Ameer Randolph
Rudolf Diesel invented the diesel engine and gave his name to the fuel it used. He was a German scientist and inventor who, in the 1890s, developed a compression-ignition engine that was more efficient than the steam engines of the time. Diesel's design didn't require spark plugs, instead using compression to ignite the fuel, and could run on a variety of fuels, including biodiesel and vegetable oils. The first diesel engines were large and slow, but by the 1920s and 30s, high-speed diesel engines were being used in commercial vehicles and passenger cars.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Inventor | Rudolf Diesel |
| Year invented | 1892 |
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Engine type | Compression-ignition engine |
| Fuel type | Liquid fuel |
| Testing fuels | Crude oil, petrol, kerosene, lamp oil, illuminating gas, coal-dust, vegetable oil |
| Commercial success | Early 1900s |
| Standardization | Post-WWII |
| Primary fuel source | Petroleum |
| Alternative fuel sources | Biomass, animal fat, biogas, natural gas, coal liquefaction |
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What You'll Learn
Rudolf Diesel's experiments with fuel
Rudolf Diesel was a German inventor and mechanical engineer who invented the diesel engine, which burns diesel fuel. He was born in Paris, France, in 1858 and began his career as a refrigerator engineer. Diesel worked on various heat engines, including a solar-powered air engine, for ten years. His ideas for an engine where the combustion would be carried out within the cylinder were published in 1893, a year after he applied for his first patent.
Diesel's design aimed for greater efficiency than was available with existing engines at the time. The diesel engine does not require an externally applied ignition to the mixture of air and fuel inside. Instead, the air inside the cylinder is compressed and heated so that the fuel, which is brought into contact with the air just before the end of the compression period, ignites on its own. This is known as compression ignition.
During his first diesel engine tests, Diesel used illuminating gas as fuel and managed to build functional designs, both with and without pilot injection. Diesel claimed that his engine would work with any kind of fuel in any state of matter. However, the first diesel engine prototype and the first functional diesel engine were designed only for liquid fuels.
Diesel first tested crude oil from Pechelbronn, but soon replaced it with petrol and kerosene, as crude oil proved too viscous. The main testing fuel for the diesel engine was kerosene (paraffin). Diesel experimented with types of lamp oil from various sources, as well as types of petrol and ligroin, all of which worked well as diesel engine fuels. He also tested coal tar creosote, paraffin oil, crude oil, gasoline, and fuel oil, which eventually worked as well.
Diesel's engine had a major impact during the Industrial Revolution, delivering power more efficiently and thus, more inexpensively, for a variety of industries worldwide. Its use did not require burning coal, so train transport and shipping companies were able to save a great deal of money. This was not beneficial to the coal industry, however, as it stood to lose a large portion of its business.
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The first diesel engine prototype
The history of diesel fuel is closely linked to the development of the diesel engine, which was invented by Rudolf Diesel in the 1890s. Diesel, a German inventor and mechanical engineer, set out to create a more efficient engine than the predominant steam engines of the time. He understood the theoretical and practical constraints on fuel efficiency and aimed to design an engine that utilised compression ignition instead of external ignition.
In the early stages of development, Diesel's engine design faced challenges. The first engine test conducted by the Sulzer Brothers of Switzerland in 1893 was unsuccessful. However, through persistent experimentation and improvements, Diesel's engine design eventually proved its potential. On February 17, 1897, a successful test demonstrated an impressive efficiency of 26.2%, significantly higher than the 10% efficiency of steam engines at the time.
The development of the first diesel engine prototype faced several obstacles, including the need for improvements in market viability and Diesel's own struggles with promoting his invention. Despite these challenges, Rudolf Diesel's pioneering work laid the foundation for the diesel engine and diesel fuel that would revolutionise transportation and power generation in the years to come.
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Diesel fuel sources
Diesel fuel, also called diesel oil or heavy oil, is any liquid fuel designed for use in a diesel engine. Diesel engines are a type of internal combustion engine in which fuel ignition occurs without a spark, as a result of the compression of inlet air and the injection of fuel.
The most common type of diesel fuel is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil. Diesel fuel is produced from various sources, with petroleum being the most common. Other sources include biomass, animal fat, biogas, natural gas, and coal liquefaction.
In the United States, diesel fuel is primarily refined from crude oil at petroleum refineries. The fractional distillation of crude oil occurs between 200 and 350 °C at atmospheric pressure, resulting in a mixture of carbon chains. This "straight-run" diesel is often insufficient in supply and quality, so other sources of diesel fuel are blended in. One major additional source is obtained by cracking heavier fractions using visbreaking and coking.
Before diesel fuel was standardised, diesel engines typically ran on cheap fuel oils. In the United States, these were distilled from petroleum, while in Europe, coal-tar creosote oil was used. Early diesel engines ran on a variety of fuels, including ammonia, whale oil, and peanut oil. Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine, was interested in using coal dust or vegetable oil as fuel, and his engine was run on peanut oil.
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Standardisation of diesel fuel
The standardisation of diesel fuel followed the invention of the diesel engine by Rudolf Diesel in the 1890s. The diesel engine was named after its inventor, a German scientist and engineer. Diesel's engine was a compression-ignition engine, which did not require spark plugs, unlike gas engines. The engine was designed to work with any kind of fuel, and during his initial tests, Diesel used illuminating gas, kerosene, and peanut oil as fuel.
The first diesel engine prototype and the first functional diesel engine were designed for liquid fuels. Diesel experimented with various types of lamp oil, petrol, ligroin, coal tar creosote, paraffin oil, crude oil, gasoline, and fuel oil, all of which worked well as diesel engine fuels.
In the years following the invention, diesel engines typically ran on cheap fuel oils. In the United States, these fuel oils were distilled from petroleum, while in Europe, they were derived from coal-tar creosote oil.
After World War II, diesel fuel was standardised internationally, following the DIN 51601, VTL 9140-001, and NATO F 54 standards. This standardisation led to an increase in the purity of diesel fuel, and the development of additives to improve performance.
Today, diesel fuel is produced from various sources, with petroleum being the most common. Other sources include biomass, animal fat, biogas, natural gas, and coal liquefaction. The production process involves the fractional distillation of crude oil at specific temperatures and pressures, resulting in a mixture of carbon chains. This fraction undergoes further processing to enhance its quality and characteristics.
In many countries, diesel fuel standards have been established, such as the EN 590 standard in the European Union. Ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) has become prevalent in the United Kingdom, mainland Europe, and North America, and, since 2006, the United States, due to its reduced environmental impact and health benefits.
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Diesel engine's ignition method
The diesel engine was invented by German engineer Rudolf Diesel in the 1890s. Diesel's design utilised compression ignition, as opposed to spark plugs used in gas engines. The engine was designed to be fuel-efficient, with the goal of achieving much higher efficiency ratios.
The diesel engine compresses air within the cylinder, heating it up. The fuel is then injected at the end of the compression stroke and ignited by the high temperature resulting from the compression. This ignition method eliminates the need for external ignition, such as lighting a fire, making the engine smaller and lighter than contemporary steam engines.
During his initial tests, Diesel used illuminating gas as fuel and built functional designs with and without pilot injection. He also considered using vegetable seed oil, which later contributed to the development of biodiesel. Diesel's engine was first successfully tested in 1897, featuring a 25 horsepower four-stroke, single vertical cylinder compression.
Diesel fuel is derived from various sources, most commonly petroleum, which is extracted from the ground and refined in oil refineries. The distillation process involves heating the oil and capturing the vapors, which condense into different types of fuel. Other sources of diesel fuel include biomass, animal fat, biogas, natural gas, and coal liquefaction.
The flexibility of the diesel engine in terms of fuel sources is a significant advantage, and it has been adapted to run on biodiesel and vegetable oil, in addition to petroleum-based fuels.
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Frequently asked questions
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or biodiesel, is a liquid fuel designed for diesel engines.
German scientist and inventor Rudolf Diesel invented diesel fuel for his compression-ignition engine in the 1890s.
Diesel fuel is derived from the refinement of crude oil. Other sources include biomass, animal fat, biogas, natural gas, and coal liquefaction.
Diesel fuel is ignited by the high temperature resulting from the compression of air within the cylinder. This ignition activates the engine.
Diesel fuel is commonly used in motor vehicles such as freight and delivery trucks, trains, buses, boats, and farm, construction, and military vehicles. It is also used in diesel-engine generators to generate electricity.
