Preservation with humidification
Exhibits at the Royal Armouries Museum and National Firearms Centre in Leeds are being protected by three Neptronics SKE resistive steam humidifiers supplied, installed and commissioned by JS Humidifiers. They maintain humidity around the 8500 exhibits on display and in stores at the two sites. They include cannons, mortars and the largest collection of arms and armour on display since the 19th century.
Glyn Barraclough, mechanical engineer at the Royal Armouries, explains, ‘If the atmosphere becomes too dry, it can damage the exhibits on display and in storage. The humidifiers maintain the atmosphere at 60 to 65% RH, preventing humidity-related damage to materials such as wood, fabric and hair. Incorrect humidity control can also affect the metals on suits of armour, causing concentric rings to appear.’
These steam humidifiers respond rapidly to humidity requirement. The museum can be empty one minute and full of visitors in from the rain the next. Neptronic SKE humidifiers can deliver up to 80 kg/h of steam from a single unit. Unlike electrode boiler humidifiers, they do not incorporate disposable boiling cylinders, making them much more economical to run. SKE humidifiers have a 2-year guarantee.
A PureFlo reverse-osmosis water filter has been installed, which removes 90% of minerals from the water before it is supplied to the humidifiers. The build-up of scale is virtually eliminated, and maintenance is reduced to a simple check once or twice a year. The reverse osmosis water filter enables RH to be controlled to ±1% as the mineral level in the water tank does not need to be controlled by flushing and refilling the cylinder.
