RudolphDiesel was a German engineer who in 1892 created thediesel engine, a type of internal
combustion engine. He was born on the 18th of March, 1858 in Paris. Rudolph was born into a
poor family and was surrounded by poverty almost all of his life, making for a very unhappy
childhood.
Diesel started his education in Paris where he was an excellent student. He enjoyed art and spent
a lot of his time in the museum of arts and crafts. The outbreak ofthe Franco-Prussian War forced
him and his family to leave Paris and go to London. Rudolph was enrolled in a London school to
continue his education. He was most impressed by the British Museum and the South Kensington
Museum's exhibits of science and engineering.
Rudolph's aunt, Betty Barnickel, heard of their family's misfortune and offered to take in Rudolph
into their home in Augsburg in Rotterdam. Betty Barnickle was married to Cristoph Barnickel, he
was a professor at the Augsburg's Royal District Trade School and they lived in a modest, warm
home. After studying three years in Augsburg, Rudolph decided to become an engineer.
When the war ended, Diesel moved back to Paris with his family. But shortly later moving back
to Paris, Rudolph's sister died and a decision was made for him to move back to live with his aunt
and uncle in Augsburg. In 1883, Rudolph was enrolled in the mechanical engineering program,
and he excelled in it, graduating as the youngest student with the highest marks ever. He was
awarded a scholarship to Munchen Polytechnic in Germany. After several years of living in
Munich, Diesel was granted German citizenship.
In January 1880, Rudolph joined the Sulzer Engine Works in Winterthur, Switzerland to begin his
apprenticeship building refrigeration and steam engines. Rudolph began to think there must have
been a better way to use the energy from the fuel that the most efficient steam plant used. At the
time, 90% ofthe fuel was wasted. He built up many thoughts and ideas about laws of heat and
energy.
Diesel was sent back to Paris to oversee the building of a refrigeration plant. In 1881 he had his
first patent on a refrigeration machine and started to work on it by 1883 it worked. He invented
the refrigeration system now used in many electrical refrigerators. Also in 1883, Rudolph married
Martha Flasche. Rudolph and Martha gave birth to three children in total.
Because of economic troubles, Diesel had to settle for a new job in Berlin. So Rudolph and his
family moved to Germany in 1890. There he met an old school friend, who gave Rudolph
motivation to start designing and working on his diesel engine. In February, 1893 Diesel gets
patent for a design based on "The theory and construction of a rational heat engine to replace
steam engine and contemporary combustion engine". He seeks the help of Carl Buz, who had
helped him build his refrigeration machine some years back. After some alterations to Diesel's
ideas, Buz agreed to build a prototype. He also sought support from major machine
manufacturers.
Contracts with these companies guaranteed Dieselthe production of a test engine and an
appropriate salary. He started up his own business and dedicated himself entirely to the
realisation of his engine. A test engine was completed on July, 1893 in Augsburg. This was the
first model built and it ran under its own power with 26% efficiency, remarkably more than double
the efficiency ofthe steam engines of his day. Finally, in February of 1897, he ran the "first diesel
engine suitable for practical use", which operated at an amazing efficiency of 75%.
Diesel demonstrated his engine at the Exhibition Fair in Paris, France in 1898. This engine was
fueled by peanut oil, which was what Diesel has in mind. He thought that the utilisation of a
biomass fuel was the real future of his engine. He hoped that it would provide a way for the
smaller industries, farmers, and "common folk" a means of competing with the large industries,
which controlled all energy production at that time. He also wanted theengine to serve as an
alternative for the inefficient fuel consumption ofthe steam engine.
In order to manage the explosive growth oftheDiesel engine. Rudolph establishes a company to
manage the licensing. It is called the General Diesel Corporation, and is founded on September
17, 1898.
After many years of unsuccessful attempts to get theengine on the road for everyone to use,
Diesel had been widely criticised. Diesel was badly troubled by the criticisms. And in 1913 he
vanished from a boat to England. His body was found ten days later. It was clear that he had
committed suicide.
After Diesel's death, the injection pump and the precondition for a commercial vehicle diesel
engine was created. It allowed a metered fuel supply and the heavy auxiliaries became
unnecessary. In the years 1923 to 24 the first diesel-driven lorries were built, and in 1936 series
production ofthe first car with a dieselengine began. Thediesel remains the thermal engine that
works most economically. Today, diesel engines power lorries, buses, tractors, heavy trucks,
construction and agricultural equipment, some cars and most commercially operated boats. Other
major fields of application are railways and power stations, in which generators are driven by
diesel engines.
. Rudolph Diesel was a German engineer who in 1892 created the diesel engine, a type of internal
combustion engine. He was born on the 18th of March,. fuel consumption of the steam engine.
In order to manage the explosive growth of the Diesel engine. Rudolph establishes a company to
manage the licensing.