Harry Ricardo

Harry Ricardo
Born	Harry Ralph Ricardo (1885-01-26)26 January 1885 London, England
Died	18 May 1974(1974-05-18) (aged 89)
Nationality	British
Education	Rugby School Trinity College, Cambridge
Occupation	Engineer
Spouse	Beatrice Bertha Hale ​ ​ (m. 1911)​
Children	3 daughters
Parents	Halsey Ralph Ricardo (father) Catherine Jane Rendel (mother)
Relatives	Alexander Meadows Rendel (grandfather)
Engineering career
Institutions	Institution of Mechanical Engineers Royal Aircraft Establishment
Projects	Mk V tank engine Citroen Rosalie diesel engine Turbulent Head gasoline combustion system Comet diesel combustion system Rolls-Royce Crecy Rolls-Royce Merlin
Significant advance	Diesel and Spark Ignition combustion systems Aero engines
Awards	Knight Batchelor Fellow of the Royal Society[1]

Sir Harry Ralph Ricardo (26 January 1885 – 18 May 1974) was an English engineer who was one of the foremost engine designers and researchers in the early years of the development of the internal combustion engine.

Among his many other works, he improved the engines that were used in the first tanks, oversaw the research into the physics of internal combustion that led to the use of octane ratings, was instrumental in development of the sleeve valve engine design, and invented the Diesel "Comet" Swirl chamber that made high-speed diesel engines economically feasible.