Steel news of the week - Americas
New technology for scaring fish and throwing underwater discos
Scientists think they may have found a way to keep fish from clogging up water intake pipes at steel mills, paper mills, and power plants.
At the Tennessee Valley Authority power plant, aquatic biologists are testing a newly patented bioengineering technology - underwater strobe lights - to scare fish away from the pipes used to draw water into the plant.
The newly patented bioengineering technology will create a virtual wall of light at the intake valves to deter fish from entering the pipes, thus increasing efficiency and helping power, steel, and paper plants meet new Environmental Protection Agency standards, which require the number of fish killed in water intakes to be drastically reduced by early 2008.
"It's going to help out the industry tremendously if it works," said Dennis Baxter, a Tennessee Valley Authority aquatic biologist.
And plus, think of all the little fishy lives that will be spared.
Recycling really does pay off
Pennsylvania has become what its Governor Edward G. Rendell described yesterday as a "national leader in recycling" by recycling more than 1 million tons of steel cans, appliances and similar materials in 2004, the latest year for which statistics are available.
The state's recycling and reuse industry includes over 3'200 establishments, with employment, payroll and sales numbers totaling more than any other state in the Northeast U.S.
Altogether, these industries saved almost 1.3 million net tons of
iron ore, 718'460 net tons of coal and 61'582 net tons of limestone.
Build cheaper or build smaller
According to those in the
construction industry, prices for building materials are still on the rise.
Darin Miller, owner of Darin Miller
Construction, a company that builds homes and commercial buildings, said that in the past few months, prices for building materials have increased by as much as 30 percent, nationwide. Hurricane Katrina had a lot to do with this, he said.
Still on the rise but subject to constant price fluctuation are materials like petroleum-based products such as asphalt singles and aluminum siding,
Another interesting fact is that many builders are now using wood instead of steel because the price of wood has remained steady, unlike the ever-fluctuating price of steel.
But according to Mr. Miller, there is only one surefire way to save money on housing costs: "Build smaller."
You can make just about anything out of steel ...
Want to add some desert flair to your yard, but live somewhere with a temperate climate?
For $900 a pop, artist Eric Carroll can make you a life-size saguaro cactus made entirely of cold rolled steel!
These ultra-durable and surprisingly life-like lawn ornaments are individually made and come in four finishes:
galvanized, patina rust, verdigris, and what the artist calls the "modernist mirror" finish.
Mr. Carroll has a background in sculpture and
fabrication. His cacti, which he sells through his business, Steel Cacti Co., are available for purchase at: http://www.unicahome.com.