| CWM | VDG |
| Inventor | Heinrich Greinacher but named after John Douglas Cockcroft and Ernest Thomas Sinton Walton | Robert J. Van de Graaff |
| Year of invention | 1919 | 1929 |
| Original Use | Particle accelerators | Particle accelerators |
| Method of charging | Generates a high DC voltage from a low-voltage AC or pulsing DC input by using a cascade of diodes and capacitors | Uses a moving belt to accumulate electric charge on a hollow metal globe via two rollers of differing materials using the Triboelectric effect |
| Output Voltage | Roughly Dependant on AC input voltage to the multiplier times the number stages. Each stage is 2 capacitors and 2 diodes. | Dependant on the diameter of the sphere and distance from any earthed objects. |
| Output Current | Roughly Dependant on the input current to the multiplier times 1/ the number of multiplying stages. | Dependant on the speed of the motor and the width of the charging belt. |
| Advantages | High reliability, no moving parts, not susceptible to dirt or moisture | Simple construction, easily scalable. |
| Disadvantages | Large losses when scaling up for voltage, Complex, Electronics easily damaged by electrical discharges | Dirt & moisture affects operation. Unreliable without regular maintenance, Belt wears out over time. |
| More details | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockcroft%E2%80%93Walton_generator | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_de_Graaff_generator |
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