CDS BIOCARBON
SUSTAINABLE COAL ALTERNATIVES USING PATENTED TORREFACTION TECHNOLOGY
In partnership with E3 Carbon GmbH
Biocarbon is a renewable, high-performance fuel designed to replace fossil coal in a wide range of industrial applications. It is produced through torrefaction, a controlled thermal treatment of biomass in a low oxygen environment. Using patented R-O2® superheated steam technology, CDS Group supplies complete systems that convert biomass into a durable, hydrophobic, carbon-rich fuel with high energy density.
Unlike fossil coal, biocarbon can be produced from renewable feedstocks within a controlled industrial process. CDS equipment enables clients to manufacture a coal-like fuel that is suitable for industrial energy, steel production, and further downstream processing such as gasification and sustainable fuel pathways.
WHAT OUR BIOCARBON TECHNOLOGY DELIVERS
As the engineering and manufacturing partner in our long-standing collaboration with E3 Carbon GmbH, CDS Group supplies complete biocarbon production systems, from reactor design to full process integration. Our technology has been developed to improve thermal efficiency, process control, product consistency, and commercial flexibility.
Superheated Steam Technology (R-O2®)
Our patented R-O2® process uses superheated steam to safely reduce oxygen within the process environment. In torrefaction applications, this provides a cost-effective alternative to nitrogen-based systems and supports efficient, safe operation under controlled conditions.
Directly Heated Rotary Drums
CDS and E3 Carbon use directly heated rotary drum technology, where hot recirculated process air passes over the biomass and transfers heat efficiently to the product. This approach offers a more energy-efficient method of heat transfer than externally heated drum arrangements and supports consistent treatment of the material.
Thermal Oil Heating Loop
Our systems use thermal oil in conjunction with superheated steam to provide precise, closed-loop heat delivery. Process air is reheated through a heat exchanger fed by thermal oil, while off-gases are directed to a thermal oxidiser for controlled treatment. This arrangement supports heat recovery, minimises waste, and can provide surplus heat for upstream feedstock drying.
TAP Process (Torrefaction After Pelletisation)
Our rotary drum technology allows torrefaction after pelletisation, known as TAP. This process produces a more homogeneous black pellet product and has been shown to improve hydrophobic characteristics when compared with pelletisation after torrefaction. This is particularly important where the product is intended to work within existing fossil coal logistics and stockpile systems.
Flexible Feedstock and Product Options
The system can process white pellets and can also be configured for wood chips and other biomass forms where densification is required. Depending on the end-use requirement, briquetting or extrusion can also be considered as alternatives to pelletisation. The final product specification helps define the most suitable process line design.
Modular Plant Design
CDS systems are designed for practical industrial deployment and can be configured for outputs up to 50,000 tonnes per year from a 10 tonnes per hour input process line. Modular plant design also supports maintenance access, efficient installation, and future scalability.
BIOCARBON APPLICATIONS
CDS systems enable clients to produce biocarbon fuels tailored to a range of industrial and energy applications.
Power Generation
Biocarbon produced by CDS plants can be used as a replacement for fossil coal in power stations and industrial boiler applications. Products in the 22 to 27 GJ/t range, combined with moisture-resistant pellet characteristics, support compatibility with existing coal handling and storage infrastructure while helping reduce the cost of transition.
Green Steel and Metallurgical Processes
Our technology enables the manufacture of biocarbon with the fixed carbon and energy content required for applications such as Pulverised Coal Injection in blast furnaces. There is also wider potential within metallurgical sectors where renewable carbon alternatives are being assessed as replacements for fossil coal inputs.
Concrete and Industrial Heat Processes
Biocarbon offers potential wherever stable, carbon-rich solid fuels are required for heat generation and industrial thermal processes. Its improved storage properties and consistent product form support practical integration into established operating environments.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Gasification
Biocarbon can also serve as a feedstock for downstream gasification and Fischer-Tropsch-based fuel pathways, including sustainable aviation fuel. Modified biomass offers improved logistics, improved storage performance, and a more suitable product form for further processing at the point of end use.
TECHNICAL HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR BIOCARBON PLANTS
Our biocarbon plants feature an open rotary drum reactor with superheated steam (R-O2®), a biomass or gas-fuelled thermal oil loop heating system, and an advanced discharge cooling system, with output capacities of up to 50,000 tonnes of biocarbon per year, feedstock intake of 10 tonnes per hour, operating temperatures from 270°C to 800°C, and designs developed to meet ATEX and regional safety standards.
CDS systems handle diverse feedstocks including white pellets, wood chips, and densified biomass products, with process lines configured around the final application requirement.
WHY CHOOSE CDS BIOCARBON SYSTEMS?
Proven pilot plant performance with validated calorific value and fixed carbon improvements.
Efficient process design using superheated steam, direct heat transfer, and thermal oil heat recovery.
Flexible plant design suitable for a range of biomass feedstocks and final product requirements.
Reliable, low-maintenance systems designed for long operating hours with practical maintenance access.
Engineering and manufacturing expertise built on decades of industrial thermal process experience.
Scalable solutions from pilot systems through to full industrial production plants.
OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH E3 CARBON GMBH
CDS Group has worked with E3 Carbon GmbH since 2013 as part of the development of advanced torrefaction technology for biocarbon production. CDS provides engineering, design, and manufacturing expertise for the plant infrastructure, while E3 Carbon leads on market applications and project development.
This collaboration builds on CDS experience in thermal process engineering and industrial manufacturing. In 2012, CDS delivered a torrefaction unit to the Netherlands with a capacity of 7 tonnes per hour input, demonstrating the company’s ability to build large-scale torrefaction systems. The partnership was further strengthened through the development of a pilot plant used to validate product performance and operating parameters.
Pilot plant trials began in September 2022 following installation delays. Initial operation at around 270°C achieved an increase in calorific value from 16.5 GJ/t to around 22 GJ/t. Further trials at 300°C and increased residence time delivered a more highly torrefied product with calorific values up to 27 GJ/t. Fixed carbon content increased from 20% to 60%, and approximately 30 tonnes of black pellets were produced over 40 days of operation.
Together, CDS Group and E3 Carbon deliver biocarbon production systems built around practical engineering, proven process performance, and industrial scalability.
SALES | SUPPORT
As a dynamic organisation that currently employs over 60 staff in its UK offices alone, we’re proud to offer a range of services, including research and development, as well as expert advice provided on a consultation basis.