Do you know why the familiar internal combustion engine is called the Diesel engine? The Diesel engine is a familiar name known the world over; but few know that is was Rudolf Diesel who invented it.

The inventor Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel was born in Paris, the second of three children of Theodor and Elise Diesel. His parents were German; their home city was Augsburg in southern Bavaria, where Rudolf spent most of his life.

When his parents moved to England, Rudolf went to live with relatives in Augsburg, where he attended the Industrial School and also the Royal Bavarian Polytechnik in Munich. While studying there he met the famous Professor Carl von Linde. In early 1880 he graduated with academic honours and returned to Paris to join the Linde Refrigeration Enterprises. He moved to their Berlin branch but eventually returned to Augsburg, where his search for an internal combustion engine lasted for more than 13 years.

Diesel's first operational prototype was developed with M.A.N (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg Nürnberg). It was a single-cylinder engine that made nearly 20 hp and weighed 10,000 pounds. It was first run on August 10, 1893.

Four years later, in 1897, a second engine was developed. This engine is considered to be the first fully functioning Diesel. It was also a single-cylinder, four-stroke engine that feature air injection and water cooling. It had a 9.84 inch bore and a short, 1.57 inch stroke.

Rudolf Diesel eventually became very wealthy. Diesel engines were used internationally for many purposes such as trucks, automobiles, shipping, oilfields, mines and many others.

Rudolf Diesel drowned in the English Channel after he fell overboard on a trip to England.

Note: Our own Car Man was born in Augsburg and spent his engineering training at M.A.N. who produces large Diesel engines.