The Russian Ministry of Defence has patented a device that allows using the energy of an artillery gun's movement after a shot to power its hydraulic mechanisms. Instead of expending additional energy to drive the executive systems, the development accumulates the energy of the barrel's recoil and subsequent run-out and transfers it to other gun components.
The design is based on a two-stage hydraulic pump and two hydro-pneumatic accumulators. They are connected to the recoil and run-out chambers, where pistons move. During the movement of the recoiling parts, the pistons create pressure and flow of working fluid, which enters the accumulators. From there, the accumulated energy can be used by the hydraulic mechanisms of the artillery system.
The description states that the device is designed, among other things, for artillery guns with a high rate of fire. From an engineering point of view, the development allows for the reuse of part of the energy generated during the movement of the recoiling parts of the gun.
The practical effectiveness of such a solution will depend on the amount of accumulated energy, losses in the pump and pipelines, as well as the needs of the executive mechanisms. The published description does not provide quantitative data that would allow evaluating energy savings or the system's impact on the rate of fire. Therefore, for now, it is about a patented method of using the gun's movement energy, and not about a confirmed improvement in its characteristics.