**Abstract**

The paper describes methods for producing charcoal (highly porous carbon materials) based on plant (wood) raw materials, and the equipment used to implement these processes, the use of activated carbons. The paper describes results of an experimental study of the effect of pressure on the formation of charcoal in the pyrolysis of birch chips. The experimental investigation was carried out at pressures of 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 MPa. To investigate the effect of pressure on the pyrolysis process, a laboratory bench was designed and constructed. It was found that increasing the pressure from 0.1 MPa to 0.7 MPa increases the yield of charcoal from 25.1 to 32.4% by weight (relative to the dry weight of the starting material) and the carbon content from 89.1% by weight at 0.1 MPa to 96.4% by weight at 0.7 MPa. The calorific value of charcoal decreases from 34.86 MJ/kg at a pressure of 0.1 MPa to 30.23 MJ/kg at a pressure of 0.7 MPa. This is due to the release of oxygen-containing components, which have a higher calorific value than pure carbon, from the porous coal structure. Reduction of the charcoal heat combustion with a decrease in the amount of oxygen-containing components confirms conclusion that their calorific value exceeds the calorific value of pure carbon.

**Keywords:** pyrolysis, birch chips, pressure, laboratory reactor, charcoal
