Major Steel Mill Research Articles

Spatial distribution of renal disease in the contaminated site of Taranto (Italy)

Introduction: Environmental exposure to heavy metals, in particular to cadmium, arsenic and lead, has been associated with kidney disease. The aim of the present study is to investigate the occurrence of kidney disease in the Italian contaminated site (CS) of Taranto, characterized by an industrial area with the presence of various plants including a major steel mill. Methods: This is an exploratory ecological study. The cases were all subjects residing in the CS with a first hospital discharge diagnosis (primary or secondary) of kidney diseases (ICD-9-CM codes 580-586) in the years 2006-2010. Kidney disease cases associated with other disorders were excluded. Hospital discharge rates for kidney disease were compared to those of the regional population using the Standardized Hospitalization Ratio (SHR). All the subjects’ residences at the time of diagnosis were then geocoded, and SHRs were computed separately for areas at high and low exposure as per available environmental monitoring data. Moreover, the study took into account historical exposure levels and modelling for current levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and cadmium. Results: SHRs for kidney disease of the CS, when compared to the regional population, showed a significant excess of 17% in males and of 8% in females. The excess was mainly explained by males (age group 60+). When focusing on the microgeographic study within the CS, the SHRs showed a significant excess of 28% in males (age group 20-59) and a non-significant excess of 25% in females (age group 20-59) residing at diagnosis in the areas at higher exposure. No correlation was found between residence and current spatial distribution of PM2.5 and cadmium. Conclusion: The excess of hospitalization for renal disease observed in the CS of Taranto does not affect children and adolescents, but rather mainly concerns adult males. This possibly suggest an occupational component, and correlates with historical patterns of atmospheric pollution.

Vitellogenin expression in wild cyprinid Petroleuciscus esfahani as a biomarker of endocrine disruption along the Zayandeh Roud River, Iran

Aquatic environments are the ultimate sink for most of anthropogenic pollutants. The Zayandeh Roud River is the most important river in the central Iranian Plateau, supplying water to a large population. In order to determine the potential occurrence and in vivo effects of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) with estrogenic or anti-androgenic properties we analyzed the wild populations of an extensively distributed endemic fish species, Petroleuciscus esfahani. For this purpose, specimens were caught from two sites upstream and two sites downstream of the expected major anthropogenic pollution sources. P. esfahani full-length cDNAs for vitellogenin (vtg), with 4177 base pairs (bp) encoding a 1339 amino acids (aa), and for β-actin (actb), with 1776 bp encoding a 375 aa, were amplified and cloned. Hepatic vtg mRNA expression levels were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Condition factor, gonadosomatic index and sex ratio were calculated and compared with vtg expression. Gonad histology was performed to study the possible presence of intersex condition. Detection of vtg transcripts in male individuals from the two downstream sampling sites supports the hypothesis of exposure to EDCs in these regions. Higher vtg expression in male individuals, together with reduced gonad size and condition factor, in specimens from the site located downstream of the major steel mill plant suggest a major endocrine disruption in this area.

Electrification of a Major Steel Mill Part 5: Scherbius and Kraemer Drives [History

This paper describes the electrification of the Bethlehem Steel plant, with emphasis on the various power systems of the mill.installment The final part of the series describes special adjustable-speed drives used for some rolling mills at Bethlehem.

Electrification of a major steel mill. Part III. introduction of 60-Hz power at Bethlehem works

The Bethlehem works of the Bethlehem Steel Company was one of the major integrated steel mills in North America and describes the introduction of 60-Hz power at the Bethlehem works. A frequency changer of the type installed for this purpose consists of two AC synchronous machines coupled together. This new frequency changer installation was a joint venture between the Bethlehem Steel Company and PP&L. Loop substation became the central power dispatching facility for the Bethlehem works.

Electrification of a major steel mill

This paper discusses the electrification of major steel mill. These mills were all to be electrically driven, and it was realized that the time had come to consider a serious expansion of the electric power system in the Bethlehem Works. Since the new mill drives were to use AC, and since it had been realized that the increasing size of the Bethlehem Works made power distribution using low-voltage DC more difficult, it was decided to begin the generation of AC instead. Alternators operating at 6,600 V were installed, and this voltage level was used for distribution as well. Transformers located in various buildings would then be used to lower this voltage to the level desired for actual use. A significant characteristic of ac power systems, of course, is the frequency in hertz, which is a function of the speed of rotation and of the number of poles in the alternators. However, a lower frequency of 25 Hz was still very much in use for situations where large, slow-speed rotating electrical machines, such as steam engine driven alternators for generation or large motors for heavy industrial uses, were involved.

Electrification of a major steel mill. Part I. early use of direct current power

This paper discusses the shift of Bethlehem Steel Company from steam to electrical power for its process machinery. Part I of this article covers the early use of direct current (DC). Subsequent parts will cover the development of the 25-Hz power system and the electrification of the rolling mill drives.

Finishing Line Scheduling in the steel industry

A new solution for large-scale scheduling in the steelmaking industry, called Finishing Line Scheduling (FLS), is described. FLS in a major steel mill is a task to create production campaigns (specific production runs) for steel coils on four continuous processes for a one-month horizon. Two process flows are involved in FLS, and the balancing of the two process flows requires resolving conflicts of due dates. There are also various constraints along the timeline for each process with respect to sequences of campaigns and coils. The two types of constraints—along process flows and timelines—make the FLS problem very complex. We have developed a high-performance solution for this problem as follows: Input coils are clustered by two clustering algorithms to reduce the complexity and size of the problem. Campaigns are created for each process from downstream to upstream processes, while propagating upward the process timings of the clusters. Timing inconsistencies along the process flows are then repaired by scheduling downward. Finally, coils are sequenced within each campaign. The FLS system enabled a steel mill to expand its scheduling horizon from a few days to one month, and to improve decision frequency from monthly to daily.

Recent studies of urban effects on precipitation in the United States

A review of recent research in the United States concerning urban effects on precipitation has revealed that relatively few studies have been performed. The lack of densely spaced precipitation stations with good historical records, inadequate instruments for airborne measurements of the mechanisms that affect precipitation systems, and the difficulties associated with separating orographic, maritime, and gage-exposure effects are the primary reasons for so little research. However, certain climatological studies of four variously sized cities in the midwest and two large cities in the east have shown apparent urban-produced increases ranging from 5 to 16% in annual precipitation and rain days, with 7 to 20% increases in summer thunderstorm days. Substantially greater increases in precipitation, thunderstorms, and hailfalls, 31 to 246%, have been shown in a recent study of an area downwind from a major steel mill complex. The available results show little evidence of urban effects on the occurrence of excessive rainfall rates or on the amount of snowfall, although little study of these conditions has been performed. The recent development of airborne nuclei measuring instruments has led to selected measurements of condensation and freezing nuclei over several urban areas. These furnish evidence that urban-induced nuclei concentrations are high and probably sufficient to produce the observed changes in precipitation, whereas other American studies have indirectly shown the importance of the urban thermal effects. The study of inadvertent precipitation increases from urban areas has particular significance for planned weather modification since the amounts of the inadvertent increases approximate those confirmed for planned experiments. The results of the urban studies may indicate the effectiveness of ground-based seeding, the possibility of successful increases in all seasons, the likelihood of thunderstorm and hailstorm increases with rainfall increases, and the need for dense raingage networks to adequately determine the area and amount of increase.