What Are The Different Types/Shapes Of Charcoal?

Charcoal, as an important energy source and raw material, is widely used in homes, industry, and various cooking activities. Depending on the production method, raw materials, and intended use, charcoal comes in many different types and shapes.

There are two main basic types of charcoal: conventional charcoal and compressed charcoal.

Conventional charcoal is typically made from wood, bamboo, fruit shells (pistachios, almonds, walnuts), or other biomass materials through high-temperature carbonization. This type of charcoal is characterized by its irregular shape, usually appearing in blocks or granules. Besides common agricultural waste (like rice husks and straw), elephant grass, dried seaweed, and sorghum stems can also be pyrolyzed for charcoal production.

Biomass pyrolysis for charcoal production equipment

Compressed charcoal, on the other hand, is made by pressing charcoal powder into blocks using a specialized charcoal briquetting machine, forming regular shapes. This type of charcoal burns more efficiently and is commonly used for barbecues, heating, and industrial heating. During its production, the charcoal particles are compressed into smaller and more uniform shapes, facilitating transportation and storage.

Charcoal can be made into various shapes using a charcoal briquettes extruder to meet different needs. Different shapes of charcoal have different combustion characteristics, and choosing the appropriate shape can improve the charcoal's performance.

Block Charcoal: A common type of charcoal shape. It is relatively large in size, uniform in shape, and compact. The advantages of briquettes are high density, long burning time, and high efficiency, making them suitable for long-term burning needs. Block charcoal is a good choice for home barbecues or heating and is also suitable for large-scale industrial production.

Pellet Charcoal: This type of charcoal is usually smaller in size and has a regular shape, suitable for some precision industrial applications, such as specific combustion equipment or as an auxiliary material. Pellet charcoal burns faster and is suitable for places requiring efficient combustion and rapid heating.

Charcoal Rods and Sticks: This type of charcoal is mostly made by charcoal briquetting machines. It has a more uniform density and can be more easily processed into the required size and specifications. It is also convenient to transport and store. This type of charcoal is often used for special purposes, such as in the electrical and chemical industries.

Charcoal briquettes into various shapes

Different types and shapes of charcoal vary in burning time, calorific value, and applicable scenarios; therefore, selection must be based on a comprehensive consideration of your production goals. By adjusting the molds and process parameters of the charcoal briquetting machine, various charcoal shapes can be produced to meet the product specifications required by different users.

Furthermore, the choice of charcoal production equipment also affects the characteristics of the finished product. In addition to providing charcoal briquettes production machines, DOING's charcoal making machines support the pyrolysis and processing of various biomass raw materials. To meet different production objectives, we offer a variety of charcoal production machine:

Batch Type Carbonization Furnace – Suitable for small-scale lump charcoal production.

Semi-Continuous Carbonization Furnace – Combining moderate automation and output.

Fully Continuous Pyrolysis Machine – Best for large-scale briquetted charcoal or biochar production.

Various types of biomass pyrolysis equipment for charcoal production

Each system operates in a sealed, oxygen-limited environment, ensuring efficient carbonization, stable quality, and low emissions. Through customized feeding, forming, and cooling systems, customers can produce charcoal in different shapes required by their target markets.

Choosing the appropriate charcoal type and shape not only improves performance but also effectively saves costs. If you are looking for the type/shape of charcoal production machine that suits your needs, please contact us. Henan DOING Company has over 14 years of experience in biomass pyrolysis technology and has helped clients in many countries build efficient, environmentally friendly, and profitable charcoal production plants. From raw material testing to plant design, installation, and after-sales service, we can provide complete solutions for every stage of your project.