accumulators

An accumulator is a device or variable that collects and stores something for later use. The term is used across engineering, computing, and information theory to describe components that gather energy, data, or mathematical results and release them when needed.

In electrical engineering, accumulators store energy for later use. Chemical accumulators, or batteries, convert chemical energy into electrical energy. Electrical energy can also be stored in capacitors, including supercapacitors, which hold energy electrostatically and can deliver high power over short periods. Accumulators are employed for power backup, portable devices, and electric vehicles, among other applications.

In hydraulic and pneumatic systems, accumulators store fluid and/or gas under pressure to smooth supply, absorb shocks, or provide short bursts of flow. Typical designs include bladder, piston, and diaphragm types, pressurized by gas or liquid. They help stabilize pressures and improve the response of pumps and actuators.

Mechanical accumulators store energy in moving parts, such as flywheels that hold kinetic energy or springs that store elastic potential energy. These devices can provide energy buffering, timing, and energy return in mechanical systems, ranging from machinery to vibration damping.

In computing and data processing, an accumulator is a storage location, such as a register or variable, used to collect a running total or other intermediate results during a computation. In programming, accumulator patterns or functions (for example, fold or reduce) generalize this idea to aggregate sequences of data.

Across domains, accumulators enable energy management, system stability, and efficient computation by storing and releasing resources as needed.