservoir to allow the reservoir to vent to the atmosphere. As the fluid level in the reservoir rises and falls during the operation of the system, the air – breather lets air enter leave and prevents pressure or suction builds in the reservoir.

A fluid – level gage or sight glass should be provided to ensure that the fluid level and its condition can be checked easily. Plastic lenses are preferred to glass. They should be located in a safe place, and be clearly visible. Checking the fluid’s condition visually is just as important as making sure there is sufficient fluid in the system.

Thermometers are sometimes provided to measure the return line and suction inlet fluid temperatures. Although thermometers are not an absolute necessity, at least one should be permanently installed somewhere in the system.

If the reservoir is the support base for the complete power unit of a hydraulic system, much additional equipment is provided. Additional items include not only a support plate, but a pump and electric motor with pressure switches and control wiring, an accumulator, a pump unloading control, a filter, a pressure relief valve, a line pressure gage (with isolation valve), and a check valve. The number of accessories included in a power unit package depends on the system requirements. The graphic symbols for sine if these accessories are shown in Fig. 4 – 6.