Abstract: An example electrostatic machine includes a number of stator plates, each having a stator electrode and rotationally fixed to a housing, a shaft at least partially defined within the housing and configured to rotate about an axis, and a number of rotor plates, each having a rotor electrode and rotational fixed to the shaft. The electrostatic machine includes a dielectric fluid disposed in the housing, and that fills a gap between the stator plates and the rotor plates. The electrostatic machine includes a seal associated with the shaft, where the seal includes a material compatible with the dielectric fluid.

Abstract: An electrostatic machine including a rotor plate comprising a plurality of rotor electrodes, and rotatably fixed to a shaft; a stator plate comprising a plurality of stator electrodes; an excitation circuit electrically coupled to at least one of the rotor plate or the stator plate at a first end, and electrically couplable to exchange power at a second end with a selected one of an electrical power source or an electrical load; wherein the excitation circuit is configured to: in a first motoring mode, provide excitation power to at least one of the rotor plate or the stator plate, wherein the shaft provides positive torque to the load; and in a second generating mode, wherein the shaft receives negative torque from the load, operably couple at least one of the rotor plate or the stator plate to the electrical power source.

Abstract: An example electrostatic machine includes a number of stator plates, each having a stator electrode and rotationally fixed to a housing, a shaft at least partially defined within the housing and configured to rotate about an axis, and a number of rotor plates, each having a rotor electrode and rotational fixed to the shaft. The electrostatic machine includes a dielectric fluid disposed in the housing, and that fills a gap between the stator plates and the rotor plates. The electrostatic machine includes a seal associated with the shaft, where the seal includes a material compatible with the dielectric fluid.

Abstract: An electrostatic machine employs a high dielectric fluid comprised of a dielectric liquid with suspended dielectric particles. Electrorheological effects are minimized through small particle sizes and steric coatings on those particles limiting the minimum particle-to-particle distance. Low particle volume densities provide greater torque density with managed reduced viscosity.

Abstract: A generator/controller for electrostatic motors exploits properties of a delta-connected electrostatic motor to accommodate high common mode DC offset voltages thus permitting construction of an electrostatic drive circuit outputting unipolar sinusoidal power and having a substantial reduction in the complexity and size.

Abstract: An electrical rotating machine provides an integrated capacitive encoder for control of the stator field and enabling any of reduced size, reduced rotational inertia, and lower cost. The same structure may also support capacitive plates for capacitive power transfer to the rotor.

Abstract: An electrical rotating machine, such as a generator or motor, communicates power from a stationary location to the rotating rotor of the rotating machine via opposed pairs of capacitor plates, one plate of each pair rotating with the rotor and one plate of each pair fixed not to rotate. Larger plate gaps suitable for mechanically rigid plates are possible through high-voltage and high-frequency AC signals managed by using a dielectric support design for the capacitor plates minimizing dielectric loss and/or impedance matching on the rotor.

Abstract: An example system including an electrostatic machine including a rotor plate comprising a plurality of rotor electrodes, and rotatably fixed to a shaft configured to rotate about an axis; a stator plate comprising a plurality of stator electrodes, and rotatably fixed to a housing defining the rotor plate, the stator plate, and at least a portion of the shaft; an excitation circuit electrically; a controller, comprising: a rotor feedback circuit structured to interpret a voltage response value; a rotor position characterizing circuit structured to determine a voltage injection value; and a rotor position circuit structured to determine a calibrated rotor position value in response to the rotor position value; and wherein the excitation circuit is responsive to the voltage injection value to inject a voltage on at least one of the plurality of rotor electrodes or stator electrodes.

Abstract: A generator/controller for electrostatic motors exploits properties of a delta-connected electrostatic motor to accommodate high common mode DC offset voltages thus permitting construction of an electrostatic drive circuit outputting unipolar sinusoidal power and having a substantial reduction in the complexity and size.

Abstract: An example electrostatic machine including a rotor stack comprising a plurality of a rotor plates each including a plurality of rotor electrodes positioned on each side of the rotor plate; and at least one rotor via comprising an electrical connection between the plurality of rotor electrodes on a first side of the rotor plate and the plurality of rotor electrodes on a second side of the rotor plate; and a stator stack comprising a plurality of stator plates, each including a plurality of stator electrodes positioned on each side of the stator plate; and at least one stator via comprising an electrical connection between the plurality of stator electrodes on a first side of the stator plate and the plurality of stator electrodes on a second side of the stator plate.

Abstract: An example electrostatic machine includes a shaft configured to rotate about an axis; a rotor electrode and a stator electrode separated by a gap and forming a capacitor, wherein the rotor electrode is rotationally coupled to the shaft; wherein at least a portion of an exposed surface of the rotor electrode comprises a polished surface, and wherein at least a portion of an exposed surface of the stator electrode comprises a polished surface; a housing configured to enclose the rotor electrode, the stator electrode, and at least a portion of the shaft, wherein the stator electrode is rotationally coupled to the housing; and a dielectric fluid disposed between the rotor electrode and the stator electrode.

Abstract: An electrostatic machine including a rotor plate comprising a plurality of rotor electrodes, and rotatably fixed to a shaft; a stator plate comprising a plurality of stator electrodes; an excitation circuit electrically coupled to at least one of the rotor plate or the stator plate at a first end, and electrically couplable to exchange power at a second end with a selected one of an electrical power source or an electrical load; wherein the excitation circuit is configured to: in a first motoring mode, provide excitation power to at least one of the rotor plate or the stator plate, wherein the shaft provides positive torque to the load; and in a second generating mode, wherein the shaft receives negative torque from the load, operably couple at least one of the rotor plate or the stator plate to the electrical power source.

Abstract: An example electrostatic machine includes a rotor plate and an adjacent stator plate, where the rotor plate or the stator plate includes a coupled bearing. The other one of the rotor plate or the adjacent stator plate includes a race radially aligned with the coupled bearing. The coupled bearing has a width with a first contact point on the first one of the rotor plate or stator plate and a second contact point on the race on the other one of the rotor plate or stator plate, where the coupled bearing is sized to maintain a minimum separation distance between the rotor plate and the stator plate.

Abstract: An example electrostatic machine includes a number of stator plates, each having a stator electrode and rotationally fixed to a housing, a shaft at least partially defined within the housing and configured to rotate about an axis, and a number of rotor plates, each having a rotor electrode and rotational fixed to the shaft. The electrostatic machine includes a dielectric fluid disposed in the housing, and that fills a gap between the stator plates and the rotor plates. The electrostatic machine includes a seal associated with the shaft, where the seal includes a material compatible with the dielectric fluid.

Abstract: A variable speed drive for an electrostatic motor provides feedback control according to rotor position and/or rotor rotational rate deduced from back currents (back-MMF). Extraction of the back currents is performed by a modeling of the stator and the development of isolated stator voltages from plate voltage measurements.

Abstract: An electrostatic rotating electrical machine employs axially extending electrically conductive electrodes on a rotor interacting with a corresponding set of axially extending electrodes on a stator, where the electrodes are supported at an outer surface of a dielectric sleeve which continues beneath the electrodes to provide a robust support and to minimize electrode weight.

Abstract: An electrostatic machine employs a high dielectric fluid comprised of a dielectric liquid with suspended dielectric particles. Electrorheological effects are minimized through small particle sizes and steric coatings on those particles limiting the minimum particle-to-particle distance. Low particle volume densities provide greater torque density with managed reduced viscosity.

Abstract: A variable speed drive for an electrostatic motor provides feedback control according to rotor position and/or rotor rotational rate deduced from back currents (back-MMF). Extraction of the back currents is performed by a modeling of the stator and the development of isolated stator voltages from plate voltage measurements.

Abstract: An electrical rotating machine, such as a generator or motor, communicates power from a stationary location to the rotating rotor of the rotating machine via opposed pairs of capacitor plates, one plate of each pair rotating with the rotor and one plate of each pair fixed not to rotate. Larger plate gaps suitable for mechanically rigid plates are possible through high-voltage and high-frequency AC signals managed by using a dielectric support design for the capacitor plates minimizing dielectric loss and/or impedance matching on the rotor.

Abstract: A bus bar or similar high current conductor may be sheathed in a high relative permeability material formed in layers to both increase the inductance of that conductor and to provide a capacitance and resistance useful for forming a low pass filter to reduce the rise time of the voltage signals on the bus bar such as can be damaging to motor insulation and the like.