Harry Ricardo

Harry Ricardo
Born
Harry Ralph Ricardo

(1885-01-26)26 January 1885
Died18 May 1974(1974-05-18) (aged 89)
NationalityBritish
EducationRugby School
Trinity College, Cambridge
OccupationEngineer
Spouse
Beatrice Bertha Hale
(m. 1911)
Children3 daughters
Parents
RelativesAlexander Meadows Rendel (grandfather)
Engineering career
InstitutionsInstitution of Mechanical Engineers Royal Aircraft Establishment
ProjectsMk V tank engine

Citroen Rosalie diesel engine

Turbulent Head gasoline combustion system

Comet diesel combustion system

Rolls-Royce Crecy
Rolls-Royce Merlin
Significant advanceDiesel and Spark Ignition combustion systems Aero engines
AwardsKnight 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.

  1. ^ Hawthorne, W. (1976). "Harry Ralph Ricardo 26 January 1885 -- 18 May 1974". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 22: 358–380. doi:10.1098/rsbm.1976.0016. S2CID 72679446.