A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine in which fuel is ignited by the heat of air that has been compressed inside the cylinder rather than by a spark, and is accordingly also known as a compression-ignition engine. It is named for its inventor, the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, who patented the design in 1893 while seeking a more efficient alternative to the steam engine and the existing petrol engine. Diesel's compression-ignition principle became the standard for heavy vehicles, ships and industrial machinery because of its greater fuel efficiency.
Facts
Patent or First-Use DateSourced to the subject's own account YearSourced to the subject's own account SignificanceSourced to the subject's own accountThe diesel engine converts fuel to mechanical work with the highest thermal efficiency of any practical combustion engine, which made it the standard powerplant for heavy transport, shipping and industrial machinery. 1 Connections
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Source Diesel Engine (Wikipedia)
Invented By
Patented the compression-ignition engine design in 1893.
Sources
1. Diesel Engine (Wikipedia)
WikipediaDevelopment timeline, 1893 patent entry, date clause
1893: February 23, Diesel obtains a patent (RP 67207)
Development timeline, 1893 patent entry, title clause
(Working Methods and Techniques for Internal Combustion Engines).
Operation section, thermal efficiency sentence
The diesel engine has the highest thermal efficiency (see engine efficiency) of any practical internal or external combustion engine due to its very high expansion ratio and inherent lean burn, which enables heat dissipation by excess air.
In Field: Mechanical Engineering, Categories
Diesel engines
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