VELOXY®

 

The VELOXY® is the first system in the world that makes the most of studies and theories regarding the effectiveness of the anoxic method used for disinfestations of organic materials and that can be specifically used for applications in Cultural Heritage.

Several species of parasites can cause extensive damages (often serious and irreparable) to artistic and cultural heritage, among these, the most well-known are woodworms. Institutes of Conservations are particularly vulnerable to that, due to the large number of “appetizing” objects, therefore it is often needed to carry out recovery treatment that could be potentially harmful. The VELOXY® makes it possible to completely eliminate the parasites with 100% efficiency, safely and without any damage to artworks and people. 

After about twenty years it was devised, the VELOXY® is still the only nitrogen generator designed for disinfections of Cultural Heritage. Other generators on the market are designed and manufactured for applications in the food industry and are used for LC/MS analysis in laboratories.

 

HOW THE VELOXY^® WAS DEVISED

The VELOXY® technology was developed from 1994 to 1996 by RGI bioSteryl Tech in order to prevent biological damages in conservation institutes of Cultural Heritage through the anoxic nitro-based disinfestations in modified atmospheres method.

Since the end of ‘90s RGI has made available, for the first time in the world, an ecological alternative to insecticide gases: the method of anoxia, which consists to eliminate the parasites simply by keeping every pieces of art in oxygen-free environments for some weeks. The VELOXY® System and its related operational protocols are the results of a project research coordinated by RGI. Moreover it is the only method that was scientifically certified in laboratory.

 

HOW IT WORKS

The atmospheric air is made of a mixture of gases: nitrogen (70.08%), oxygen (20.95%), argon (0.93%) and others ones which are present in trace. The Oxygen is the only one which allows the survival of parasites; by reducing its presence up to negligible values (anoxia), it is possible to obtain lethal conditions for all the parasitic organisms, at each stage of their life cycle: egg, larva, chrysalis, adult.

The VELOXY® System, through its innovative technologies, is able to obtain pure nitrogen from the air, which will be sent to a gastight enclosure – assembled with a special multilayer plastic film – where is collocated the treated artwork that will remain in an oxygen-free environment.

 

HOW IT WORKS

The atmospheric air is made of a mixture of gases: nitrogen (70.08%), oxygen (20.95%), argon (0.93%) and others ones which are present in trace. The Oxygen is the only one which allows the survival of parasites; by reducing its presence up to negligible values (anoxia), it is possible to obtain lethal conditions for all the parasitic organisms, at each stage of their life cycle: egg, larva, chrysalis, adult.

The VELOXY® System, through its innovative technologies, is able to obtain pure nitrogen from the air, which will be sent to a gastight enclosure – assembled with a special multilayer plastic film – where is collocated the treated artwork that will remain in an oxygen-free environment.

The enclosures that contain the treated art work will be assembled and adapted from time to time to any kind of artwork and situation. The plastic film, provided by RGI, is the result of many years of research and ensures high-quality performances, also improved by continuous field tests.

RGI also offers gas-barrier gastight tents, equipped with a special hinge that, once closed, makes them impermeable to oxygen. The tent can be easily assembled and disassembled, so it can be thought as a fixed anoxic room, reusable many times and always ready for use. A typical size is 3x2x2 meters, but it can be adapted to customers’ requirements.

 

WHY VELOXY® SHOULD BE CHOSEN

The VELOXY® method is now an absolute landmark for anoxic disinfestations/disinfections in the field of Cultural Heritage, therefore it is well-known and appreciated globally for its peculiar and still not imitate characteristics:

·         devised, designed, manufactured and specialised for Cultural Heritage

·         the only machine who allows disinfecting even the nitrogen flow

·         easy and simple to use

·         easy to carry

·         inexpensive

 

As mentioned, the VELOXY® is still the only nitrogen generator designed and manufactured for disinfections of Cultural Heritage. Other generators on the market are designed and manufactured for applications in the food industry and are used for LC/MS analysis in laboratories.

For what good reason a Cultural Heritage Operator should ever use a generator designed and manufactured for applications in Food Industry or in LC/MS Laboratories?

The VELOXY® is supplied fully-equipped and ready to use. Each delivered Veloxy is provided with all the tools and supplies needed to carry out a large number of disinfestations: oxygen analyser, valves, tubes, application valves kit, gastight plastic film, heat sealer.

The VELOXY® can be easily and rapidly installed everywhere.

Apart from being the most reliable machine and providing customers with high performances, it also has a fundamental characteristic: it is very lightweight (from 18.5 to 24 kg, depending on the model and its optionals) and very small (its dimensions are 30x40x120 cm).

The VELOXY® is very robust and reliable, its ordinary maintenance is cheap and it has to be serviced after long time intervals.

The VELOXY® has been certified by four scientific laboratories in Europe (SAVE ART Project).

The VELOXY® allows adjusting the relative humidity of the nitrogen flow (15% - 60%, +/-1%).

 

RESEARCH PROJECTS

The efficacy of the VELOXY® System has been certified, with reference to insects, through the SAVE ART research project (1998-2000), that was financed by the European Community, in order to promote a harmless technology for people, the environment and artworks but, at the same time, totally effective against parasites, simple to use and inexpensive.

Four Ministerial laboratories (located in Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and Sweden) collaborated in the SAVE ART Project (1998-2000), studying the machine’s and method’s effectiveness and developing the protocols in order to make the VELOXY® operational and feasible on an industrial scale.

The SAVE ART Team was composed by:

·         The Central Science Laboratory located in London, United Kingdom.

·         The Naturhistorika Riksmuseet located in Stockholm, Sweden.

·         The Investigationes Biològicas Centre located in Madrid, Spain.

·         RGI bioSteryl Tech which was the project coordinator.

The SAVE ART project has allowed creating the operational protocols for applying concretely the anoxia method; these protocols have been integrally used by all the operators who have needed to use this method.

It can be said that the VELOXY® stands out not only in the past, for being the pioneer of  the anoxic method applied to Cultural Heritage, but even in the present for its effectiveness and cheapness: these qualities make it the uncontested leader in the field. Moreover, the constant specific improvements and updates contribute to make it an unrivalled and a state-of-the-art system

VELOXY® offers several Optional Accessories: Gas-tight Chambers of various sizes; RH Control Device to control the relative humidity of generated nitrogen; Sterilizer Device for sterilization of the flow of generated nitrogen; Work to improve the efficiency of the service times; Sensors and Data Logger of Temperature and Relative Humidity; Sensors and Data Logger of Oxygen percentage; Free Software for the management and monitoring of service parameters.

 

Please contact us via email or phone, it will be a pleasure to provide further information, details and useful documents.

 

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