Back Dieselenjin AF محرك ديزل Arabic Dizel mühərriki AZ Дызельны рухавік BE Дызэльны рухавік BE-X-OLD Дизелов двигател Bulgarian Dizelski motor BS Motor dièsel Catalan بزوێنەری دیزڵ CKB Vznětový motor Czech

Diesel engine

For the locomotive, see Diesel locomotive. For the game engine, see Diesel (game engine).

Diesel engine built by Langen & Wolf under licence, 1898
1952 Shell Oil film showing the development of the diesel engine from 1877

The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is called a compression-ignition engine (CI engine). This contrasts with engines using spark plug-ignition of the air-fuel mixture, such as a petrol engine (gasoline engine) or a gas engine (using a gaseous fuel like natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas).