002.396.Idrija

Idrija Mercury Heritage Management Center, Bazoviška 2, SI-5280 Idrija

Public

Republic of Slovenia

/

Daily life

The vacuum gauge is a long and narrow glass tube in the shape of a supine S curve. In the first part of the tube there is mercury, the other part is empty and the third part has a glass valve for air control. The third part ends conically in the horizontal tube. Between the first and the second tube there is a measuring scale. The vacuum gauge is attached to the light coloured wooden bracket.

Length 17.5 cm, width 8 cm, height 34.5 cm.

Glass, mercury, metal, wood.

Creation time is unknown.

Manufacturer information is not known.

The vacuum gauge is a measuring device for measuring low pressures and operates on the principle of a manometer. The measured pressure is on one side of the tube and the comparative one on the other side, e.g. atmospheric with the open liquid manometer. The difference between the pressures is read directly through the differences in the height of the liquid columns in both pipes.

The vacuum gauge is being preserved, secured and presented as important mining heritage of Idrija with exceptional universal values. It is a part of the CUDHg Smelting Collection. Visitors can view it within the permanent museum display “From Ore to Mercury Drops” in the Hg Smelting Plant, which represents the characteristics and the versatile use of mercury in science, technology, medicine, culture and every day life. Within the exhibition the object is placed in the density segment and it represents the usefulness of mercury for technical devices.

University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Večna pot 113, SI-1000 Ljubljana.

Hg Smelting Plant (From Ore to Mercury Drops), Arkova 50, SI-5280 Idrija

The vacuum gauge is well preserved. Additional interventions are not necessary. Security of the premise is taken care off.

good

Regular seasonal maintenance.

- CUDHg Inventory Book.

Mestni muzej Idrija

Miha Kosmač

17. 3. 2018

Never