Diesel, << DEE zuhl, >> Rudolf (1858-1913), a German mechanical engineer, developed the first internal-combustion engine in which the fuel was ignited without a spark. In this type of machine, now known as the diesel engine, heat inside the cylinders ignites the fuel. Today, diesel engines power locomotives, large trucks, ships, and some automobiles. See Diesel engine .
Diesel was born in Paris of German parents. He studied in Munich under German chemist Carl von Linde, who invented the refrigeration system used in most electric refrigerators in today’s homes. Diesel patented his engine design in 1892 and operated the first successful model in 1897. Later, he founded a factory to make his engines. He eventually sold it because of financial problems. In 1913, he mysteriously disappeared from a German ship bound for London.
