Thermo-Chemical Processing Facilities

Producing Biochar, Biocarbon & Bio-Oil Products

Our pyrolysis and carbonization systems support the thermal conversion of biomass into valuable carbon products, energy carriers, and industrial feedstocks. These facilities enable organizations to evaluate feedstocks, optimize production conditions, and produce material for pilot-scale testing and market development. 

Facility Capabilities

• Two demonstration-scale continuous pyrolysis units
• Batch carbonization system
• Operating temperatures up to 550°C
• Nitrogen and carbon dioxide purge capabilities
• Steam injection capability
• Feedstock pre-treatment systems
• Large-scale grinding systems
• Thermal hydrolysis integration capabilities

Typical Outputs

• Biochar
• Biocarbon
• Bio-oils
• Carbon-rich intermediates
• Renewable energy feedstocks

Continuous systems can produce up to 500 kg of char per day, supporting product development, testing, and commercialization activities.

Unlocking Value From Organic Residuals

Thermal hydrolysis and hydrothermal pre-treatment use high temperatures and pressure to transform organic materials into more useful and accessible forms. These processes can improve downstream conversion efficiency while creating opportunities to recover value from materials that might otherwise be treated as waste.

The system can process:

• Wastewater solids
• Sewage sludge
• Wood pulp
• Agricultural residuals
• Other organic waste streams

Applications include:

• Biofuel production
• Resource recovery
• Feedstock pre-treatment
• Fertilizer development
• Renewable energy applications

This capability can play an important role in waste-reduction and circular-economy initiatives. 

Converting Biomass Into Consistent, Manageable Products

Our pilot- and demonstration-scale pelletization systems help organizations transform biomass into densified products that are easier to transport, handle, store, and process. Pelletization can also improve feedstock consistency for downstream conversion technologies. 

Facility Capabilities

• Multiple pilot and demonstration-scale pelletizers
• Production rates up to approximately 200 kg/hour
• Broad feedstock flexibility

Materials processed include:

• Agricultural residues
• Wheat straw
• Wood bark
• Biomass blends
• Various bio-industrial feedstocks

Typical Applications

• Renewable heating fuels
• Animal bedding
• Animal feed products
• Biochar feedstock preparation
• Industrial biomass processing

Advanced Carbon Materials From Renewable Feedstocks

Our designer carbon production capabilities focus on developing advanced carbon materials from Alberta-sourced agricultural, forestry, municipal, and wastewater-derived feedstocks. 

The facility supports:

• Biocarbon development
• Activated carbon production
• Soil amendment products
• Fertilizer applications
• Biochemical production pathways
• Advanced energy-storage materials

Research and production is focused on the development and evaluation of specialized carbon materials for emerging applications such as supercapacitors and battery electrodes.

Our Thermo-Chemical Processing Facilities regularly support projects involving:

• Biomass conversion technologies
• Biochar and biocarbon development
• Renewable fuel production
• Agricultural and forestry residue utilization
• Waste-to-value initiatives
• Activated carbon production
• Resource recovery technologies
• Circular economy solutions
• Product scale-up and process validation

InnoTech Alberta combines pilot- and demonstration-scale processing infrastructure with expertise in biomass conversion, carbon materials, thermal treatment technologies, and process development. Our facilities help organizations evaluate technologies under realistic operating conditions while reducing technical and commercialization risk. 

Clients benefit from:

• Access to specialized thermo-chemical processing infrastructure
• Flexible pilot-scale and demonstration-scale systems
• Feedstock evaluation and process development expertise
• Product validation and performance testing
• Support for commercialization and technology scale-up
• Data-driven assessments of technical and economic feasibility

Whether developing advanced carbon products, renewable fuels, resource recovery technologies, or new biomass-processing pathways, our facilities help organizations move from concept to commercial opportunity.