Vapac humidifiers supply steam for leisure users at Harrogate’s famous Turkish baths
Vapac’s electrode boilers are traditionally used in air conditioning projects ranging from the introduction of humidity to provide a comfortable working environment to the preservation and conservation of art and other artefacts in museums, galleries and depositories around the world.
The latest and more unusual application of Vapac’s electrode boiler
is the incorporation of a unit in Harrogate’s world famous Turkish Baths.
So popular are the baths that visitors come from all over the world to see and try at first hand the facilities of one of England’s last working Victorian Turkish Baths in the famous Spa town.
Turkish Baths or hammams are recognised for their health benefits. The basic principle of a Turkish bath is dry heat, mixed with cold plunges, moving through a graded series of heated rooms; tepidarium (warm), calidarium (hot) and laconium (hottest) that cleanse, relax and boost circulation. The session is rounded off in the frigidarium (relaxation room).
Temperatures in the baths’ hottest room (laconium) reach 66ºC (150ºF).
The Vapac unit replaced an aged steam generator. It is providing a continuous supply of steam for the steam room where temperatures top 45ºC. The steam room has also been renovated and features ceramic tiles, marble seats and the ceiling is coated with a special paint mix to prevent ingress of water into the fabric of the building.
The unit is in use for a 12 hour period each day all year round from 9.00am. It is a robust workhorse providing steam on demand with a fast power up.
Depending on the application, useage and water quality, some applications are better suited to the resistance heater range but as Harrogate’s water is very soft, the humidifier does not have to be fed from a water softening unit neither do salts need to be added to enable it to reach boiling point. The soft water also has the added benefit of keeping the humidifier’s cylinder cleaner thus reducing maintenance costs.
“A cleanable cylinder is fitted and this only needs attention every 4-6 months” says Martin Percival, Principle Engineer.
The benefits of a steam bath are widely acknowledged. In Harrogate’s bath, the high levels of humidity combined with Eucalyptus, opens and cleanses pores and also penetrates the respiratory system. Steam rooms are also beneficial in easing tense muscles. Little wonder that customers leave Harrogate health spa feeling exhilarated, euphoric and relaxed!
Vapac is a customer led solutions provider and can provide a wide range of standard humidification units as well as customised designs to deliver clean steam. It has developed a wide range of steam room units for the expanding leisure market.
These offer capacities ranging from 4-33kW of steam generating power to satisfy most sizes of room. Each capacity uses water level control to give a variable output between 50 and 100%.