Pneumatic cylinder as air spring
 

Just wondering if it's plausible to plug all valves of a cylinder and compress it for potential energy. By my calculations, a 2 inch bore cylinder should be capable of 90 pounds of force if compressed halfway.

It seems that it could be an alternative to spring loaded system, but are there any obvious downsides to this? I'm not very familiar with pneumatic components...

Re: Pneumatic cylinder as air spring
 

Out of curiosity, why would you not just get a gas spring designed for this purpose?

Re: Pneumatic cylinder as air spring
 

You are permitted to use closed loop gas springs for this purpose, but NOT a pneumatic cylinder. You can use a pneumatic cylinder as a spring IF you meet all the other pneumatic system requirements, i.e. you need to have a regulator and relief valve to prevent over pressurization.

Re: Pneumatic cylinder as air spring
 

Anthony,

Not knowing the specifics of your design, it is hard to say for sure but my gut reaction is that an inspector will not allow it.

Please read this thread on the official Q&A and review the pneumatics rules. What you are proposing is a pneumatic system without any of the safeguards that the rules put in place.

Regards,

Mike

Re: Pneumatic cylinder as air spring
 

Ah, okay then.

There is actually no reason we couldn't use a gas spring for what I intended, and we have some and used them last year. I simply forgot about their existence.