Inventions
Diesel Engine
Mechanical Engineering
Citation Formats
General Reference
APA Style
BibTeX
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.
Cross-Tradition Connections
Invented By
Patented the compression-ignition engine design in 1893.
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.