gloeibougie

Gloeibougie is the Dutch term for a glow plug, an electrical heating element used to aid starting of compression-ignition engines by preheating the combustion chamber. Glow plugs are primarily associated with diesel engines, where heating the cylinder or pre-chamber air makes ignition of the fuel-air mixture more reliable in cold conditions.

Construction and design vary, but a glow plug generally consists of a metal housing surrounding a resistive heating element or ceramic core. The tip extends into the combustion chamber or a pre-chamber and is built to withstand high temperatures, pressures, and corrosive exhaust byproducts. Electrical resistance is chosen to bring the element to several hundred to around one thousand degrees Celsius when energized.

Operation is controlled by the ignition system, often via a relay or engine control unit. On cold starts, current flows through the glow plug for a short period to heat the tip, after which the engine can begin running with the heated air aiding ignition. In modern engines, glow plugs may operate in timed cycles or be coordinated with fuel injection and cranking.

Types include in-cylinder (direct) glow plugs and pre-chamber glow plugs used in indirect-injection diesels. Advances have introduced ceramic elements for faster heating and longer life, and some high-power plugs feature segmented or enhanced materials to improve durability under repeated heating cycles.

Applications span diesel-powered passenger cars, trucks, buses, agricultural and construction equipment, marine engines, and certain stationary generators. Maintenance concerns focus on open or short circuits, fouling, or erosion of the tip, which can lead to extended cranking or hard starting in cold weather. Replacement intervals depend on design and usage.