Environmental Systems for Art Storage

Environmental Systems for Art Storage and Transportation
ENGI/HUMA 240
Matthew Wettergreen, PhD

Conservation’s history of Climate Control
Duncan Cameron’s prescription for the ideal museum environment (Museum News, (46)9:17-22, 1968)
The perfect preservation of a collection requires:
Site on high land
Fire-proof
Vibration-free structure
Protection against shock and sound waves
Elaborate emergency backup control system
Constant temperature (60-68F)
Constant relative humidity (50-60%)
Pollution free air
Total darkness
Absence of all organisms

Light Damage

Fire Damage

Water Damage

Protection
Environmental Systems
Prevention
Monitoring

Prevention
Water Damage
Roofs flood: storage away from top floor
Basements flood: storage away from basement
Fire Damage
Fire resistant materials
Sprinkler systems
Loss
Security systems

Protection
Temperature
Constant
No extremes
Light
Low light
No windows in storage facilities
Water
Raised platforms
Humidity (RH)
Constant
No extremes
Fire
Fire retardant storage materials
Sprinkler system
Particulates
High-efficiency filter

Inanimate vs. Animate Needs
Stable RH
68-75 F
High light
Low Light
Loosely
regulated RH
Low Temp

Monitoring
Passively/Actively reports on conditions in storage system
Enables staff to develop strategies for cost reduction due to energy costs
Assist facilities staff in responding to human comfort
Provides information to increase short and long-term preservation
Aids in assessing environmental control

Types of T/RH Monitoring Equipment
Nonrecording devices
Paper strips impregnated with chemical salts for RH
Mechanical devices measuring the expansion/contraction of a metallic strip
Mechnaical devices that measure the expansion/contraction of a hygroscopic element
Electronic devices that store and recall min/max values
Recording devices
Graphic devices (include pic of hygroscopic device)
Thermostats
Humidistats
New Technologies for Monitoring
Wireless, computer controlled

Types of T/RH Monitoring Equipment

T/RH Calibration
Low cost devices require calibration
Accuracy
Repeatability
Actual devices do not measure humidity, they measure deviation from a set point
Most common device is psychrometer
two thermometers: one that reads temperature, one that reads effect of cooling water as it evaporates
Needs for calibration device
Deionized water
Saturated and nonsaturated salt solutions

T/RH Measuring Basics
Appropriate single room location choice
Center of room varies from exterior walls
Necessary to develop an average
Buildings w/o environmental control
Singles spaces require one system per room
Buildings with some environmental control
Several systems for non-central control
Buildings with HVAC systems
One measuring device per subzone
HVAC act independent of monitoring system

Radiation

Light Monitoring
Radiation divided into 3 categories
Ultraviolet (<400nm)
Visible (400-760 nm)
Infrared (>760 nm)
All three types result in deterioration
Light damage is cumulative and irreversible
UV light is high energy and results in many changes in museum materials
Infrared light causes damage by increasing rate of chemical reactions and localizing heat on the specimen
Visible light exists at the continuum of UV and IR and combines damage of both
Color temperature

Light Levels
Not to exceed 50 lux
Costume, textiles, watercolor paintings, tapestries, furniture, prints and drawings, postage stamps, manuscripts, ephemera, miniatures, wallpaper, dyed leather, most natural history and ethnographic items
Not to exceed 200 lux

Oil/tempura paintings, undyed leather, lacquer, wood, horn, bone and ivory, stone
Special precautions taken for objects made of more than one material
Rooms with windows usually experience >200 lux on a daily basis

Controlling Light Levels
Curtains
Removal of objects away from windows
Screens to cover display cases
Blinds with vertical or horizontal louvres
Reduction in bulb wattage
Cut illumination when museum is closed
High tech solutions
Photocells for automatic blind control
Motion sensors to control lights
Install grey sensitive glass in windows

UV Radiation
Very damaging to all materials
Measured by UV-monitor
Methods of protection
Laminated glass UV filter
Acrylic/polycarbonate sheets
UV varnish application to windows or display cases
Plastic filter sleeves for fluorescent lamp tubes

Specialty Monitoring

Monitoring Particulates
Few simple or cost effective devices exist
Best practice: visual inspection of the collections and collection containers
Frequency of need for cleaning may indicate source
Filtering system may collect particles due to environmental control systems
Requires commercial grade filtration systems
HEPA filters are sufficient

Monitoring Gaseous Pollutants
Gas monitoring systems are expensive
Devices measure short-term exposure of specific pollutants
Formaldehyde
SO2, SO3, O3, NO, NO2
Passive system uses measure the effect of exposure on polished metal samples

Pest Management
All materials being accessioned made of organic materials are first quarantined
Anoxic environment applied to art object
Nitrogen
Argon
Carbon Dioxide
Oxygen barrier films used with microclimates
Low cost solution is oxygen deprivation

Shock/Vibration Monitoring

Microclimates

Microclimates
Specialized or isolated environments
Travel cases
Display cases
Useful for objects with unique composition
Known outgassing components
Multiple materials
Unknown materials

Microclimates - Protection
Object will create a problem and leach harmful chemicals
Solution
Sealed container
Activated carbon and a sorbent for chemical absorption

Microclimates - Monitoring
Object is composed of materials requiring special care
Paper
Unique compositions of dyes
Sealed container
Active T/RH control in case
Nitrogen replacement for air

New Technologies in Environmental Monitoring

Micro Sensing Devices
Real-time monitoring
Wirelessly connected via mesh networking
Remote systems
Simpler management and data analysis
Passive recording
Active alerts

Picture References
Slide 3
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3223/3074701311_5e7309a7d3.jpg?v=0
Slide 4
http://rt.grc.nasa.gov/media/2008/07/24/atomic-oxygen-restoration/atomicox_big.jpg
Slide 5
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2541/3859344699_6d6a3bb940_b.jpg
Slide 9
http://libromancy.org/images/Loplop.JPG
Slide 12
http://www.hvacsurplussales.com/catalog/images/Thermostat.jpg
http://www.preservationequipment.com/UserData/root/Products/Images/000634_0.jpg
http://img.tripatlas.com:8080/media/images/Umidaderelativa.jpg
Slide 15
http://www.ktf-split.hr/glossary/image/electromagnetic_radiation_spectrum_en.gif
Slide 24
http://www.serialconsign.com/images/2007/03/seismograph.jpg
http://www.interplas.com/product_images/300/Tiltwatch-Plus-1000px.jpg
Slide 26
http://206.180.235.133/jaic/img/jaic32-02-001-fig003.jpg
Slide 30
earth-watch.jp/Museum.pdf