Spark plug

A spark plug (sometimes in British English, a sparking plughttp://print.google.com/print?id=UA5syoe1kc0C&pg=279&lpg=279&dq=%22sparking+plug%22+%22spark+plug%22&prev=http://print.google.com/print%3Fie%3DUTF-8%26q%3D%2522sparking%2Bplug%2522%2B%2522spark%2Bplug%2522%26btnG%3DSearch&sig=rHmFVJqWnGQZL5rngcSUYe6YWl8) is an electrical device that fits into the cylinder head of some internal combustion engines and ignites compressed aerosol gasoline by means of an electric spark. Spark plugs have an insulated center electrode which is connected by a heavily insulated wire to an induction coil or magneto circuit on the outside, forming, with a grounded terminal on the base of the plug, a spark gap inside the cylinder. Early patents for spark plugs included those by Nikola Tesla ( in US patent 609,250 for an ignition timing system), (1898), Richard Simms (GB 24859/1898, 1898), and Robert Bosch (GB 26907/1898).

Related Topics:
British English - Cylinder head - Internal combustion engine - Aerosol - Gasoline - Induction coil - Magneto - Spark gap - Nikola Tesla - 1898

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Internal combustion engines can be divided into spark-ignition engines, which require spark plugs to begin combustion, and compression-ignition engines (diesel engines), which compress the fuel/air mixture until it spontaneously ignites. Compression-ignition engines may use glow plugs to improve cold start characteristics.

Related Topics:
Diesel engines - Glow plug

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Spark plugs may also be used in other applications such as furnaces where a combustible mixture should be ignited. In this case, they are sometimes referred to as flame igniters.

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