What is the Difference Between Combustion and Incineration?

Combustion and incineration both involve the burning of materials, but they have different purposes and applications. Here are the main differences between the two:

Purpose: Combustion is a chemical reaction in which substances react with oxygen to produce energy, usually in the form of heat and light. Incineration, on the other hand, is the destruction of something via burning, typically waste material.
Energy Production: Combustion is often used to produce energy, such as in the burning of fossil fuels or biomass for power generation. Incineration, also known as direct combustion, is primarily used for waste disposal and often takes place at high temperatures (800°C to 1100°C).
Emissions: Combustion can result in various emissions, depending on the materials being burned and the conditions of the reaction. Incineration typically aims to achieve high combustion efficiency, with some systems reaching over 99% efficiency. This means that incineration produces fewer emissions compared to some combustion processes.
Waste Management: Incineration is often used for the treatment of waste materials, such as municipal waste, industrial waste, hospital waste, hazardous waste, and radioactive waste. Combustion is not primarily focused on waste management and does not generate the same types of waste byproducts as incineration.

In summary, combustion is a chemical reaction that produces energy by burning materials, while incineration is a process that destroys waste materials through burning. Incineration typically achieves higher combustion efficiency than some combustion processes and is used primarily for waste management purposes.