NOVELTY - An apparatus (10) for converting biomass into charcoal consists of a vertical carbonization furnace (11). Biomass is supplied from the upper portion of furnace and a filling moving bed (P) of biomass is formed in the furnace. Biomass is contacted with hot gas and thermally decomposed to obtain a carbonized material. A temperature controller (16) is provided for controlling the temperature in the furnace. The temperature of lower portion of the bed is controlled to be more than tar volatilization temperature and below the gas-evolution temperature.    USE - Apparatus is used for converting biomass (e.g. wood chips, lumber waste, rice straw, straw, sugarcane rice bran, coppiced timber, paper-manufacture waste, coconut-oil outlet residue, construction waste, and sewage sludge) into charcoal (claimed) for use as fuel, or coke for iron-making.    ADVANTAGE - The apparatus enables conversion of biomass into charcoal with high yield. Carbonized material of small particle size can be discharged smoothly.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An apparatus for converting biomass into charcoal consists of a vertical carbonization furnace. Biomass is supplied from the upper portion of the carbonization furnace and a filling moving bed of biomass is formed in the furnace. Hot gas is supplied from the lower portion of the furnace, and biomass is contacted with hot gas and thermally decomposed to obtain a carbonized material. A temperature controller is provided for controlling the temperature in the furnace. The temperature controller controls the temperature of lower portion of the bed to be within the range more than tar volatilization temperature and below the gas-evolution temperature which generates gas excessively. The temperature of the upper portion of bed is controlled to be below the tar condensation temperature and more than the drying temperature of biomass. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for method for converting biomass into charcoal.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a schematic view of the apparatus used for converting biomass into charcoal. (Drawing includes non-English language text)    Apparatus (10)    Carbonization furnace (11)    Combustion furnace (13)    Temperature controller (16)    Filling moving bed (P)