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This thesis builds around the idea of a biofuel production process that is comprised of biomass production, biomass gasification, gas cleaning, and fuel production. In this work, we specifically looked into H2S removal as a part of cleaning the producer gas and flocculation of microalgae which is involved in the harvesting of microalgae after biomass production. One of the impurities to remove from the producer gas is hydrogen sulfide which can be removed by using a packed bed of zinc oxide. Despite the regular use, it was only recently shown that during reaction with H2S, nano-size particles of ZnO exhibit void formation and outward growth. In this work, a micro-scale model was introduced to describe the void formation and outward growth. On the macro-scale, the simulations captured pore clogging of pellets due to the outward growth. The pore clogging prevents the full conversion of pellets and consequently leads to shorter breakthrough times of beds. The second problem investigated here deals with the flocculation of microalgae. Microalgae is produced in relatively low concentrations in the incubator liquid medium and during the harvesting, the concentration is increased to an acceptable level. The harvesting process includes a flocculation followed by a filtration or centrifuge unit. During flocculation, microalgae are stimulated to aggregate and form clusters. The experiments showed that the mean size of clusters formed during flocculation increases with time to a maximum and then starts decreasing, resulting in an overshoot in the mean size profile. The size of clusters influence the efficiency of the afterward filtration or centrifuge, thus it is of interest to carefully track the size evolution of clusters, making the studying of overshoot a crucial research topic. In this work, the possible mechanisms behind this overshoot were investigated. / <p>QC 20170330</p>

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The unconventional improvements in the power electronics field have been the primary reason for massive deployment of renewable energy sources in the electrical power grid over the past several decades. This needed trend, together with the increasing penetration of micro-, and nano- grids, is bringing significant improvements in system controllability, performance, and energy availability, but is fundamentally changing the nature of electronically-interfaced sources and loads, altering their conventionally mild aggregate dynamics, and inflicting low- and high- frequency dynamic interactions that never before existed at this magnitude. This problem is not restricted only to the grid; modern electronic power distribution systems built for airplanes, ships, electric vehicles, data-centers, and homes, comprise dozens, even hundreds of power electronics converters, produced by different manufacturers, who provide very limited details on converters' dynamic behavior - distinctiveness that has the highest impact on how two converters, or converter and a system interact. Consequently, substantial dispersion of power electronics into the future grid will significantly depend on engineers' capability to understand how to model and dynamically control power flow and subsystem interactions. It is therefore essential to continue developing innovative methods that allow easier system-level modeling, continuous monitoring of dynamic interactions, and advanced control concepts of power electronics converters and systems. The dissertation will start with a "black box" approach to modeling of three-phase power electronics converters, introducing a method to remove source and load dynamics from in-situ measured terminated frequency responses. It will be then shown how converter, itself, can perform an online stability assessment knowing its own unterminated dynamics, and being able to measure all terminal immittances. The dissertation will further advance into an approach to control power electronics converters based on the electro-mechanical duality with synchronous machines, and end with selected examples of system-level operation, where small-signal instability in multi-source power systems can be mitigated using this concept. / Ph. D. / The modern technological advancements and ever-increasing needs for a sustainable future silently demand a serious revision of the conventional practice in electricity production, distribution, and utilization. These technologies are already challenging the limits of the biggest and most complex system ever built by humankind - the electrical grid. One practical solution to this problem is much higher dispersion of electronic power conversion systems capable of decoupling dynamics between system sources, distribution, and loads, while improving system controllability, reliability, and efficiency. Such a trend is already happening, and there has been an increased immersion of power electronics converters in electric cars, ships, airplanes, and the grid, in an effort to replace their traditional thermal, mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems. The goals have been to reduce the size, weight, and operational costs while increasing efficiency and reliability. In all these applications, a majority of energy sources and loads are interfaced to the power system through power electronics converters ranging in power from few watts to hundreds of megawatts. However, massive dispersion of power electronics into the future grid will significantly depend on engineers’ capability to understand how to model and dynamically control power flow and subsystem interactions. It is important to continue researching innovative methods that allow easier system-level modeling, continuous monitoring of interactions, and advanced control concepts of power electronics converters and systems. This dissertation hence addresses modeling of power electronics converters using their behavioral models, and shows how these models can assist the stability assessment of the system converters operate in. Additionally, dissertation presents an alternative way to control power electronics converters to behave as synchronous machines, and how this concept can be used to mitigate some stability problems.

How do we design for a local community while respecting heritage and touching their hearts? We know through our minds and we understand through our hearts. Consciousness touches minds and experience touches hearts. Since phenomenology is the study of both consciousness and experience, this phenomenological architectural thesis is designed to touch both minds and hearts. Instead of replacement, we need embracement in order to root one's social identity. Only then we will elevate cultural heritage in any context, for example African. This thesis includes a case study of light followed by a 'pataphysical design proposal for Tapestry: a new library at Mzuzu University in Malawi. The library proposal is introduced through poems and visual information in the following sets: metaphysical, physical, 'pataphysical. Through the inquiry in haiku writing style, this poetry collection evaluates corners, windows, light, intensity, form. Not only we propose an exciting and unique library design, but we also discover that dignity is the key to unlocking the spirit of light in any project, regardless of its form. / Master of Architecture

中國於2000年首次明確提出企業「走出去」戰略，鼓勵並支持具比較優勢之國有與民營企業投資海外市場，使中國企業得以藉由對外直接投資活動，以國家機器作為後盾進入全球主要經濟市場，不僅可影響外國企業之經營運作、提升技術、掌握通路、獲取所需資源等，亦能有效結合經濟與政治實力，逐步豐厚中國之綜合國力，期能達到提升國際地位與成為世界大國之目標。 中國雖引進市場經濟體制，惟政治體制仍屬社會主義制度，由共產黨決定政府運作與經濟制度，國家機器對市場之干預程度遠較資本主義國家既深且廣；本論文為進一步瞭解中國的國家機器如何主導企業對外直接投資之運作、發展狀況及其影響力，係以國際政治經濟學之國家資本主義作為研究途徑，分析中國國家機器在其對外直接投資活動的作用及影響力，並以英國學者John Dunning的投資發展階段論，將中國對外直接投資之成效置於全球脈絡中進行比較分析，俾能歸納發現中國對外直接投資模式的特色。 經比較分析中國整體及企業個案之對外直接投資發展狀況與影響力，可以發現，中國對外直接投資能力逐漸增強，已具經濟自主能力，刻正由邊陲國家逐漸邁向核心國家。整體而論，中國對外直接投資發展模式與世界主要國家確有所差異：相同之處在於，中國與各國之對外直接投資活動均與國內經濟結構具高度正相關，亦即經濟發展到達一定水準後，才會出現頻密的對外直接投資活動及成果；相異之處在於，各國之民營企業已具國際競爭力並在對外直接投資活動扮演重要角色，惟中國的國有企業較民營企業更具對外直接投資之優勢與能力，投資動機主要係依據國家政策及經濟發展需要，而中國的民營企業則因規模較小，國際競爭力仍有待提升，目前在全球市場尚未形成可觀的影響力。 / For the very first time in 2000, China proposed a clear strategy to have corporations ‘going out,’ encouraging and supporting competent state-owned and private enterprises to invest overseas market. With the backup of the state, this policy enables Chinese corporations to get into the global economic market by means of outward foreign direct investment. In this way, they can affect the operation and management of foreign enterprises so as to advance their own technologies, control channels, and to acquire necessary resources. Moreover, they may combine economic power with political strength effectively, enhancing the comprehensive national power of China gradually so that China may increase its international status to become a superpower in the world. Though market economy is introduced in China, its political system, socialism, remains the same. The Communist government makes the decision concerning its operation and the economic system. In other words, the intervention of the state in the market is furtherer and wider than that of capitalist countries. In order to understand how the state controls enterprises in terms of the operation of outward foreign direct investment, its development, and the influence, the study adopts state capitalism of international political economy as the approach to analyze the function and influence of the state government on outward foreign direct investment. Moreover, the study is aimed at concluding the characteristics of Chinese pattern of outward foreign direct investment by adopting the British economist, John Dunning’s, the theory of investment－development cycle to compare and analyze the outcome of Chinese outward foreign direct investment in the scope of the whole world. After comparing and analyzing how the china overall and enterprises case about development and influence of outward foreign direct investment, it is discovered that China’s ability of outward foreign direct investment is increasing. China has the ability of economic autonomy and is transforming from a country of periphery to a core country. Overall, the development pattern of China’s outward foreign direct investment is indeed different from other major countries. The similarity lies in that there is a significantly positive relationship between the outward foreign direct investment of China and other countries and their domestic economic structure. That is to say, when the development of economy has reached a certain level, frequent outward foreign direct investment and its effects will then appear. On the other hand, the difference lies in that private enterprises in other countries are internationally competent and play an important role in outward foreign direct investment. However, in China, state-owned enterprises have more advantages and capabilities than private enterprises in terms of outward foreign direct investment. The motivation of investment is determined by national policy and the demands of economic development. Moreover, due to the scale being small, private enterprises in China need to improve their international competitiveness. Therefore, they don’t exert as much influence in the global market.

This thesis aims to increase understanding of New Zealand consumer reactions to messages promoting genetically modified food products (GMFs) and to determine how the manipulation of three persuasion variables, message sidedness, source credibility and inward vs. outward focus impact upon consumer attitudes. To achieve this aim, the study integrated two frameworks, Bredahl's, (2001) determinants of attitudes towards GMFs and Wansink and Kim's, (2001) strategies for educating consumers about GMFs, into a new model. To empirically examine the model, a web-based experiment using a 2x2x2 between-subjects factorial design was conducted. The experiment exposed participants to one of eight treatment groups containing a promotional message for Genetically Modified foods. The participants then completed an on-line questionnaire detailing their responses to the messages. A total of 380 useable questionnaires were collected from a national sample of consumers and analysed using ANCOVA. The results of the study suggest that the outwardly focused, two-sided message was more powerful at lowering perceptions of risks, raising perceptions of benefits and positively influencing attitudes toward the ad than either the one-sided, outwardly focused message, or the inwardly focused messages of either sidedness condition. For purchase intentions individual differences appeared to be of greater influence than message factors.

The neural code from the inner ear to the brain is dynamically controlled by central nervous efferent feedback to the audio-vestibular epithelium. Although such efference provides the basis for a cognitive control of our hearing and balance, we know surprisingly little about this feedback system. This project has investigated the applicability of a transgenic mouse model, expressing a fluorescent protein under the choline-acetyltransferase (ChAT) promoter, for targeting the cholinergic audio-vestibular efferent neurons in the brainstem. It was found that the mouse model is useful for targeting the vestibular efferents, which are fluorescent, but not the auditory efferents, which are not highlighted. This model enables, for the first time, physiological studies of the vestibular efferent neurons and their synaptic inputs. We next assessed the expression of the potassium channel family Kv4, known to generate transient potassium currents upon depolarization. Such potassium currents are found in auditory efferent neurons, but it is not known whether Kv4 subunits are expressed in these neurons. Moreover, it is not known if Kv4 is present and has a function in the vestibular efferent neurons. Double labelling with anti-ChAT and anti-Kv4.2 or Kv4.3 demonstrates that the Kv4.3 subunits are abundantly expressed in audio-vestibular efferents, thus indicating that this subunit is a large contributor to the excitability and firing properties of the auditory efferent neurons, and most probably also for the vestibular efferent neurons. In addition, we also unexpectedly found a strong expression of Kv4.3 in principal cells of the superior olive, the neurons which are important for sound localization.

Les origines de la zone Franc remontent à l’époque coloniale. Imposée à sa création par la France, cette zone monétaire, au contraire des autres zones historiquement comparables comme la zone sterling, survivra à la période de décolonisation. Dans son évolution, la zone Franc va même, par la suite, se muer en une zone monétaire acceptée par les pays africains membres devenus entretemps indépendants. Sa configuration géographique connaîtra aussi des changements dus aux retraits et aux adhésions qu’elle a suscités au fil du temps. Aujourd’hui, deux caractéristiques majeures au moins semblent marquer la zone Franc : tout d’abord sa longévité ensuite une fixité absolue du taux de change (depuis plus d’un demi siècle, les francs CFA ont été dévalués une seule fois !).L’objectif de la présente thèse est d’examiner si cette pérennité relative que connaît la zone Franc actuelle s’explique par l’une au moins des théories connues des zones monétaires optimales. Dans l’ensemble, il ressort au terme de ce travail qu’au-delà des effets controversés liés aux mécanismes de fonctionnement de la zone Franc, que celle-ci n’est pas une zone monétaire optimale au vu des critères appliqués. Cependant, elle peut sinon le devenir, du moins s’en rapprocher si les économies africaines membres s’engagent dans la voie des réformes structurelles et monétaires qui s’imposent dans une perspective de développement endogène. / The origin of the Franc zone goes back to the colonial period. Imposed by FRANCE at its creation, this monetary area has survived into its post colonial period unlike say, the sterling zone. In its evolution, the Franc zone has even become an accepted monetary zone to its African members who in the meantime had become independent. Its geographical configuration has also undergone changes resulting from withdrawals and applications for membership into it as time went on. Today, two major characteristics have apparently marked the Franc zone : at first, its durability followed by the absolute fixidity of its exchange rates (CFA franc was devalued only once for over half a century !). The objective of the present theses is to examine whether this relative perennity can be explained by at least one of the theories known in optimal monetary areas. Taken as a whole, it would appear at the end of this work that beyond the controversial effects related to the working mechanisms of the Franc area in view of the criteria applied. That is not to say it can not become one because the probability exists that it can approach it if the economies of African member countries undergo structural and monetary reforms which are a must within the perspective of an endogenous development.