Theoretical analysis of the performance of an electrostatic streaming generator

A recent development in the construction of electrostatic generators has been to inject charge carriers into a moving liquid stream. A simplified analysis is presented in the paper which gives the distribution of the electrical parameters in the generator duct. Short-circuit calculations are compared with Stuetzer´s experimental results using kerosene as the working fluid. The comparison demonstrates the significance of the space-charge effect. The analytical model is then used to predict the load characteristics of Stuetzer´s geometrical configuration for realistic values of leakage resistance and breakdown strength. The optimum performance of this geometry is also discussed.