Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Temperature
Objectives page 21
Introduction page 21
What is relative humidity? page 21
How does relative humidity change? page 22
Why worry about relative humidity and temperature? page 22
Can the damage be prevented? page 25
Identifying the source of the problem page 25
What can be done to minimise damage? page 26
Modifying the conditions in buildings page 26
A word of caution about travelling
exhibitions and loans page 29
In an ideal world … page 30
Australia’s climatic zones page 30
MORE ABOUT RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE
Measuring relative humidity page 32
Dehumidifiers page 34
Humidifiers and steam generators page 34
The use of silica gel page 35
For further reading page 35
Self-evaluation quiz page 35
Answers to self-evaluation quiz page 37
Objectives Steps can be taken to minimise fluctuations in
relative humidity and temperature, and to protect
valuable collections from the adverse effects of
At the end of this chapter you should: extremes of relative humidity and temperature. To
do this, it is useful to understand how relative
• know some of the adverse effects that humidity and temperature are related, what causes
extremes and fluctuations in relative humidity
relative humidity to fluctuate, and to know what
and temperature have on objects;
effects they have on different types of materials.
• understand the relationship between relative
humidity and temperature; and
What is relative humidity?
• be able to take steps to limit damage to
collections caused by fluctuations in relative
humidity and temperature. Heat really needs no explanation. You may have
difficulty defining it, but you’re certainly familiar
with the experience of it. Relative humidity, on
the other hand, does need explanation.
Introduction
Water is an extremely pervasive substance and can
Relative humidity and temperature are essential be found everywhere on the planet—including in
components of a comfortable working environment. the air, where it’s held as vapour.
However, there can be some conflict between the
needs of people and the requirements for the care The capacity of air to hold water-vapour varies
of collections. according to the temperature of the air.
Relative humidity—RH—is the amount of water The warmer the air, the more water-vapour it can
vapour contained in the air at a particular hold. As the air cools down, its capacity to hold
temperature compared with the total amount of water will decrease.
water vapour the air can contain at that
temperature. Relative humidity is expressed as a Relative humidity is a measure of the amount of
percentage. Various materials respond differently the amount of water-vapour contained in air at a
over a range of humidity levels and there is an particular temperature. It is basically a comparison
optimum level of RH suitable for the display and between:
storage of mixed materials.
• the amount of water-vapour held in the air at
Extremes of relative humidity and temperature can any one time and at a particular temperature;
adversely affect the condition of objects, and
particularly those made of organic materials. But it
• the total amount of water-vapour which the
is important to remember that many materials will
air can hold at the same temperature, that is,
stabilise in a particular climate, even though
the amount of water which will saturate the
conditions are extreme. Once stabilised and air at that temperature.
conditioned to the climate, these materials will
not necessarily be adversely affected by the Relative humidity is expressed as a percentage.
constant, extreme conditions. This can be written as an equation:
If the climate changes or objects are moved to a RH = water-vapour present in the air x 100%
different climate, problems can arise. Changes in
relative humidity and temperature—particularly water-vapour required to saturate
rapid changes—are potentially far more damaging air at that temperature
to most materials than are constant extremes.
These changes can occur easily with sudden As the temperature of air increases, its capacity to
changes in the local weather, when air- contain water-vapour increases. For example:
conditioning units break down, and when objects
are moved from storage boxes to open display or • At 0ºC the air can hold about 6 grams of water
from one region of the country to another. for each cubic metre of air, that is, 6g/m3.
Textiles can display what seems to be the opposite If fluctuations are occurring constantly, the
response to changes in relative humidity. A multi- materials are being subjected to constant movement
strand thread shortens in length when the relative which is usually not uniform and often results in
humidity goes up. This is because the individual cracking, splitting and warping. Some examples of
threads expand in diameter more than they expand extreme damage caused by fluctuations are:
in length. The result is that the strands wrap
around each other more tightly, which causes the • bark paintings expand and contract as they
absorb water and release it. This leads to the
overall length to decrease. Often this process does bark warping and splitting, and they can lose
not reverse when the relative humidity drops again. paint;
A canvas responds in the same way as textiles; • bone and ivory are very susceptible to
however, the paint layer on the canvas does not damage caused by fluctuations; and they warp
Heating
Modifying the
It is sometimes necessary to heat whole buildings
conditions in buildings or individual rooms. Generally, heating is used to
make people comfortable. This is an important
consideration; but you should be aware also that
Airconditioning
raising the temperature affects the objects in the
building.
Airconditioning is the most obvious, but not
necessarily the best, method of controlling Heating affects relative humidity. Remember:
temperature and relative humidity. The method
involves taking air—either fresh air from the • heating a building in an already dry
outside or recycled air from the inside—and environment could be disastrous, because it
changing its temperature and moisture content. will lower the relative humidity;
• if you want to raise the temperature without A building made of thick stone walls or cavity-
lowering the relative humidity, you need brick construction with high ceilings provides good
additional water. Additional water sources insulation against climatic changes. In hot
could include mechanical devices such as
weather, these buildings take a few days to heat
humidifiers or, more simply, dishes or trays
of water left to evaporate. up; and then, as the outside temperature drops,
they lose heat slowly. Fluctuations occur, but they
occur gradually.
Altering the
relative humidity Make sure your building is well-maintained, so that
it provides the maximum possible seal against
It is possible to vary the humidity without fluctuations in the outside environment. This is
markedly changing the temperature. Relative particularly important if the building is made of
humidity can be reduced using a dehumidifier. light building materials and is in a fairly extreme
This is a remedial measure which adjusts a environment.
dangerously wet environment.
Clean out gutters, repair cracks in walls and
ceilings, and have leaky roofs checked. This
improves the stability of the temperature and
humidity inside.
Dehumidifiers.
Use the features of the building
Photograph courtesy of Artlab Australia
Improved conditions for the storage and display
of collections can be achieved by choosing good
Moisture can be introduced to the air using either storage and display sites within the building,
a steam generator or an ultrasonic humidifier. and using the features of the building to modify
These are remedial measures which adjust a conditions.
dangerously dry environment.
The most stable area of a non-airconditioned
These machines should not be seen as permanent building is an internal room on the ground floor—
solutions to your environmental problems. They because it is buffered against climatic changes.
can be costly to run, they need fairly constant
attention and can be bulky and noisy. There are other areas one could choose. Basements
are acceptable as they provide a cool temperature.
However, they are likely to be damp. On the other
hand, an attic would often not be insulated, but
would be dry.
• keeping doors and windows closed; A display case is a box with transparent sides into
which an object is placed. The walls of the box
• keeping self-closing doors well oiled, so that isolate the object to some extent. Passive control
they shut quickly and fully;
systems can also be set up within the box.
• installing interior blinds on windows, to
buffer against outside conditions; Silica gel is the most common material used to
control relative humidity in display cases. It can
• installing exterior shutters or awnings, or be pre-conditioned to achieve a desired humidity
putting up shade-cloth; and level; the quantity placed in the case depends on
the volume of the case.
• planting trees around the building—but not
too close because this gives insects easy For more information
access to the building.
Silica gel is not particularly easy to use.
Encourage people to leave wet umbrellas and coats For more information about its use
at the front door—by providing umbrella basins refer to the section on the use of silica gel
and coat hooks. This will prevent the introduction later in this chapter.
of excess moisture.
Other materials, such as Nikka pellets and Artsorb,
operate on the same principles as silica gel.
CAUTION
Avoid sealing objects in plastic in tropical
conditions—it will not allow them to breathe,
creating a risk of mould growth.
ARID
An arid climate is generally very dry.
For example:
Av. Min RH Av. Max RH Av. Min Temp Av. Max Temp
Broken Hill 25% 75% 12.1ºC 23.7ºC
Kalgoorlie 23% 74% 11.5ºC 25.1ºC
Alice Springs 17% 65% 16.3ºC 33ºC
In arid areas, it is often very hot during the day and very cold at night. This wide fluctuation is
matched by wide fluctuations in relative humidity. Take Alice Springs for example:
For example:
Av. Min RH Av. Max RH Av. Min Temp Av. Max Temp
Launceston 44% 90% 6.2ºC 16.8ºC
Adelaide 34% 79% 12ºC 22.1ºC
Ballarat 40% 91% 7.3ºC 17.4ºC
However extreme and fluctuations can be experienced in temperate areas. Take Adelaide for example:
Temperate climates tend to have a greater range of temperatures than tropical climates and may include
extreme climatic variations.
TROPICAL
Tropical climates occur north of the Tropic of Capricorn. They are characterised by heavy rainfall,
high humidity and high temperatures.
For example:
Av. Min RH Av. Max RH Av. Min Temp Av. Max Temp
Darwin 43% 85% 23.8ºC 31.6ºC
Townsville 51% 75% 19.5ºC 28.6ºC
Average readings do not give a very good indication of the extremes that can be experienced. In Darwin,
for example:
Note: Townsville may not be considered tropical—it may be more accurately classified as sub-tropical.
It must be remembered that these categories are only a guide. Climates change gradually and there are
many areas in Australia that would be difficult to place in these very broad categories.
If the environment is very dry or very damp, you A whirling hygrometer or sling psychrometer.
can generally feel it—your skin responds to these Photograph courtesy of Artlab Australia
conditions. We feel dry and sometimes a bit itchy
in very dry conditions, and clammy in humid
The amount of water which evaporates depends on
conditions. But feeling the extremes doesn’t tell us
the capacity of the air to contain water. The
how extreme the conditions are; and it gives us no
decrease in temperature shows how much water
indication of how rapidly the conditions are
has gone into the air; this shows the capacity of
fluctuating.
the air to contain water.
To gather information about the levels, you need
The dry bulb gives the temperature of the air.
to measure the relative humidity and temperature;
and to get information about the rate of
By comparing the two temperatures after the
fluctuation, you need to monitor the environment.
instrument has been whirled, the relative humidity
can be calculated. This is made easier by using
Measuring the conditions involves taking readings
published tables listing the relative humidity
at a specific time—a snapshot of the conditions.
against the dry and wet-bulb temperatures. These
tables should be provided with the hygrometer.
Monitoring conditions involves continuous or
repeated measurement, so that you get a changing
The advantages of using a whirling hygrometer are:
picture or series of snapshots over a period of time.
• they are relatively cheap;
There are a number of devices which can be used
to measure relative humidity. • they don’t require ongoing maintenance; and
It has two matched thermometers. One thermometer • they provide a snapshot only. They do not
is called the dry bulb and the other the wet bulb. continuously monitor the environment;
The wet bulb thermometer has a cotton sleeve
wrapped around its base. Distilled water from a • to monitor the environment with a whirling
hygrometer, you need to take readings in the
small reservoir is used to keep the sleeve wet.
same places at regular intervals, and record
when and where you took the readings; and
The hygrometer is whirled around in the air. While
this happens, water from the sleeve of the wet • whirling a manually-operated hygrometer can
bulb thermometer evaporates, and the wet-bulb make your arm tired. Battery-operated
temperature shown by the thermometer goes down. whirling hygrometers are available.
A dial hygrometer.
Photograph courtesy of Artlab Australia
Thermohygrographs and dial and electronic A steam generator uses heat to create steam.
hygrometers do not remain accurate. Ideally, they The steam is then cooled to form a water-vapour,
should be calibrated against an instrument such as a which can be introduced into the museum.
whirling hygrometer once a month and if they have
slipped out of calibration, they should be An ultrasonic humidifier uses a small crystal—
recalibrated. The hairs in thermohygrographs and vibrating at very high frequency—to smash liquid-
dial hygrometers must also be reconditioned water into tiny droplets. The droplets are small
regularly. enough to be suspended in air as a cold vapour.
Self-evaluation quiz
Question 1.
Relative humidity is a comparison between: c) dehumidifiers should be used to dry the air;
Answer: d) is false. Answer: e) and f). The methods used will depend
on the object type.
Question 2.
Question 3.
Answer: e).
Question 4.