Idrija Municipal Museum, Prelovčeva 9, SI-5280 Idrija
Ownership
Public
Owner
Municipality of Idrija, Mestni trg 1, SI-5280 Idrija
Local / Original ID Number
510:IDR;RS-2
Type of Object
Mine
Description
Short description
The six–stage centrifugal pump has the following components: the housing with the suction and pressure nozzle, drive shaft with rotors and with shaft connection. On the inside of the housing the guide wheels are attached, which guide the liquid from one rotor – the runner – through the guide canals into the other runner. The drive shaft is attached with round bearings on both sides. The reel of the shaft connection with diameter of 22.5 cm and width of 6.4 cm is attached to one side, specifically to the end of the shaft with diameter of 4 cm. The pitch circle (15.8 cm in diameter) of the pump has 6 bores with 4.4 cm diameters for plugs, which are not its original part, according to the available documentation. The total pump capacity was 1200 l/min, its manometer height was 275 mm and its speed was 1440 RPM.
Measures
Length 144 cm, width 69.2 cm, height 94 cm.
Materials
Brass, cast iron, steel.
Dating
1922
Author / Producer
S. A. Ercole Marelli & Co. Milano.
Picture attachments
Original use
The pump was placed on the main excavation site on the XI level of the Joseph’s Shaft and along with the other six–stage centrifugal pump (RS1), served for pumping pit water to the surface. The suction nozzle, which is mounted below, had the suction pipe screwed on, through which the pit water entered the pump from the pool and through the suction tank. Through the pressure nozzle and the connective pipe, the water exited the described pump and entered into the suction nozzle of the other pump (RS1). The three-phase asynchronous electric motor (characteristics: power 93.2 kW (125 HP), 2500 V, 50 Hz), was directly fused with the pumps. In the night on Saturday, 5 February 1944 to Sunday, 6 February 1944, the Partisans blew the pump up and then the Germans repaired it, so that the pump was functional again. After the end of the Second World War, it was still used in the Idrija Mercury Mine until 1958.
Present use
The six–stage centrifugal pump is being preserved, secured and presented as an important monument of Idrija technical mining heritage with exceptional universal values. It is part of the Idrija Municipal Museum collection “Mining machines and devices”, which demonstrates the middle-European machine manufacturing at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries. The collection displays restored mining machines and devices, tools and equipment, which were necessary for working in a pit or in outdoor plants. For this reason it represents technical heritage which greatly exceeds the Idrija Mercury Mine framework and is therefore of a larger, global importance.
Original location
Joseph's Shaft, level XI (altitude 65m).
Present location
Francis’ Shaft building (showroom 1).
STATE OF CONSERVATION
History of conservation:
The pump was renovated between 1990 and 1992. It was completely disassembled, surfaces of individual parts were cleaned with a sandblasting process, reassembled and its foundations and top were painted. They made new covers for covering the suction and pressure nozzle and new M12 screw material for screwing the covers. The pipes and some parts of the armature are missing. Additional interventions are not necessary. Security of the premises is ensured.
Present state
good
Necessary activities:
Regular seasonal maintenance.
DOCUMENTATION
Addresses / collections / links etc. where further in-depth information is accessible:
- Inventory Book of the Idrija Municipal Museum;
- Zelenc, Anton. In vendar se giblje: katalog rudniških strojev in naprav. Idrija, Municipal Museum Idrija, 2001;
- Mohorič, Ivan. Rudnik živega srebra v Idriji. Idrija, 1960;
- Beričič, Ivan. Razstrelitev črpalk v idrijskem rudniku. Idrijski razgledi, 3/1958, p. 81–82;
- Zelenc, Anton. Idrija Municipal Museum: restored mine machines and devices of the Idrija Mercury Mine. Patrimoine de l´industrie, 2004, p. 17–19.