To clarify, as i understood later, it works similar to Van de Graaff generator, simultaneously adding and removing charge from opposite plates of a Leyden jar (cap).

As I understand it a static generator, like a van de graaff, operates by moving and depositing charge and functions as a current source. I’m not too familiar with a wimshurst, but I have a small van de graaff, and I know that the charge is able to build up because of the domed top. If you apply charge to the inside of a cup or sphere, it moves to the outside, so you can continue to add charges of lower potential as the outside develops a high potential.

It works simply by electrostatic induction creating small voltages that charge the caps. Now this is a tricky part.

Indeed, adding charge to the center of a conductor allows to build up surface charge to any level cause the source does not "see" the built up charge.

And it does not have to be a dome

I long accepted this as solution for Wimshurst, but was lately skeptical cause Leyden jar is afterall a classical capacitor, not a VDG dome.

And we all know we can never charge a cap to 10V with 1V source.

But apparently this is bypassed in Wimshurst, exactly how no one explained clearly.

Anyway, a current source has a near infinite internal resistance, unlike batteries or transformer windings, so the voltage increases to a value necessary to push current across a resistance. Theoretically a van de graaff could be used for free energy if it generated a high enough current because no matter the load resistance, as long as it’s lower than the internal resistance, the voltage would continue to increase to match ohms law - IXR=E. For example, if a 120V bulb had a resistance of 120ohms, it would require 1A to light up. If you had a current source of 1A, you could power thousands of bulbs in series. What people don’t realize is that with a current source power increases to match the load. The problem is making a static machine that generates a decent current.

Max voltage obtainable by VDG is limited by volume of the sphere and insulation properties of surrounding medium, usually 450kV for 30cm sphere, but much more is achievable in closed ones.

Here is a good video about it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaeITv9Ytko

Sadly author ignored my question below if adding external capacitance adds to max voltage, he clearly has no idea if it does.

As for the latter part of your post, i completely disagree, you are misinterpreting things. It is possible to extract energy from subtler energy forms ala Don Smith, but not just with electrostatic field, you need a dynamic component.

Hey Nix, I doubt I can clear it up, but I can speculate. The action of charge "induction" may be the reason for the potential. I don't know much about induction, but I know it's different than conduction. e.g. my vdg has a built in light bulb by the lower brush to decrease humidity, because conductive atmosphere would kill the effect.

I'm guessing induction is related to the surface area of the plate, the potential charge of the plate, and it's distance to the pointed electrode. The electric field of the plate converges on the point of the electrode.

Hard to surmise, but in my simple mind it means the area of the plate reduces to the electrode, so the charge must have an equal increase in potential. Or, the area of the plate produces a combined action on the ions of the air causing the potential of a few ions to equal that of the charged plate. Humidity must form a return path to short out the plate which causes a drop in potential.

But what I said about infinite power, that's related to an ideal current source.
From wiki,

The voltage across an ideal current source is completely determined by the circuit it is connected to. When connected to a short circuit, there is zero voltage and thus zero power delivered. When connected to a load resistance, the voltage across the source approaches infinity as the load resistance approaches infinity (an open circuit).

So for Ohm's
1A x 10 Ohm = 10V = 10W
1A x 100 Ohm = 100V = 100W

It's just an ideal current source is completely backwards to the way that we use power. Everything would have to be wired in series and designed for the current output of the source.