TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The first heat source consists of an electrical block, a combustion heat source, a heat transfer fluid, a heat transfer gas, a microwave source, and/or an induction block. A combustible of the combustion heat source is a solid combustible, a liquid combustible, and/or a gaseous combustible. The auger is a shaftless screw conveyor. The separation device comprises a second heat source for heating the separation chamber and for maintaining vapor in a gaseous state, and a cyclonic separator receiving the solid and the vapor at the separation chamber entrance. The second heat source is thermally coupled to the separation chamber. The cyclonic separator comprises a cyclonic separator entrance forming the separation chamber entrance, a cyclonic separator exit for exit of the solid, and a gas line exit forming the separation chamber exit. The controller is electrically coupled to the: first temperature sensor for controlling temperature in the thermochemical reaction chamber; and second temperature sensor for controlling temperature in the separation chamber. The temperature is controlled at an operating temperature of 200-250 degrees C. The reactor is present in a vertical orientation. The vapor processing unit is coupled to the separation chamber exit with a first conduit and to the gas line exit, and comprises: a condenser; a vapor collector; a bio-oil collector; a first section having a vapor and bio-oil collector; a second section having a bio-oil condenser and collector connected to the first section for condensing the vapor and collecting the bio-oil; a third section having a vapor reservoir connected to the second section for collecting a non-condensed fraction of the vapor comprising non-condensable gases; and an outlet. The first conduit is electrically heated to prevent condensation of the vapor. The vapor collector and the bio-oil collector comprise a first reservoir having: a first reservoir upper portion that is adapted for receiving and collecting the vapor and has a first reservoir exit; and a first reservoir lower portion for collecting a bio-oil, and are maintained at an operating temperature lower than an operating temperature (200-250 degrees C) of the separation chamber. The second section is connected to the first reservoir exit with a second conduit. The bio-oil condenser and collector comprise a condenser having a cooler for condensing the vapor, and a second reservoir for collecting the bio-oil. The second reservoir further comprises a second reservoir exit for a non-condensed fraction of the vapor. The vapor reservoir comprises a vapor reservoir cooler for condensing the vapor and for obtaining bio-oil, and a vapor reservoir exit. The system further comprises a pump operatively coupled to the vapor reservoir exit and the gas line exit. The bio-oil condenser and collector are further operatively coupled to the pump, and comprise a condenser having a cooler for condensing the vapor and a reservoir for collecting the bio-oil. The outlet is coupled to the reaction chamber exit for recycling the vapor. The thermochemical reaction chamber has an inner diameter of 2.5 cm and a length of 25 cm. The feeder is coupled to a motor providing an adjustable speed of 20-300 revolutions per minute. The auger has an exterior diameter of 2.5 cm, a core diameter of 1.27 cm, a pitch of 1.27 cm and a thickness of 0.66 cm. The condenser has a diameter of 10 cm, a length of 150 cm, and a volume of 12 L. The cyclonic separator is operatively coupled to the separation chamber entrance. The vacuum source is further operatively coupled to the second reservoir exit for maintaining a light vacuum within the reactor, and operatively coupled to the vapor reservoir exit. The pump has a suction capacity of 7-10 L/min.