Patent ID: 8757984

Claim:
In a hub of a wind turbine having one or more hydraulic systems comprising hydraulic actuators to control the pitch of blades attached to said hub, and one or more hydraulic accumulators to provide hydraulic power in the event of a failure of one of said one or more hydraulic systems, each said accumulator further comprising a pressurized bladder, a method of minimizing hydraulic fluid flow within said one or more hydraulic accumulators comprising the steps of: obtaining a hydraulic accumulator comprising a substantially cylindrical canister and a pressurized bladder, said pressurized bladder being longitudinally situated within said canister and being attached to one end of said canister; orienting said hub to have an axis of rotation that is substantially horizontal; mounting said accumulator within said hub such that the longitudinal axis of said accumulator is substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of said hub; and causing said hub to rotate.