CHATTANOOGA ENGINEERS CLUB http://www.utc.edu/~engrcs/cec/cec.htm Volume LI March 6, 2000 12:00 noon Number 9 The Cellar at Union Square THIS WEEK__________________________________________________________________ The installation and modification of computer networks have always been hampered by the difficulty of stringing network cables throughout an office complex. Building structures often pose severe limitations on where such cabling can be installed and how expensive it is to do so. Recent developments in "wireless" communications may provide a practical alternative to "wiring". BreezeCom, a manufacturer of wireless communications equipment, will provide us with an overview of this technology. Engineer, Chris Vainrib, will be our speaker. He will describe the workings of a wireless networks works, present the the best and worst locations to implement a wireless network, address signal interference and security concerns, and provide us with cost comparisons between the wired and wireless options. At the CTIA Wireless show this week, the spotlight will be on the tools that give mobile employees wireless access to corporate data. http://www.pcweek.com/a/pcwt0002281/2449381/ LAST WEEK___________________________________________________________________ Bradley Davis and Georgia Caruthers, graduating seniors of UTC School of Engineering and Computer Science presented their Senior Design Project. The project is sponsored by DuPont. The project requires that the team identifies and evaluates processes for recycling or disposing of the ash generated by DuPont's coal-fired boilers. The team will make recommendations to DuPont at the end of April as to what option is the best, applying engineering analyses to justify their selection. Dupont has five coal-fire boilers that generate 6000 tons of ash. Currently the ashes are deposited in a landfill behind DuPont production plant. The landfill is near its limit. The project is to come up with an economical and environmental solution. Students have interviewed companies with ash disposal experience, such as TVA, and researched on the required permits and regulation with the disposal of ash. Students found various uses for ash, such as concrete, cement, agricultural, road-base, compost, landfill, and mine backfill. With the denser property of ash, it would seem that ash can serve as a good backfill at construction sites, but the team was not able to find a company willing to try a new material. The design team devised a matrix to evaluate the alternatives, 35% weight was given to cost, 40% to reliability, 10% to quantity, and 15% to the use or reuse. Cost would include disposal, transportation, permits, and DuPont wage. Reliability would take into account scheduling, length of contract, responsibility of DuPont and the vendor, credential of the vendor, and safety. The quantity category assesses how many vendors may be required to receive the 6000 tons of ash. At this point, the students may propose to select a vendor that is willing to enter a five-year contract to dispose all the ash. The current winning bid includes all permit cost. It was suggested to work with TVA who has a larger amount of ash disposal, but DuPont's ash has a very high carbon content. There were suggestions on reducing the carbon content, but it would involve additional cost to for such process. Not all bids have been submitted, so no final recommendation has been reached. COMING PROGRAMS___________________________________________________ March 6 - Patrick Leary, BreezeCOM Wireless March 13 -Anda Ray, Interim Director of the TVA Public Power Institute (PPI). March 27 - Brian Taylor and Rebecca Williams, UTC Senior Design, Roadtec Project. --- Chattanooga Technology Council Mailing List | A free service provided by To unsubscribe, e-mail: ctc-unsubscribe@cdc.net | CDC Internet, Inc. For additional commands, e-mail: ctc-help@cdc.net | http://www.cdc.net "