TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The multi-stage separator comprises two or more electrochemical separators and/ or two or more heat exchangers in parallel. The multi-stage separator comprises two or more heat exchangers and two or more electrochemical separators, collectively integrated to collect multiple liquid fractions from the intermediate mixture. The heat exchangers are a multi-zone heat exchanger with multiple temperature set-points. The multi-stage separator comprises a first electrochemical separator prior to a first heat exchanger.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The method further comprises reducing the particle size of the biomass and/or drying the biomass. The reactor is a fluidized-bed reactor whose fluidizing gas includes at least some of the non-condensable gas recycled from step (e). The reactor is an auger-type reactor comprising at least one auger for conveying the reaction mixture and the heat carrier. The intermediate mixture is substantially separated from at least some of the biochar and the heat carrier within the auger-type reactor, the method further comprises separating the biochar from the heat carrier, recycling the heat carrier to step (b), and feeding the biochar to step (f). The bio-oil fractions is further treated by one or more techniques including heating, aging, blending, reacting, upgrading, refining, hydrotreating, adding an emulsifier, adding a surfactant and/or adding a chemical additive. The heat exchanger is operated with a heat-transfer fluid maintained above 100 degrees C. The method further comprises ionizing at least a portion of the aerosol droplets prior to introduction of the aerosol droplets into the electrochemical separator, to increase collection efficiency within the electrochemical separator. The step (f) comprises utilizing a portion of the non-condensable gas to enhance biochar cooling and recovery. The step (f) comprises introducing the biochar to a fluidized bed that is fluidized with the non-condensable gas. The step (f) comprises introducing an inert gas to elutriate the biochar out of a mixture with the heat carrier. The method further comprises producing agglomerated biochar including one or more added binders including lignosulfonates, vegetable oil, water, whole bio-oil, bio-oil fractions, biomass, clay, bitumen, and/or coal. Preferred Components: The biomass comprises 10 wt.% moisture or less and contains an average effective particle size of 6 mm or less. The biomass is pretreated biomass including torrefied biomass, acid-treated biomass, enzyme-treated biomass, steam-treated biomass, washed biomass, density-modified biomass, and/or viscosity-modified biomass.