In 1893, Rudolph Diesel invented the diesel engine with internal combustion, unlike the gasoline engine uses the spark-driven combustion structure. In the past 100-plus years, these 2 technologies have been developed a lot. Light-weight, spark-driven engines dominate the personal transportation, personal marine, early aviation fields etc. However, heavier diesel engines have been the engines-of-choice for larger vehicles, such as trucks, locomotives, ships & submarines. But, in the past 25 years, lighter-weight diesels have become more competitive in the field of car manufacturing. So 50% of all new automobiles are diesel-powered now in Europe.
Diesel engines use heat created from compression to ignite their fuel instead of the sparks that ignite the air-fuel mixtures in conventional gasoline-powered internal combustion engines. But, pound-for-pound, are they really better than gas engines? Many engineers would say “yes.” We will easily find the answers from technological angle. Gasoline engines burn mostly gasoline, and diesel engines burn mostly air. Cylinders in a gasoline engine fill with a mixture of gasoline and air, which ignites with a spark from a spark plug. In a diesel engine, cylinders compress air until it becomes very hot; fuel injectors then add a little bit of fuel, which ignites and drives the engine. Thus, diesel engines use considerably less fuel than gasoline engines, anywhere from 15 to 40 percent less.
8 reasons why diesel engines are better than gasoline engines are listed here for your kind reference.
1). Diesels are more efficient. Most of gasoline engines convert about 30% of their fuel energy into actual power. A traditional diesel converts about 45%, and more advanced diesels can hit about 50%. Diesel fuel is priced moderately higher than gasoline but diesel has a higher energy density, i.e. more energy can be extracted from diesel as compared with the same volume of gasoline. Therefore, diesel engines in automobiles provide higher mileage, making it an obvious choice for heavy-duty transportation and equipment. Diesel is heavier and oilier compared with gasoline, and has a boiling point higher than that of water. And diesel engines are attracting greater attention due to higher efficiency and cost effectiveness.
2). Diesels are more reliable because they needn’t high-voltage ignition systems, never fail for lack of a spark. Diesel engines also don’t emit radio frequency emissions that can interfere with a vehicle’s other electronic systems.
3). Diesels run cooler and become more efficient because the less waste heat is to be released while in operation.
4). Diesels last longer. Diesel engine parts are generally stronger than gas engine components, and diesel fuel has superior lubricating properties. As a result, diesel engines tend to last twice compared with gas-powered ones. A good diesel engine should work around 400,000-500,000 miles without any major interventions if they are not abused very much.
5). Diesel fuel is safer. Diesel fuel doesn’t release fumes like gasoline does. It’s more difficult to burn and won’t explode like its lighter counterpart.
6). Diesels are more easily turbo-charged. Put under sufficient pressure, gasoline engines will spontaneously detonate. By contrast, the amount of super- or turbo-charging pressures diesel engines can endure are limited only by the strength of the engines themselves.
7). Diesels produce minimal carbon monoxide. This makes diesel generator sets useful in mines and submarines, environments in which gasoline engine exhaust would prove deadly.
8). Diesel engines can easily accept synthetic fuels. Non-petroleum-based biofuels will run easily in diesel engines, whereas gas engines need to be significantly modified to accept such alternative fuels.
