12-01-2011, 12:22 PM
STS Project
Mr. Schuetz AM1 Physics
About the Inventor
In 1894, German inventor Rudolph Diesel developed the first single-cylinder diesel engine.
He signed a multi-million dollar deal with Adolphus Busch, head of brewery empire, to manufacture the diesel engine.
However, he lost his fortune, and in 1913, mysteriously was found dead after going overboard a boat. Suicide was one speculation, but also assassination by Kaiser Wilhelm’s agents, fearing that Diesel, with WW I looming, would sell the engine to England
The Combustion Cycle
The four-stroke combustion cycle of the diesel engine is composed of the intake stroke, compression stroke, power stroke, and the exhaust stroke.
The diesel engine operates through the motion of compression pistons in inside the cylinders of the engine.
Pistons inside the cylinders are connected by rods to a crankshaft. As the pistons move up and down in their cylinders, they cause the crankshaft to rotate.
The crankshaft’s rotational force is carried by a transmission to a drive shaft, which turns axles, causing the wheels to rotate.
Advantages of a Diesel Engine
Low maintenance, greater efficiency, high power output, and better fuel economy under all types of loads.
Does not require a spark plug to ignite fuel, it relies on the spontaneous combustion through the heat of compression to ignite the diesel fuel.
Because of this type of combustion, a diesel engine are built more ruggedly and heavily built than the gas engine.
The ruggedness of the diesel engine gives a two to three times longer life than the gas engine, which has a life of around 100,000 miles.
for more:
http://docs.googleviewer?a=v&q=cache:hxD...ID6R0taG2w
