Macroscale Electrostatic Rotating Machines and Drives: A Review and Multiplicative Gain Performance Strategy

The development of electrostatic rotating machines for macroscale power conversion has been largely sidestepped given the uncertainty of its capabilities and place in the technological hierarchy. This paper reviews prior and present work in macroscale electrostatic rotating machinery, identifies the relevant machine types, their limitations and strategies for performance improvement. The separately excited synchronous electrostatic machine presents the greatest opportunity for competitive macroscale category-two machinery and a strategy of multiplicative gains is established. The strategy spans machine modeling, optimization, gap media (gases, liquids, vacuum), gap maintenance, advanced manufacturing techniques and power electronic drives/control. Ultimately the product of innovation gains across all of these areas reveals that macro-scale electrostatic machinery is possible and potentially competitive with magnetic machinery for specific areas including position and hold, low speed direct drive and high voltage utility generation applications.