Rudolf Diesel is known as the pioneering inventor of the diesel engine. Before the invention of the powerful yet efficient diesel engine, engines the world over ran off of petrol and were not nearly as efficient as the diesel engine would be.
Rudolf Diesel was born in Paris, France in 1858 to a German family. He was the second of three children and, from an early age, showed signs of an exceptional mechanical aptitude. Instead of attending school like most young boys, he preferred to spend as much time as possible tinkering in his parents’ workshop. This mechanical aptitude would soon prove to be tremendously beneficial as Diesel went on to create one of the most influential and iconic engines ever invented.
Diesel moved with his family to London in 1881 and applied to the Central School of Arts and Manufactures there. It was here that he discovered thermodynamics and the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which would form the basis of his eventual invention. After receiving his diploma in 1883, Diesel set up a workshop in Paris and dedicated his time to perfecting his invention. He also studied modern machinery and worked on a number of other projects. In 1895 he received a patent for his invention, a prototype of a new type of engine which he named the “moteur-Diesel” (diesel engine).
Diesel’s invention was revolutionary. It was a much more powerful and efficient engine which ran on a different fuel - vegetable oil - which was much cheaper and more fuel efficient than petrol. This invention changed the face of engines and propelled industry into the 20th century. Diesel’s invention was revolutionary in that it made the world run more efficiently. Everywhere from factories to ships and trains to cars, diesel engines became the go-to power source.
The popularization of diesel engines would lead to other inventions, such as the turbocharger which increased engine efficiency to even higher levels. Diesel’s invention has fueled the world for over a century now and his legacy lives on today in the form of millions of diesel engines powering a wide variety of machines around the world.
Although Rudolf Diesel passed away in 1913, his invention is still used today and is just as important as ever. The diesel engine has become an integral part of the global energy mix, and its importance cannot be understated. Diesel’s invention revolutionized the world of transportation, industry and energy production, and his name will live on as long as diesel engines remain in use. He was a true innovator and pioneer, and his remarkable invention will be remembered for generations to come.
