Rudolf Diesel is widely credited as the inventor of the diesel engine, a revolutionary form of internal combustion engine that has been used in a variety of applications since its inception in the late 19th century. The first passenger car with a diesel engine was launched by Mercedes-Benz in 1936, and since then, diesel engines have become the main source of energy for the commercial road transport industry. But what is the history of the diesel engine, and how has it evolved over time?Before Rudolf Diesel became the father of the diesel engine, he worked for the Linde Ice Machine Company as a refrigerator engineer. In 1893, he published his work Theory and Construction of a Rational Heat Engine, which outlined his plans for an engine that ran on carbon dust.
This engine was later known as the diesel engine, and it was based on altering the amount of fuel that was injected to control the torque produced, rather than limiting the intake air. DIN 51601 diesel fuel was prone to waxing or gelling in cold climates; both are terms for the solidification of diesel in a partially crystalline state. To combat this issue, fuel-injected turbocharged diesel engines and low-emission diesel cars were developed in the 1960s. In addition, medium-speed diesel engines run on diesel or heavy fuel oil by direct injection in the same way as low-speed engines.
The world's largest diesel engines put into service are 14-cylinder, two-stroke marine diesel engines; they produce a maximum power of almost 100 MW each. While aviation has traditionally avoided diesel engines, aircraft diesel engines are becoming increasingly available in the 21st century. Although Rudolf Diesel was a German inventor and began developing the engine in Europe, diesel engineering is a huge source of American jobs. Critics said that Diesel never invented a new engine and that the invention of the diesel engine is a fraud; however, this has been disproven by modern historians. From its inception in 1893 to its current applications in commercial road transport and aviation, the history of the diesel engine is one of innovation and progress.
It has revolutionized transportation and continues to be an important source of energy for many industries.
