SS Great Britain
challenge
When the SS Great Britain was recovered, her hull was badly corroded. The combination of water and salt accelerated the corrosion rate and the ship was at risk of complete destruction within a few years. A team of seven conservators took three years to complete restoration work. To prevent further rusting, the hull is encased in glass with dehumidified air (20% RH) continuously recirculated within the enclosure to keep the metal dry. Water flows around the glass casing from stem to stern, giving the impression that the ship is afloat and acts as an insulating blanket. The water was filtered but became contaminated with algae, staining the glass and spoiling the visual impact for visitors. It also added many hours of maintenance labour to keep it clean.
solution
After reviewing the existing treatment process, Broadwater devised a programme of chemical treatment to control the chemical and microbiological quality of the water and to maintain the sparkle of the glass casing around the hull. The filtration system was refurbished and upgraded to use AFM, an activated media manufactured sustainably from recycled green glass, and chemical dosing systems for coagulant, chlorine and pH correction. Dosing is controlled by a Wallace & Tiernan Ezetrol Touch Controller. Before the upgrade it wasn’t possible to see though the glass plate, but since the upgrade, visitors now have this impressive view from above and below.
key services delivered
The installation process was well-planned, professional and completed on time within the agreed budget. Since installation the system has been very reliable, consistently maintaining improved water quality and substantially reducing the amount of downtime that used to be required for cleaning purposes.
