[8] It was the first industrial Van de Graaff generator in the world,[9] and marked the beginning of nuclear research for civilian applications.

Van de Graaff, an endless rubber or fabric belt carries electric charges from a roller at the base of the device and deposits them inside a hollow metal electrode at the top.

[18] In the Westinghouse machine, two high-speed belts traveled up a 47-foot shaft to a mushroom-shaped electrode near the top of the bulb-shaped enclosure, where electric charges were accumulated (see cutaway schematic).

The high electrostatic potential between the top and bottom of the tube then caused these subatomic particles to accelerate to extremely high velocities as they traveled down a 17-inch-diameter evacuated cylinder 40 feet in height, which was a sealed stack of many individual glass segments that collectively composed the largest vacuum tube in the world at the time of construction.

[20] The maximum voltage that a Van de Graaff generator can produce is limited by leakage of the charge off the upper electrode due to corona discharge and arcing.

Thus this instrument was installed inside a pear-shaped 65-foot tall, 30-foot diameter air tank which was pressurized during operation to 120 pounds per square inch.

[19] High pressure improved the insulating qualities of the air and reduced charge leakage, allowing the machine to achieve a voltage potential of 5 megavolts.

[21] Many of the contributors to the Westinghouse project moved onto find other jobs during this period of shut down, but stayed closely connected to the nuclear research that was happening during the time.

[21] E. U. Condon as well as some other atom smasher workers, were sent to work closely on the Manhattan Project to develop uranium isotope separation techniques.

[21] As the war ended, Westinghouse returned to its normal research activities, bringing back many workers and the refurbished atom smasher.

[22] During 2013, plans had been discussed of the Woodland Hills School District establishing a STEM educational facility with the atom smasher as the centerpiece, but the $4 to $5 million cost was prohibitive and the project never moved forward.