Air conditioning within the conservation chamber during the dismantlement of the stone chamber of Takamatsuzuka Tumulus
The stone chamber of Takamatsuzuka Tumulus is now being dismantled for conservation. As the excavation of the mound surrounding the stone chamber progresses, the stone chamber will become exposed to outside air and the temperature and humidity inside the chamber is expected to be greatly affected by changes in the outside temperature and humidity. In order to maintain the temperature and humidity inside the stone chamber stable, a chamber with insulation walls was constructed on the mound and measures were taken to control the air inside. Since fungal growth generally increases as the temperature rises, cooling pipes were installed to keep the temperature at 10℃ and the humidity at 90%.
To control humidity, air is passed through a scrubber, a container in which water is sprayed, and the humidity is adjusted by means of a heat converter called fancoil. Since a very small change in temperature can cause a great change in relative humidity when the temperature is as low as 10℃, the value of temperature and humidity within the insulation chamber is put into the computer and controlled by a feedback system. With regard to the control of air inside the insulation chamber, we were able to obtain the initially planned results with the cooperation of Professor Hokoi Shuichi of Kyoto University.