Engineering & Construction
Document Recovery Chamber: Inside Polygon’s Advanced Vacuum Freeze-Dry Process
Water-damaged documents can be fully restored through a sophisticated freezing and sublimation process that preserves even the most fragile materials
Key takeaways
Polygon uses a vacuum freeze-dry process for document recovery.
The process involves stabilizing materials in blast freezers and sublimating moisture in specialized chambers.
This technique ensures the preservation of paper-based items without damaging bindings.
Join Chris Chylack, District Manager at Polygon U.S., as he provides an insightful tour of their advanced vacuum freeze-dry process at the Allentown, Pennsylvania, Document Recovery Center. This state-of-the-art procedure begins by stabilizing water-damaged materials in blast freezers, preventing further degradation. The materials are then subjected to a sublimation process in a specialized chamber, transforming the frozen moisture directly into vapor. This method effectively dries various paper-based items, from office documents to historical artifacts, while maintaining integrity. Metal plates and controlled heat transfer stabilize materials during drying, ensuring preservation without damaging bindings. Precise monitoring via an HMI screen allows for meticulous control and quality checks, making this technique ideal for restoring delicate items.
This method effectively dries various paper-based items, from office documents to historical artifacts, while maintaining integrity.
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