NRIMCH Completed Construction of Large Waterlogged Woods Drying Treatment Zone
 -Equipped with Korea’s largest vacuum freeze dryer dedicated to cultural heritage -

The National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage (Director Kim Yeonsoo) of the Cultural Heritage Administration completed the construction of a “large waterlogged woods drying treatment zone” within the premises of its Taean Conservation Center on 10 December 2020. The plant will start operations at the beginning of 2021 to carry out scientific wood drying process for shipwreck excavated from the sea nearby.

With a gross floor area of 450.05㎡, the Large Waterlogged Woods Drying Treatment Zone is equipped with the country’s largest vacuum freeze dryer (10m long, 2m diameter) dedicated to cultural heritage, which allows for reduction of consolidation time and drying processes following the desalination for excavated shipwreck. It is also equipped with a humidity control drying room (186㎡) dedicated to shipwreck that can dry waterlogged wood in a stable and slow manner, opening a new chapter in the conservation for shipwreck in the country.
 *Vacuum Freeze Dryer: A machine that cools organic matter such as consolidated wood to minus 40℃, makes it into a vacuum state, and discharges moisture from the inside to dry it quickly.

Previously, the largest vacuum freeze dryer in Korea was 6 meters long. The new large-sized freeze dryer can completely fit a 10m long wooden ship part.
It can precisely follow up the entire drying process through temperature changes indicated by a weight detector(sensor) installed to the dryer.

The NRIMCH has excavated a total of 14 shipwrecks since the excavation of the Sinan Shipwreck in 1976 but it has not excavated four more shipwrecks yet because of a shortage of space for desalination and consolidation processes which usually take more than 10 years.  
The completion of the wood drying zone is expected to preserve and treat shipwreck effectively and systematically while significantly reducing the required treatment time.

The NRIMCH will continue striving to boost the value of the country’s marine cultural heritage by scientifically processing and preserving its cultural assets excavated from the sea, including shipwreck, and sharing the invaluable heritage with the public.