The new pilot plant for studying the simultaneous removal of volatile components and modification of the combustible surface layer of the powder (capacity 100 kg/30 h) was constructed and successfully taken into operation. The plant consists of a reactor (working vol. of 1 m(3)) equipped with turbine stirrer (operated at 10-70 degrees C and pressure 100-1500 mbar) and 3 containers used for reactor loading and for storing the H2O-EtOH and Et2O/EtOH distillates.