ʻO nā pūkuniahi, i ʻike mau ʻia ʻo ia he mau pahu ahi, e hana ia ma ke ʻano he puʻupuʻu o ka piezoelectric hoʻokuʻu kiʻekiʻe-voltage mai ke alakaʻi kiʻekiʻe-volt (ke ahi), ka mea e wāwahi ai i ka ea ma waena o nā electrodes o nā pulu ahi, e hana ana i nā uila uila e ʻā. ka hui kinoea i loko o ke kinikini.ʻO nā kūlana kumu o ka mīkini hana kiʻekiʻe: kiʻekiʻe ka ikehu kūpaʻa paʻa, hui pū ʻia, kiʻekiʻe compression ratio.Hoʻohana maʻamau nā kaʻa me nā ʻenekini hoʻopau i loko o ka ʻaila a me ka wahie diesel.Ma ka mākeke kaʻa o Kina, noho nui nā kaʻa ʻaila.He ʻokoʻa nā ʻenekini ʻaila mai nā ʻenekini diesel no ka mea ʻoi aku ka kiʻekiʻe o ka ʻaila ʻaila (ma kahi o 400 degere), kahi e koi ʻia ai ka hoʻā ʻana i ka hui.Ma o ka hoʻokuʻu ʻana ma waena o nā electrodes e hana i nā ahi ahi, ʻo ka ʻenekini ʻenehana ma o ka wahie a me ke kinoea hui ʻana i ka manawa e hoʻoulu ai i ka mana, akā e like me ka wahie gasoline a hiki i kahi kiʻekiʻe wela ka paʻakikī i ka puhi ʻana i ka manawa, pono e hoʻohana i ke "ahi" e hoʻā.Ma ʻaneʻi ka hana "spark plug".
