High-Durability Pressure Accumulator of Sandvik DD2710 in Finland

The DD2710 carries multiple hydraulic accumulators that serve different functions across the machine. The percussion circuit accumulators buffer the percussion pump's flow demand peaks. The boom function accumulators provide pressure support during rapid positioning moves that briefly exceed the main pump's delivery rate. And the emergency lowering accumulator provides stored energy to safely lower the boom in the event of main hydraulic pump failure—a safety function that, in Finnish underground operations at Agnico Eagle's Kittilä, must be reliable in temperatures that drop to −15°C at the portal area during winter maintenance shifts.

The durability specification for DD2710 accumulators in Finnish operations addresses three distinct failure pathways. Diaphragm permeation—the slow loss of nitrogen through the membrane wall—accelerates at higher operating temperatures, so Finnish summer conditions (40°C in underground headings after sustained operation) create seasonal permeation peaks. Cold-temperature embrittlement during winter portal maintenance increases diaphragm brittleness if the operator attempts to charge a cold-soaked diaphragm rapidly. And the emergency lowering accumulator, which may sit uncharged for months between emergency test cycles, can develop static compression set in the diaphragm if its nitrogen pre-charge was not at the correct parking-condition specification.

Accumulator Maintenance Schedule for Finnish DD2710 Operations

Kittilä's maintenance program uses a pre-shift emergency lowering accumulator test as a 3-minute mandatory item on the daily checklist—the operator manually actuates the emergency lowering function at the start of each shift and confirms the boom descends to safe height. If it doesn't, the rig is flagged for accumulator service before entering the heading. HOVOO supplies DD2710 accumulator diaphragms and charging kits validated for Finnish operating temperature range. References at hovooseal.com.