NOVELTY - Treating biomass material to continuously produce torrefied product comprises: (a) transporting biomass material through first processing station; (b) transporting preheated biomass material from first station to second torrefaction station; (c) applying flow of heated torrefaction liquid in second station; (d) transporting the torrefied biomass material from the second station to a third cooling station; (e) cooling the torrefied biomass material in the third station; and (f) transporting heated liquid from downstream flow area of carried biomass of third station chamber to first station.    USE - The method is useful in treating biomass material to continuously produce torrefied product comprising a solid bio-fuel (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The method: has increased efficiency of heat transfer to biomass and easy control of the torrefaction process; requires decreased time for torrefaction; has low energy loss during processing because of the limited amount of volatilized biomass; has reduced specific costs of the material to be transported; and provides torrefied pellets which are highly friable and stable, which can be milled easily, and which have very low hygroscopicity, a high reactivity to combustion and a high heating value.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Treating a biomass material to continuously produce a torrefied product comprises: (a) transporting a biomass material through a first processing station comprising moving heated liquid, immersing the biomass material in the heated liquid and preheating the biomass until the biomass material reaches a desired preheated temperature to remove the moisture from the biomass until the biomass material has a maximum equilibrium water content of 10%; (b) transporting the preheated biomass material from the first station to a second torrefaction station; (c) applying a flow of heated torrefaction liquid in the second station in a continuous liquid flow circuit opposite to the direction of travel of the biomass material to transfer heating energy to preheated biomass material until the biomass material reaches a temperature suitable to create torrefaction of the biomass material; (d) transporting the torrefied biomass material from the second station to a third cooling station; (e) cooling the torrefied biomass material in the third station with a moving flow of cooler liquid in a chamber separate from the torrefaction liquid flow circuit by transporting the biomass material in a counter-current direction to that of the moving cooling liquid; and (f) transporting heated liquid from the downstream flow area of the carried biomass of the third station chamber to the first station to transfer heat generated by the torrefied biomass material to the first station. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for:    (1) treating biomass pellet feedstock by torrefaction to produce a refilled solid bio-fuel comprising: (a1) loading biomass pellet feedstock into a continuous feed container for depositing the pellets (201) into a preheating receptacle; (b1) preheating the biomass pellets in the preheating receptacle with a recycled heated liquid moving in a countercurrent flow to that traveled by the biomass feedstock to a temperature less than 200 degrees C; (c1) applying a heated liquid substantially contained in a closed flow circuit to the preheated biomass pellets which are transported to a second receptacle, heating the biomass pellets until the pellets reach a temperature of 300 degrees C for sufficient time allowing uniform torrefaction of the pellets; (d1) cooling the torrefied biomass pellets outside of the torrefaction closed flow circuit which have been transported to a third receptacle with a cooler liquid moving in a counter-current flow in respect of the pellets; (e1) recycling the liquid used to cool the pellets in the step (d1) to the biomass pellets of the step (b); and (f1) transporting the cooled pellets from the third receptacle to a draining station; and    (2) an apparatus for torrefaction of biomass material using a liquid for torrefaction comprising: a biomass feed housing or a biomass feed receptacle with a first heat exchange means mounted on it, communicating with a preheating receptacle and a cooling receptacle; a preheating receptacle comprising an open ended trough (21) housing defining a preheating chamber adapted to hold liquid and receive biomass from the feed receptacle and conveyor means mounted in the preheating receptacle for carrying biomass material through the preheating receptacle and the liquid contained; a torrefaction receptacle comprising an open ended trough housing defining a chamber positioned downstream of the preheating receptacle, conveyor means mounted in the torrefaction receptacle to received preheated biomass material from the preheating conveyor means and carry biomass material through the torrefaction receptacle; a closed fluid circuit means connected to the torrefaction receptacle, heater means connected to the fluid circuit to heat liquid passing through the fluid circuit and pump means to pump liquid through the fluid circuit from one section of the torrefaction receptacle back to another section of the torrefaction receptacle so that biomass material is transported by the torrefaction conveyor means against the flow of liquid heated by the heater means; a cooling receptacle comprising an open ended trough housing defining a cooling chamber positioned downstream of the torrefaction receptacle, conveyor means (62) mounted in the cooling receptacle for carrying torrefied biomass material received from the torrefaction receptacle through the cooling receptacle; a second heat exchange means connecting the cooling chamber with the preheating chamber and carrying liquid from the cooling chamber to the preheating chamber; and discharge means discharging the torrefied biomass material from the cooling receptacle.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure illustrates a schematic diagram of the torrefaction apparatus.    Open trough (21)    Conveyor (62)    Pump (63)    Conduit (65)    Pellets (201)