Heating system evaluation of an ancient turkish bath : the bath of suleymaniye hospital

Abstract

This research aims at evaluating the original heating system of the 16th century historic bath (hamam) section of Suleymaniye Hospital (Darüşşifa), a part of Süleymaniye Mosque Complex in Istanbul, in terms of its original heating system elements, their locations inside the building, suitability, and approximate dimensions and materials.Two types of heating system have been assessed within the context of the study. First, hypocaust underfloor heating provided by means of the circulation of hot smoke produced by the combustion of solid-fuel at the furnace of the bath and circulated under the floors of heated rooms of it has been evaluated. Second, wall heating provided by means of the circulation of this hot smoke inside the vertical chimneys called as tüteklik located inside the walls of the bath has been assessed. The research included the reconstitution of original heating system elements such as detection of original and possible locations of brick foots and smoke canals in hypocaust section, of vertical tüteklik chimneys inside the walls and their roof extensions, of furnace inside the building and included the distribution of heating system elements at the caldarium, halvet and tepidarium sections of the bath. Heated volumes of these spaces (V-m3), number of vertical tüteklik pipes (Tp-n) and ventilation holes (Vh-n) inside the walls of the rooms, thickness of the walls (Tw -m), volume of hot smoke circulated in hypocaust section (Vs –m3), and effective heated floor surface (Af-m2) were the main parameters of heating system elements determined in those spaces. Also, possible thermal performance analysis methods heating system elements of the bath of Suleymaniye Hospital have been investigated. The research developed in this study were considered useful for the evaluation heating system for the similar historical baths.