Commercial and Industrial businesses around the country will be celebrating today as it’s National Diesel Engine Day. The holiday started as a way to commemorate inventor Rudolph Diesel, the man who made one of the most important technological advancements in history — the diesel engine.

What is a Diesel Engine?

Diesel engines are kind of like gasoline engines. The difference is that in a gas engine, an electrical spark ignites the fuel, and in a diesel, it’s the hot air. Diesel engines can run on many kinds of fuel, like petroleum-based fuels (such as diesel), vegetable oils, natural gas and even wood. Diesel engines are used in cars, trucks, buses, and other vehicles. They are also used in generators, boats and other marine applications.

Diesel the engine. Diesel the man.

The diesel engine was created by a refrigerator engineer whom name was Rudolf Diesel. Rudolf Diesel was born in Paris, France on March 18, 1858. He studied engineering at the Munich Polytechnic Institute and later studied thermodynamics at the company in which he was employed.Diesel had an interest in engine design and wanted to help businesses that didn’t have the same resources as big industry giants. He was granted a patent for his invention in 1893, from then on he made improvements to the engine until his death in 1913. Now the diesel engine is a vital part of everyday life and National Diesel Day is a way to celebrate the contributions the diesel engine has made to industries around the world.

The diesel engine has proved to be one of the most reliable sources of power that we have in our present time. Its ability to reliably power nearly everything from big rigs, to buses, to entire oil platforms at sea, is almost impossible to ignore. Right now, there are more than 5 billion diesel engines in use. Contribution aside, it provides a source of electricity for people all over the world. It is indeed deserving of a day dedicated for its honor.