High-power electrostatic machines

A control circuit for an electrostatic machine, the control circuit comprising:

• a current source or sink;
• an inductor;
• a switching network coupled between the current source or sink and the electrostatic machine, and between the inductor and the electrostatic machine;
• and
• a controller configured to automatically cause the switching network to:
• connect the current source or sink to the electrostatic machine each half-cycle of a periodically alternating polarity of the electrostatic machine;
• at each polarity alternation of the electrostatic machine, isolate the electrostatic machine from the current source or sink for a first period of time;
• and
• at each polarity alternation, connect the inductor to the electrostatic machine for a second period of time while the electrostatic machine is isolated from the current source or sink, and then disconnect the inductor from the electrostatic machine.