An apparatus for the autogenous production of charcoal comprising: a feeder for supplying a heated organic material to a reaction vessel , the reaction vessel for supporting a reaction bed of organic material, and at least one discharge port for discharging thermally decomposed organic material from the reaction vessel , the reaction vessel defining a flow path in which the thermal decomposition of the organic material progresses as the organic material progresses through the reaction vessel ; the reaction vessel comprising: a reaction zone for autogenous pyrolysis reaction of organic material in the reaction bed to form pyroligneous gases, a cooling zone having at least one cooling zone inlet for supplying cooling gas into the reaction bed and a cooling zone outlet to extract heated gas from the reaction bed, and at least one reaction zone inlet in the form of a lance extending through the reaction bed into the reaction zone to supply a gas into the reaction vessel ; and reaction zone outlets provided in the periphery of the reaction zone to remove gas supplied to the reaction zone by the lance , such that gases enter the reaction zone substantially at a central location in the reaction vessel and move transversely across the flow of material in the reaction zone to the periphery of the reaction vessel . a feeder for supplying a heated organic material to a reaction vessel , the reaction vessel for supporting a reaction bed of organic material, and at least one discharge port for discharging thermally decomposed organic material from the reaction vessel , the reaction vessel defining a flow path in which the thermal decomposition of the organic material progresses as the organic material progresses through the reaction vessel ; the reaction vessel comprising: a reaction zone for autogenous pyrolysis reaction of organic material in the reaction bed to form pyroligneous gases, a cooling zone having at least one cooling zone inlet for supplying cooling gas into the reaction bed and a cooling zone outlet to extract heated gas from the reaction bed, and at least one reaction zone inlet in the form of a lance extending through the reaction bed into the reaction zone to supply a gas into the reaction vessel ; and reaction zone outlets provided in the periphery of the reaction zone to remove gas supplied to the reaction zone by the lance , such that gases enter the reaction zone substantially at a central location in the reaction vessel and move transversely across the flow of material in the reaction zone to the periphery of the reaction vessel . a reaction zone for autogenous pyrolysis reaction of organic material in the reaction bed to form pyroligneous gases, a cooling zone having at least one cooling zone inlet for supplying cooling gas into the reaction bed and a cooling zone outlet to extract heated gas from the reaction bed, and at least one reaction zone inlet in the form of a lance extending through the reaction bed into the reaction zone to supply a gas into the reaction vessel ; and reaction zone outlets provided in the periphery of the reaction zone to remove gas supplied to the reaction zone by the lance , such that gases enter the reaction zone substantially at a central location in the reaction vessel and move transversely across the flow of material in the reaction zone to the periphery of the reaction vessel . <EOS>