Abstract: A method of operating an electrostatic fluid accelerating device includes applying a voltage to a plurality of corona electrodes and a plurality of complementary electrodes so as to generate a corona discharge to thereby propel an intervening fluid in a desired fluid flow direction. A direction of the fluid in a region adjacent a protuberant portion of each of said complementary electrodes is altered to create a turbulent fluid flow in the regions adjacent said protuberant portion. The fluid flow is propelled away from repelling electrodes and toward the complementary electrodes, each of the repelling electrodes having a substantially planar portion and at least one protuberant portion extending outwardly in a lateral direction substantially perpendicular to the desired fluid-flow direction.

Abstract: An electrostatic fluid acceleration and method of operation thereof includes at least two synchronously powered stages with final or rear-most electrodes of one stage maintained at substantially the same instantaneous voltage as the immediately adjacent initial or forward-most electrodes of a next stage in an airflow direction. A single power supply or synchronized and phase controlled power supplies provide high voltage power to each of the stages such that both the phase and amplitude of the electric power applied to the corresponding electrodes are aligned in time. The frequency and phase control allows neighboring stages to be closely spaced at a distance of from 1 to 2 times an inter-electrode distance within a stage, and, in any case, minimizing or avoiding production of a back corona current from a corona discharge electrode of one stage to an electrode of a neighboring stage.

Abstract: An electrostatic fluid accelerator includes an electrode array including an array of corona discharge electrodes and an array of accelerating electrodes. A detector is configured to sense a constituent component of the fluid as present in an output from the electrode array. A control circuit supplies power to the electrode array, the control circuit being responsive to an output from the detector for operating the electrode array responsive a level of the constituent component.

Abstract: A spark management device includes a high voltage power source and a detector configured to monitor a parameter of an electric current provided to a load device. In response to the parameter, a pre-spark condition is identified. A switching circuit is responsive to identification of the pre-spark condition for controlling the electric current provided to the load device so as to manage sparking including, but not limited to, reducing, eliminating, regulating, timing, and/or controlling any intensity of arcs generated.

Abstract: An electrostatic air cleaning device includes an array of electrodes. The electrodes include corona electrodes connected to a suitable source of high voltage so as to generate a corona discharge. Laterally displaced collecting electrodes include one or more bulges that have aerodynamic frontal “upwind” surfaces and airflow disrupting tailing edges downwind that create quite zones for the collection of particulates removed from the air. The bulges may be formed as rounded leading edges on the collecting electrodes and/or as ramped surfaces located, for example, along a midsection of the electrodes. Repelling electrodes positioned between pairs of the collecting electrodes may include similar bulges such as cylindrical or semicylindrical leading and/or trailing edges.