Advanced Charcoal Production Technology

The Lambiotte (SIFIC/CISR) retort is a continuous carbonization system where biomass moves downward through three zones (drying, carbonization, and cooling) while process gases rise upward. It produces homogeneous charcoal with no external fuel input. Balt Carbon has been building and commissioning Lambiotte systems since 2008, with completed projects in Latvia and Finland and a fourth facility currently under construction.

The retort accepts many types of lignocellulosic biomass: wood chips, wood waste, agricultural residues, and similar materials. Moisture content is the key variable. Feedstock should be at approximately 25% for direct pyrolysis, or up to 40% when the system includes an integrated dryer.

A single line produces 2,000 to 16,000 tonnes per year depending on unit size and feedstock. A dual-line installation on 600 m² reaches 32,000 tonnes per year, operated by 12 to 15 people. Both configurations run continuously with minimal downtime over a proven 15-year operational lifespan.

Electricity is required for control systems (40 to 60 kW), but no fossil fuel or gas is needed to start or operate the retort. The process is autothermic: pyrolysis gases generated during carbonization are combusted inside the system, supplying all heat for drying and carbonization.

Biochar can be certified as soon as it is produced. Carbon removal credits are generated when biochar is applied to soil or stored through other approved long-term carbon storage methods. This creates an additional revenue stream that in many project models plays a significant role in overall financial viability.

Lambiotte charcoal meets strict purity requirements for metallurgical use: silicon and ferrosilicon production, metal casting, carbon bisulphide manufacturing, and electrode carbon. Ash content is approximately 2% and phosphorus is below 0.05%, both critical for sensitive metallurgical processes. Uniform lump size and controlled reactivity make it a reliable substitute for metallurgical coke.

Balt Carbon serves clients worldwide, with the most active project pipeline in the EU, Scandinavia, and Africa. Equipment is manufactured to EU industrial standards and can be deployed anywhere with adequate biomass supply. Full turnkey support is provided regardless of location.

A typical project runs approximately 10 months: Pre-Project and FEED (1 month), manufacturing and installation (7 months), commissioning, ramp-up, and staff training (2 months). Climate and other external site factors are not included and may affect the schedule.

The integrated dryer is an optional zone within the retort that pre-dries incoming biomass using surplus heat from the pyrolysis gases, with no external energy required. With it, feedstock up to 40% moisture can be fed directly into the system; without it, biomass must be pre-dried to approximately 25% beforehand. It eliminates the need for a separate drying facility and broadens the range of usable feedstock.

Yes. Pyrolysis gases are combusted at approximately 1000°C and the recovered heat is split two ways: 4.75 Gcal/h recirculated internally for drying, and up to 13 Gcal/h available for export to your facility for process heating, steam generation, or preheating. For a 32,000 t/year installation this replaces the equivalent of approximately 1,500 nm³/h of natural gas.

Most charcoal is produced in batch kilns that require load, heat, cool, and unload cycles between runs. The Lambiotte is a continuous process: feedstock enters at the top and finished charcoal discharges from the bottom without interruption. This gives consistent product quality, high labor efficiency (12 to 15 people for 32,000 t/year), and continuous pyrolysis gas recovery. Batch technologies cannot reliably deliver the fixed carbon content, reactivity, and low phosphorus levels required for metallurgical or certified biochar applications at scale.