A guide to the large steam pumps in Java's sugar mills

Click here for an introduction to Java's sugar mills and their stationary steam engines. 

Horizontal stationary engines used with vacuum pumps (which these are unless otherwise noted) and other pumps (normally air compressors) are readily recognised by the extra cylinder. Confusing some compressors are belt driven and so have only one cylinder which makes them look like belt engines at first glance!

The oldest ones I identified in my first sweep are a pair built by Manlove, Allott and Fryer (Nottingham, London and Rouen) in 1883 at Cukir - remarkably they are virtually the only old kit left in the mill - it seems that the pair at Kanigoro are contemporary as may be those at Pagottan.

Smaller, but probably almost as old is this low pressure compressor (used for air which burns sulphur for the sulphitation) at Purwodadi.

This old vacuum pump at Rejosari is one of very few built by Halle. 

There are a number of old ones from Werkspoor, this engine at Watutulis has two flywheels (468/1900):

A later version is found at Sumberharjo:

Wonolangan uses a pair of large pumps, the one on the right is from Breda of Netherlands (910/1917), that on the left is a Stork condensor water injection pump.

This rare vacuum pump at Merican from Maschinen Fabriek Buchau, Teilung, Rohrig & Konig, Magdeburg-S, 1909 has the valves in the pump cylinder operated externally:

Like a number of old engines, this one has the valves for the main cylinder operated in a way in which one rod (upper) operates the actual valves, while the other (lower) has the ability to vary the way in which steam is admitted as in the cut-off of a steam locomotive.

All three of which are driven in parallel:

Typical of later vacuum pumps is this one from Stork (2655/1921) at Karangsuwung (again note the double valve mechanism)::

This Halle vacuum pump at Wringinanom also has external valves:

While the 'drop' valve system was eventually adopted for vacuum pumps too as in this Stork (3285/1929) at Sindanglaut:

The ultimate in vacuum machines were built by Werkspoor and the last working example is at Sumberharjo. This combined a vacuum pump, condenser and condenser water supply pump in one unit.