Westinghouse Atom Smasher
Building in Forest Hills, Pennsylvania / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Westinghouse Atom Smasher was a 5 million volt Van de Graaff electrostatic nuclear accelerator operated by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation at their Research Laboratories in Forest Hills, Pennsylvania.[1] It was instrumental in the development in practical applications of nuclear science for energy production.[2][3][4] In particular, it was used in 1940 to discover the photofission of uranium and thorium,[5][6] and was most cited for certain nuclear physics measurements.[7] The Westinghouse Atom Smasher was able to make precise measurements of nuclear reactions for research in nuclear power.[8] It was the first industrial Van de Graaff generator in the world,[9] and marked the beginning of nuclear research for civilian applications.[10][11] Built in 1937, it was a 65-foot-tall (20 m) pear-shaped tower.[9][12] It went dormant in 1958.[12] In 1985, it was named an Electrical Engineering Milestone by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.[6]
Westinghouse Atom Smasher | |
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General information | |
Address | F Avenue & West |
Town or city | Forest Hills, Pennsylvania |
Coordinates | 40.4108661°N 79.8430295°W / 40.4108661; -79.8430295 |
Opened | 1937 |
Closed | 1958 |
Demolished | January 20, 2015 |
Designated | August 28, 2010 |