That's a new one for me JC. But you learn something every day. Can you "overcook" when making charcoal for our purpose? When I make charcoal I let it go well beyond the outgassing process. The completed product does not retain it's original shape, but kind of breaks itself up into smaller pieces.
Somewhere, several somewheres, you will find it written that very high quality "propellent" leaves a slightly damp residue/fouling. None of the three ingredients, if pure, will make H2O when combusted. But charcoal, if not charred too hot, still contains some organic matter that will form water/H2O when combusted.
The other thing is the last three decades of my working life I became more or less the planet's "expert" (don't care for that word) in the uses of nickel-chromium iron alloys for high temperature service. Usually that means from about 1100F up to maybe 2200F (white hot). I got all the incoming phone calls about anything technical. So one day I got a call from a South American maker of charcoal. Could our most common heat resistant alloy, RA330, be used for a container in which to make commercial charcoal? Sure, it is just right. By the way, how hot do you heat the wood? Oh, 350F (177C).
So, hey here is a commercial charcoal maker who for whatever reason uses just 350F to make the black stuff he sells.
I told him RA330 was far more alloy (34% Ni 19%Cr &c) than he needed and he'd save money by going to just plain old 18Cr 8Ni stainless, type 304. Actually I hope he stayed with RA330, but based on what he told me didn't think he needed the more expensive high nickel alloy.
After a couple decades reflection I think he was right to use RA330. Customers usually knew their product's temperature precisely but with respect to the process equipment they tended (tend) to be off by 500 or so degrees.
