The locomotive steam engine has dominated large scale industries, but there was need of more efficient and smaller diesel engine to run small scale industries. By the end of 19th century, steam engine reached maturity phase, it was fully functioning but too expensive to run and repair. It was being used in the commercial vehicles.
The engineers and inventors were working to bring alternative solution for small scale industries and travelling needs. All these things combined together and made a foundation for the development combustion engine.
It was based on fundamental principal of combustion, fuel burnt inside the cylinder and as a result of combustion gases were produced and these gases provided the energy for the movement of the piston. It is important to highlight that the first combustion engine used gasses.
However, the liquid fuels replaced the gasses later. The power and efficiency of combustion engine were gradually improved and finally it became universal machine and acceptable source of motive power.
The combustion engine were used for multiple purposes, it was used to run electricity generators, industrial and commercial machines etc.
The various versions of the combustion engine were developed, the two stroke and the four stroke versions.
In 1860 the first usable gas engine was developed by E. Lenoir
In 1876 a new technique and principle was introduced by N.A. Otto, he developed four-stroke principle.
In 1883 the first power motor for vehicles was introduced by W. Maybach and G.Daimler,
In 1897 the first functioning diesel engine was developed by R. Diesel.
And it gained worldwide popularity by the name of diesel engine after the name of Rudolf Diesel. Basically he made significant changes in regards with the compression ignition and internal combustion. And it resulted efficient diesel engine.
