Diesel engines are self-igniting internal combustion engines that efficiently convert diesel fuel into mechanical energy. They are characterised by high torque output and long-term durability.
The main applications include industrial diesel engines for generators, pump drives and heavy machinery, marine diesel engines for ship propulsion (marine diesel), locomotive diesel engines for rail vehicles, vehicle diesel engines for lorries, construction machinery and agricultural machinery, as well as stationary diesel engines for emergency power and combined heat and power (CHP) systems.
Leading manufacturers include Caterpillar, Cummins, MTU (Rolls-Royce Power Systems), Deutz, Perkins, Volvo Penta, Yanmar, Kubota, MAN, Mercedes-Benz and Wärtsilä (large engines).
Diesel engines are used in generators and emergency power systems, in construction and agricultural machinery, in lorries and buses, in rail vehicles, in ships of all sizes, in mining and forestry, and in stationary applications such as well pumps or mobile power units.