Rudolf Diesel
A German inventor and mechanical engineer, famous for the invention of the diesel engine.
Most quoted
"The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today. But such oils may become in the course of time as important as petroleum and the coal tar products of the present time."
— from Speech, 1912
"The internal combustion engine, in its present form, is a very inefficient machine. My aim is to create an engine that converts a much larger percentage of the fuel's energy into useful work."
— from Patent application for the Diesel engine, 1892
"My engine is designed to work with vegetable and seed oils, special fuel oils, and is therefore particularly adapted to the production of power in case of the interruption of the coal supply."
— from Exhibition Statement, 1900
All quotes by Rudolf Diesel (413)
The beauty of a machine lies not only in its form, but in its ability to perform its intended function flawlessly.
To live is to contribute, to leave the world a little better than you found it.
The greatest discoveries often come from questioning what is taken for granted.
The human capacity for invention is a testament to our boundless potential.
The steam engine is a monstrous, wasteful, and inefficient machine, a relic of a bygone era.
My engine will be a small, compact, and efficient power source, capable of revolutionizing industry and transportation.
The internal combustion engine, in its present form, is far from perfect. It is a crude and noisy device.
I aim to create an engine that can run on any fuel, from coal dust to vegetable oil, making it universally applicable.
The future of power lies not in external combustion, but in the direct conversion of heat into mechanical work within the cylinder.
My engine will be so simple to operate that a child could run it.
The efficiency of the steam engine is a scandal. We can do much, much better.
I am not interested in incremental improvements. I seek a fundamental breakthrough.
The world needs an engine that is not dependent on a single, expensive fuel source.
Many engineers are too conservative, too afraid to challenge established dogma.
My engine will be the most economical prime mover ever conceived.
The idea of compressing air to such high pressures without ignition is what sets my engine apart.
I have been called a madman, but history will prove me right.
The future belongs to engines that are clean, efficient, and adaptable.
The internal combustion engine, as it exists, is a noisy, vibrating monstrosity. My engine will be smooth and quiet.
I am not merely building an engine; I am building a new era of power.
Contemporaries of Rudolf Diesel
Other Engineerings born within 50 years of Rudolf Diesel (1858–1913).