Since 1986, the State of Michigan has developed a policy of financial receivership for fiscally distressed local governments. This system entailed local democratic suspension, as the State government installed an Emergency Manager with complete power over the locality. Occupation primarily affected majority-black cities, was imposed without any real recourse, and lasted as long as State officials desired. A framework of indefinite temporary occupation in international politics highlights the structural ways in which Michigan’s subnational policy is juridically enabled, a symptom of structural financial and racial disinvestment, for the benefits of privileged elites, and contingent on national apathy. Additionally, the application of this lens delineates the systemic ways in which Emergency Management undermines local democracy even after the headlines proclaim its end.

In my dissertation, I was concentrated mostly on a pliability of problematic of wheel´s suspension. My thesis is mostly a detail design proposal of a device, which is determined for a measurement and record of wheels suspension system´s elastic deformation. My theoretical part of this thesis is a search of existing devices and its problematic. The other part of my dissertation is a description of individual parts of my designed device and also an analysis of designed components´ intension. My thesis includes calculation, for case of realisation. There is also a design of measuring chain, methods of results´ evaluation after measuring with this device and theoretical analysis of measurement´s inaccuracy.

This thesis is focused on design of parabolic spring for a truck. Characteristics of the spring are designed with respect to loads during heavy braking. Thesis contains a brief summary of current truck suspension, the spring design and suggestion for testing methodology for longitudinal load.

This thesis contains a design for two axle railcar suspension. Functionality of the design was verified using analytical and numerical calculations.

This diploma thesis is focused on Formula Student upright analysis using final element method. The main goal is to review an effect of different boundary conditions on stress and deformation. Nowadays, the topologic optimization is a commonly used tool for design process of the upright, to create the lightest and the most rigid design possible. Boundary conditions, which should approximate reality really well, are one of inputs to topological optimization.

The thesis deals with photocatalysis of organic pollutants on UV-activated anatase particles, on UV-activated anatase particles with hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen peroxide itself. The measurement is carried out on a pilot plant UV photoreactor. The aim of the thesis is to determine the effectiveness of azo dyes and antibiotics degradation. The level of azo dyes and antibiotics degradation is measured by UV-VIS spectrometry.

This study is focused on modifying an existing solenoid valve based semi-active hydropneumatic spring-damper system using Magneto-Rheological (MR) fluid. The MR fluid's effective viscosity can be altered by application of a magnetic field. Therefore, using a magnetic/ MR valve makes it possible to change the state of the system by simply changing the applied magnetic field. A prototype MR valve was developed to determine whether a unit small enough for installation was possible. This prototype valve was designed from first principles and properties such as pressure drop over the valve (damping) and flow blocking (for switching between spring characteristics) were measured. The measured pressure drop over the valve was higher than what was design for which was due to an incorrect assumption for the viscosity of the thixotropic MR Fluid. The flow blocking ability of the valve was determined by constant force tests. Results showed that the valve could virtually block the flow of fluid for approximately a quarter of the vehicles weight. With the second prototype, the valve design and magnetic circuit design were improved. Two valves were constructed and implemented on a prototype suspension system. The damping characteristics of the system were lower than expected, however they can be improved by changing the valve geometry. The base spring characteristics are acceptable, however the higher spring characteristics fail when a high force is exerted on the strut that exceeds the valves flow blocking capability. The response time of the valve is not yet sufficient to make the system viable for real world implementation, especially under extreme conditions that can change more rapidly than the current valves. / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2015. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / MEng / Unrestricted

Termiskt expanderbara mikrosfärer är ihåliga polymera partiklar i vilka en flyktig drivgas har kapslats in. När mikrosfärerna upphettas förgasas drivgasen, vilket ökar trycket i mikrosfärerna så att de expanderar och deras volym ökar avsevärt. Denna unika egenskap gör att expanderade mikrosfärer har en låg densitet och är lämpliga för applikationer där låg vikt är väsentligt, och för att förändra ytstrukturer, så som i till exempel konstläder och textiler. Syftet med denna studie har varit att utveckla ett stabilt system för suspensionspolymerisation för att ge en liten mikrosfär (~20 μm efter expansion) som expanderar vid relativt höga temperaturer. Detta har uppnåtts genom att undersöka effekterna av förändringar i stabiliseringssystemet. Komponenterna som varierades var mängden silika (LX), kondensationsoligomeren mellan adipinsyra och dietanolamin (KO), olika formuleringar och mängd av dilauryl peroxid, samt mängden m(III)nitrat. Ytterligare tester gjordes runt effekten av tvärbindning, tillsats av monomeren metyl metakrylat (MMA), samt tillsats av salt (NaCl). Ett stabilt system för polymerisation i 1L-skala med en homogen dispersion uppnåddes med en av dilauryl peroxide formuleringarna tillsammans med en större mängde LX och KO. Studien visar även att kvoten mellan LX och KO har en signifikant effekt på systemets stabilitet och att mängden av både LX och KO påverkar partikelstorleken. / Thermally expandable microspheres are hollow polymeric particles in which a blowing agent has been encapsulated. Upon heating the blowing agent will vaporize, causing the internal pressure to increase, thereby expanding the microspheres. This unique expandable property reduces the density of the microspheres tremendously and makes them excellent for many applications, as for example as light weight fillers and to alter surface textures, such as in artificial leather and textiles. The purpose of this study has been to develop a viable system for the suspension polymerization of a small microsphere (~20 μm when expanded) expanding at fairly high temperatures. This has been accomplished by investigating the effect of changes in the stabilization system. Components of the stabilization system that have been varied were the amounts of silica (LX), condensation oligomer from adipic acid and diethanol amine (KO), and m(III)nitrate, as well as different formulations and amounts of the initiator dilauryl peroxide. Additional tests were performed concerning the effect of the crosslinking, adding the monomer methyl methacrylate (MMA), and the addition of salt (NaCl). A system for polymerization in 1L-scale was accomplished where it was found that one of the dilauryl peroxide formulations together with a higher amount of LX and KO provided a stable system giving homogeneous dispersions in which the microspheres have the desired expansion properties. Also, the ratio between LX and KO had a significant effect on the stability of the system and the amount of both LX and KO affects the particle size.

The fiber suspensions in the production line from wood topaper are subjected to many types of chemical and mechanicalprocesses, in which the flow of the suspension is of vitalimportance. The flow of the suspension determines the degree ofuniformity of the fibers through the processing, which inreturn affects the properties of the fiber suspension. In orderto optimise the process, thorough knowledge of the suspensionflow is necessary, both on the level of suspension, fibernetworks and individual fibers. Knowledge of the fibersuspension behaviour combined with commercial CFD simulationprovides an efficient design method for any unit operation inthe papermaking process. This work concentrates on macroscopic modeling of thebehaviour of fiber suspensions from 0.5-5% dry content, purefiber suspensions without fillers or additives. Any mechanismscausing the characteristic behaviour of the pulp suspensionhave not been included, they are only included through theirinfluence on the suspension parameters. Excluded mechanismsare, for instance, the fiber-fiber coupling mechanisms that arethe reason for the formation of fiber networks and parts offiber network, flocs. By combining a rheology model for the bulk suspension, awall function that accounts for the slip layer and finallyintroducing turbulence, a model has been created that is ableto simulate the flow of most fiber suspensions. The flow of thesuspension is not constrained to any particular flowconditions; the models discussed in this work aim at describingthe behaviour of the suspension for all flow rates and flowtypes. The models are developed under simple flow conditions,where all variables can be controlled, but the models areintended for usage within the industry-based flows in real pulpand papermaking applications. Keywords:rheology, fiber, suspension, CFD, model, wall,slip, turbulence / <p>QCR 20161026</p>

Thermally expandable microspheres are spherical particles around 5-­‐40 µm in size, consisting of a polymeric shell in which a blowing agent has been encapsulated. The microspheres are expanded upon heating, resulting in a particularly low density. Microspheres are therefore suitable to use as light weight filler or as foaming agent. AkzoNobel is world leading in the production of expandable microspheres, which are commercialised under the name Expancel. Sustainability is a great focus at AkzoNobel and two issues that AkzoNobel works with today is to develop products free from chlorine and Me1. The aim with this thesis has been to investigate whether it is possible to produce microspheres free from these chemicals and to see if they can be a more sustainable alternative to one of the existing Expancel grades. In this study, the microspheres have been produced through free radical suspension polymerisation and analysed by measuring mainly the particle size and expansion properties. The polymeric shell was composed of the monomers acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, and methyl acrylate. The main focus has been to evaluate the silica-­‐based stabilisation system, which stabilise the monomer droplets during the suspension polymerisation. The stabilisation is possible due to the formation of silica flocs that is adsorbed on the surface of the droplets. It has been investigating how different parameters, e.g. amount of stabiliser or mixing procedure, affects the formation of silica flocs and the stabilisation of monomer droplets. For the silica-­‐based system, it was found that the mixing order, stirring rate, and amount of stabilisers affect the formation of flocs. It was also seen that the amount of stabiliser affect the stabilisation of droplets, and that some stabilisers is more significant than others. Microspheres without chlorine and Me1 have successfully been produced in laboratory scale (50 mL and 1 L). The expansion and size of the microspheres produced in this study was relatively similar to one of the existing Expancel grades. However, the reproducibility of polymerisations in 1 litre reactors has been poor. / Termiskt expanderbara mikrosfärer är sfäriska partiklar, ca 5-­‐40 µm i diameter, som består av ett polymerskal som innesluter en drivgas. Mikrosfärerna expanderar när de utsätts för värme och erhåller då en mycket låg densitet. De är därför lämpliga att använda som fyllmedel då låg vikt är önskvärt eller som skummedel. AkzoNobel är världsledande inom produktion av expanderbara mikrosfärer, som marknadsförs under namnet Expancel. Hållbar utveckling är en viktig fråga för AkzoNobel och två problem som de står inför idag är att utveckla produkter fria från klor och Me1. Målet med detta examensarbete har varit att undersöka om det är möjligt att framställa mikrosfärer fria från dessa kemikalier och om de framtagna mikrosfärerna skulle kunna vare ett hållbarare alternativ till en av de befintliga Expancel-­‐ produkterna. I den här studien har mikrosfärerna framställts genom suspensionspolymerisation som initierats av fria radikaler och de har analyserats främst genom att mäta partikelstorlek och expansionsegenskaper. Polymerskalet bestod av monomererna akrylnitril, metakrylnitril och metylakrylat. I det här arbetet har det viktigaste varit att utvärdera det silikabaserade stabiliseringssystemet som stabiliserar monomerdropparna vid polymerisationen. Stabiliseringen är möjlig eftersom silika bildar flockar som adsorberar på ytan av monomerdropparna. Olika parametrar, exempelvis mängd stabiliseringsmedel och satsningsförfarande, har därför varierats för att undersöka vilken effekt det får på flockningen av silika och stabiliseringen av monomerdroppar. Satsningsordning och omrörningshastiget för stabiliseringssystemet samt mängd stabiliseringsmedel är några av de faktorer som påverkar bildningen av flockar. Det konstaterades även att mängd stabiliseringsmedel påverkar stabiliseringen utav monomerdropparna. Fulländade mikrosfärer utan klor och Me1 har framställts i laboratorieskala (50 mL och 1 L) och partikelstorleken samt expansionsegenskaper är jämförbara med en av Expancels nuvarande produkter. Dock har reproducerbarheten i 1 litersskala varit otillfredsställande.