Bio-Coal

Bio-coal (also called torrefied biomass, biochar fuel, or black pellets/briquettes) is produced by heating biomass to 250-320°C in a low-oxygen or oxygen-free reactor for 30-60 minutes. This thermal treatment, called torrefaction, fundamentally changes the biomass structure: moisture is eliminated, hemicellulose is decomposed, and the remaining material becomes a dark, brittle, hydrophobic solid with properties closely resembling fossil coal. Bio-coal bridges the gap between raw biomass and coal, offering a renewable fuel that can be handled, stored, ground, and burned using existing coal infrastructure with minimal or no modifications.

Specifications

• Material: Torrefied agricultural/wood biomass

• Calorific Value: 4,500-5,500 kcal/kg (feedstock and torrefaction degree-dependent)

• Moisture: 1-5%

• Ash Content: 3-12% (feedstock-dependent)

• Volatile Matter: 55-70%

• Fixed Carbon: 22-35%

• Sulphur: < 0.1%

• Chlorine: < 0.05%

• Bulk Density: 500-750 kg/m³ (lumps), 800-1,100 kg/m³ (briquettes)

• Grindability (HGI): 40-65 (comparable to sub-bituminous coal)

• Hydrophobic: Yes (water-resistant, suitable for outdoor storage)

• Colour: Dark brown to black

• Odour: Mild smoky/woody

Available Forms

Bio-Coal Lumps

• Irregular torrefied pieces, 10-50 mm

• Produced by torrefying crushed biomass in batch or continuous reactors

• Direct use in stoker-fired boilers, brick kilns, and furnaces

Bio-Coal Briquettes

• Compressed torrefied biomass, 50-90 mm diameter cylinders

• Produced by briquetting torrefied material for uniform size and higher density

• Suitable for grate-fired boilers and industrial furnaces

Bio-Coal Pellets

• 6-8 mm diameter torrefied pellets (black pellets)

• Produced by pelletizing torrefied material

• Designed for pulverized coal boilers and automated feed systems

Available Feedstock Types

• Sawdust/wood bio-coal: highest calorific value (5,000-5,500 kcal/kg), lowest ash

• Corn cob bio-coal: 4,500-5,000 kcal/kg, low ash

• Bagasse bio-coal: 4,200-4,800 kcal/kg

• Rice husk bio-coal: 3,800-4,200 kcal/kg, higher ash

• Mixed agri-waste bio-coal: 4,000-4,500 kcal/kg

Industrial Uses

• Direct coal replacement in industrial boilers: Bio-coal is the closest biomass product to fossil coal in terms of calorific value, grindability, and handling properties. It can replace 10-100% of coal in existing industrial boiler systems with minimal modifications to fuel handling, storage, and combustion equipment

• Coal co-firing in power plants: Bio-coal is co-fired with coal in thermal power stations to reduce carbon emissions and meet renewable energy mandates. Its coal-like grindability allows it to be pulverized and burned in existing coal mills and burners

• Cement kiln alternative fuel: Bio-coal is used as an alternative fuel in cement rotary kilns, replacing a portion of coal or petcoke. Cement plants benefit from reduced fossil fuel costs and lower CO₂ emissions

• Brick kiln fuel: Bio-coal replaces coal in brick kilns (Bull’s trench, zigzag, and tunnel kilns) with significantly lower sulphur emissions and comparable heat output

• Metallurgical applications: Bio-coal is used as a reducing agent in small-scale metallurgical processes and as a substitute for coke breeze in sintering operations

• Gasification: Torrefied biomass is an improved feedstock for biomass gasifiers, producing cleaner syngas with higher calorific value than raw biomass

• Activated carbon production: Bio-coal serves as a precursor for producing activated carbon through further thermal activation

• Carbon sequestration (biochar): When applied to soil instead of burned, bio-coal acts as a stable carbon sequestration medium (biochar), improving soil structure, water retention, and nutrient holding capacity while locking carbon for centuries

Quality Assurance

Each lot is tested for calorific value, moisture, ash content, volatile matter, fixed carbon, sulphur, chlorine, bulk density, and grindability index (HGI). Pre-shipment samples are provided for buyer evaluation. Material is sourced from verified torrefaction plants with controlled process parameters and consistent feedstock quality.