outdoors, or in sewers.
US Army gasoline-engined tanks during
World War II
were nicknamed
Ronsons
, because of
their greater likelihood of catching fire when damaged by enemy fire. (Although tank fires
were usually caused by detonation of the ammunition rather than fuel).
Maintenance hazards
Fuel injection introduces potential hazards in engine maintenance due to the high fuel
pressures used. Residual pressure can remain in the fuel lines long after an injection-
equipped engine has been shut down. This residual pressure must be relieved, and if it is
done so by external bleed-off, the fuel must be safely contained. If a high-pressure diesel fuel
injector is removed from its seat and operated in open air, there is a risk to the operator of
injury by
hypodermic jet-injection
, even with only 100
psi
pressure. The first known such
injury occurred in 1937 during a diesel engine maintenance operation.
Cancer
Diesel exhaust
has been classified as an
IARC Group 1 carcinogen
. It is a cause of
lung
cancer
and is associated with and increased risk for
bladder cancer
.
Diesel applications
The characteristics of diesel have different advantages for different applications.
Passenger cars
Diesel engines have long been popular in bigger cars and have been used in smaller cars such
as
superminis
like the
Peugeot 205
, in Europe since the 1980s. Diesel engines tend to be
more economical at regular driving speeds and are much better at city speeds. Their
reliability and life-span tend to be better (as detailed). Some 40% or more of all cars sold in
Europe are diesel-powered where they are considered a low CO
2
option.
Mercedes-Benz
in
conjunction with
Robert Bosch GmbH
produced diesel-powered passenger cars starting in
1936 and very large numbers are used all over the world (often as "Grande Taxis" in
the
Third World
).
Railroad rolling stock
Diesel engines have eclipsed
steam engines
as the prime mover on all non-electrified
railroads in the industrialized world. The first
diesel locomotives
appeared in the early 20th
century, and
diesel multiple units
soon after.
While
electric locomotives
have now replaced the
diesel locomotive
almost completely on
passenger traffic in Europe and Asia, diesel is still today very popular for cargo-
hauling
freight trains
and on tracks where electrification is not feasible.
Most modern diesel locomotives are actually
diesel-electric locomotives
: the diesel engine is
used to power an electric generator that in turn powers electric traction motors with no
mechanical connection between diesel engine and traction.
Other transport uses
Larger transport applications (
trucks
,
buses
, etc.) also benefit from the Diesel's reliability and
high torque output. Diesel displaced paraffin (or
tractor vaporising oil
, TVO) in most parts of
the world by the end of the 1950s with the U.S. following some 20 years later.
