I have a feeling this might stir things up a bit, but my old University lecturer used to say that Rudolf Diesel didn't build the first 'Diesel type' engine.
Can anyone spread more light on this, or was he wrong?
Depends on what you mean by 'Diesel type'. If you mean an engine that ignites the fuel air mixture by compression heating alone, his first independent successful design was finished in 1897.
However, Akroyd-Stuart had been using indirect injection, with hot bulb vapourisation, since 1891. These engines ran on compression ignition when warm (or more accurately the vaporiser stayed warm enough).
Cheers
Greg Locock
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