Hydraulic reservoir

The hydraulic reservoir is a container for holding the fluid required to supply the system, including a reserve to cover any losses from minor leakage and evaporation. The reservoir can be designed to provide space for fluid expansion, permit air entrained in the fluid to escape, and to help cool the fluid. Figure 1-1 shows two typical reservoirs. Compare the two reservoirs item by item and, except for the filters and bypass valve, notice the similarities.

Filling reservoirs to the top during servicing leaves no space for expansion. Most reservoirs are designed with the rim at the filler neck below the top of the reservoir to prevent overfilling. Some means of checking the fluid level is usually provided on a reservoir. This may be a glass or plastic sight gauge, a tube, or a dipstick. Hydraulic reservoirs are either vented to the atmosphere or closed to the atmosphere and pressurized. A description of each type follows.

Vented Reservoir. A vented reservoir is one that is open to atmospheric pressure through a vent line. Because atmospheric pressure and gravity are the forces which cause the fluid to flow to the pump, a vented reservoir is mounted at the highest point in the hydraulic system. Air is drawn into and exhausted from the reservoir through a vent line. A filter is usually installed in the vent line to prevent foreign material from being taken into the system.

Pressurized Reservoir. A pressurized reservoir is sealed from the atmosphere. This reservoir is pressurized either by engine bleed air or by hydraulic pressure produced within the hydraulic system itself. Pressurized reservoirs are used on aircraft intended for high altitude flight, where atmospheric pressure is not enough to cause fluid flow to the pump.

In reservoirs pressurized by engine bleed air, the amount of air pressure is determined by an air pressure regulator–usually 10 to 15 pounds per square inch (psi) gauge. An example of a hydraulically pressurized reservoir used in the CH-47 hydraulic system is shown in Figure.

This reservoir, or tank as it is referred to by Boeing-Vertol, is constructed of a metal housing with two internal pistons, one fixed and the other a floating piston which slides along a central tube. Attached to the floating piston is a larger tube that projects through the forward end of the tank and is calibrated to indicate FULL and REFILL fluid levels for ramp-up and ramp-down positions.