Some of the greatest minds in the country work, study, and research in our Universities. So, it is always a pleasure and of enormous interest to see how these people operate and what is required to facilitate their work.
From trying to find a cure for cancer to the eradication of malaria, the preservation of the Magna Carta to priceless collections in university museums, or studies into nano science to electrical engineering faculties – the research and work carried out by the UK’s leading Universities is truly fantastic.
One common element of all these areas of research or conservation is the need for a stable environment in which to store, test and carry out research. Conditions need to be consistently replicated to ensure the stability of the artefact or the consistency required for traceable testing. Humidity is a vital part of this, so we need to use the best equipment on the market to suit the application. What is required? Tight control? Stable and consistent output over a wide range of set points? Long maintenance-free period with no down time?
The answer, and solution, to these questions is often the Neptronic SKE4 resistive humidifier with its ability to operate with all types of water, to achieve +/- 1%rh under the right conditions, its connectivity to BMS, MODBUS, BACNET and remote monitoring to facilitate the most cost- and time-effective planned maintenance.
Super-short evaporation distances with the X Stream multi lance system reduces section lengths of AHU’s or ductwork to save money on new installations or make achievable with tight retro fits.
It is Neptronic’s quality and reliability, proven over its four generations, that has led our top education establishments to invest. The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine do phenomenal work with the Bill Gates Foundation to look at ways in which malaria can be reduced, and in the insect rooms Humidity Solutions have supplied, installed, and maintain the Neptronic SKE4 resistive steam humidifiers. These in-room units deliver humidity control directly into the space where the insects are housed, replicating their perfect tropical environment.
In the University of Oxford, many such humidifiers are installed in several critical conservation areas such as the paper conservation department where documents and books are cared for and preserved for future generations. Dimensional stability of the paper and leather is essential to assisting in the work being carried out, as well as creating the perfect environment for the curing of glues and moist content of the material involved.
The Museums and Libraries house some of the finest collections in the world so the environment that they are kept in is critical. One example I was shown was a centuries old bible which had been kept in the crypt of a French cathedral in totally stable conditions created by the thick walls which act as massive heat sinks, therefore providing incredibly consistent temperatures and humidity. When the bible was removed and placed in a poorly controlled museum the document showed signs of distress in a very short period. Creating stable conditions around this significant piece of history quickly stabilised the issues to ensure continued preservation without decay
At the University of Cambridge, Humidity Solutions have been called upon to provide humidity control to a wide range of applications, but one where we are constantly in awe is the area of biomedical science, used in areas such as the search for cures for cancer. This is carried out at the Biomedical campus at Cambridge where several of buildings house the Neptronic humidifiers, providing a vital part of the consistent conditions required in this type of research.
Fascinating applications where humidity plays an important role. This is what makes our job interesting at Humidity Solutions. The wide variety of projects and challenges which, even after 35 years in the industry, continues to raise new and interesting projects. Fortunately we have too many years to mention of experience in the company which allows us to draw on this knowledge to adapt the great range of products and options that we have available to us to create exactly the right environment.