subject: Some Basic Information Regarding Glow Plugs [print this page] Glow plugs are devices similar to spark plugs which are used in igniting the fuel on small combustion engines normally utilized in Model Engine, model cars and comparable applications. The ignition is performed through resilient, generally platinum, spiral wire filament buried in the tip of the plug. When electricity runs through the stopper, or when subjected to the warmth of the combustion chamber, the thread-like object glows, which will enable it in igniting the unique, fuel being used by the engines. Energy may be applied with the use of an extraordinary connector attached to the exterior of the mechanical device and can utilize rechargeable battery or may use DC source of power.
Glow fuel normally is made up of methanol having changeable levels of nitromethane substance as oxidizer intended for superior power, normally between five to thirty percent of the entire blend. The lubricating method is a "total loss" type, which means that the lubricant is driven out from the drain after flowing throughout the engine. When the fuel gets in touch with the warm substance of the spark plug, ignition will occur. The wire stays hot, between rubs of the engine and continues to glow partially because of thermal sluggishness, but mostly because of the catalytic ignition response of methanol which remains in the platinum thread. This maintains the warmth of the filament, permitting the ignition of the next charge, hence supporting the power series.
Several engines of aircraft are designed in order to operate on fuel without nitromethane content at all. Technically a model engine is somewhat comparable to diesel engines and hot bulb engines since it utilizes internal heat in the ignition of the fuel, but because the combustion timing is not restricted through fuel injection (like in usual diesel engine), or by means of electrical power (like in spark combustion engine), it should be attuned by change of fuel/air mixture as well as coil/plug design normally through the adjustment of several inlets and also controls in the Model Engine.
A richer combination will have the tendency to chill the filament to delay the ignition which will cause the slowing down of the engine. This design can be adjusted also by the use of various plug designs for additional exact heat control. The flush plug engines resemble mostly the hot bulb engines since the ignition of both types occur because of the "hot spot" inside the combustion chamber of the engine.
These Model Engine may be designed in two-cycle process (ignition each rotation) or four-cycle process (ignition in every 2 rotations). The two-stroke model produces extra power; however, the four-stroke engines possess more low-end rotation, less noisy and have lower pitched and more sensible sound.
