What type of ignition occurs due to a hot spot, spark, or small flame?

Piloted ignition is the process where a fire is initiated by an external source of heat or flame, such as a hot spot, spark, or small flame. This type of ignition requires some form of assistance to ignite the fuels present in the environment.

For example, when a spark from machinery or a small flame from a lighter comes into contact with flammable materials, it can cause the materials to ignite, leading to a fire. This distinguishes piloted ignition from spontaneous ignition, where a material ignites without an external ignition source due to heat generated by chemical reactions within the material itself.

Other types of ignition, such as delayed ignition, refer to scenarios where there is a time lapse between the introduction of heat and the actual fire starting, while flash ignition typically involves a rapid ignition of vapor or gases in the air when they come into contact with a heat source, but does not rely on a continuous flame or spark leading to ignition, unlike piloted ignition. In summary, piloted ignition accurately describes the phenomenon where an external heat source initiates combustion in the presence of flammable materials.