Diesel Engine

engines · compression · fuel · transportation

Heat from squeezing. Instead of using a spark plug like a regular car engine, a diesel engine compresses air inside a cylinder until it gets extremely hot. When diesel fuel is sprayed into this hot air, it automatically ignites without any spark needed.

Compression-ignition power. The heat generated by compressing air is so intense that it reaches the ignition temperature of diesel fuel. This clever design makes diesel engines very efficient and powerful, which is why they power big trucks and ships.

Named after Rudolf Diesel. A German engineer named Rudolf Diesel invented this type of engine in the 1890s. The engine was named after him because he figured out how to make this compression-ignition system work so well.

Stronger than spark plugs. Diesel engines are tougher and can run longer than engines that need spark plugs because compression-ignition is a more robust design. They use less fuel to do the same amount of work, making them super efficient.

Powers the world. Diesel engines are used in trucks, buses, trains, ships, and generators because they're reliable and fuel-efficient. They're one of the most common types of engines for heavy-duty work around the world.