Bühler developed a new industrial cocoa nib roaster, called Lucent, that uses at least 20% less energy per tonne of cocoa than its predecessor, the Tornado, and delivers up to 20% higher throughput in the same footprint.
Lucent features heat recovery, predictive roasting controls, and a fully sealed product chamber, for industrial cocoa manufacturing.
Energy accounts for 10 to 20% of total operating expenses in cocoa processing, with roasting as the single most energy-intensive step, Bühler highlights.
Bühler’s Tornado roaster operates as a batch process in which hot air roasts the cocoa in a rotating drum and exhaust air is vented after each cycle, taking a significant share of thermal energy with it.
The Lucent model recovers that energy. A heat exchange system uses return air, reducing the load on the gas burner. A redesigned drum geometry and optimized fill levels reduce gas consumption by at least 20%, compared to Tornado, while increasing throughput by up to 20% without adding to the machine’s physical footprint.
A hybrid roasting option, combining convective and conductive heat transfer, is also available and can achieve up to 40% energy savings in specific applications.
“Roasting is where flavor is created. It is one of the steps our customers care about most, and it has historically been the step where the most energy is wasted. Lucent enhances flavor control while reducing energy use,” says Isabelle Kirckof, Product Manager Market Segment Cocoa & Malt at Bühler.
Lucent uses a self-learning control system that continuously monitors key roasting parameters and automatically adjusts gas burner temperature, airflow, and process speed. An operator sets a roasting profile; the algorithm manages execution. Depending on the raw material, roasting cycles run between 40 and 60 minutes. The system adapts to variation in incoming cocoa to maintain consistent results from batch to batch.
The controls are designed to reduce the dependency on specialist machine knowledge. An operator sets a roasting profile; the system manages execution, adjusting temperature, airflow, and process speed in real time. Consistent output no longer depends on reading the roast by experience alone. “Roasting has always been as much about expertise as technology. Lucent combines both by embedding process knowledge into the machine, making repeatable flavor profiles and consistent roast levels easier to achieve,” says Isabelle Kirckof.
Lucent’s development drew directly on feedback from Bühler’s industrial cocoa processing customers. Priorities identified in this process – energy efficiency, hygiene, throughput, and operational simplicity – led to design choices such as fully enclosed chamber, an integrated heat recovery system, and service openings that provide direct access to key components. A prototype is currently in development and will be installed at a customer site in Asia in the first quarter of 2027.
Photo: Bühler