Diesel engines

A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is also called a compression-ignition engine. This contrasts with engines using spark plug-ignition of the air-fuel mixture, such as a petrol engine or a gas engine. The diesel engine is named after its inventor, German engineer Rudolf Diesel.

Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 4.0. Updated May 24, 2026.