A process and apparatus are provided in the present invention for treatment of particulate biomass. The present process comprises a densification stage, a first treatment stage, a second treatment stage, a cooling stage; the present apparatus comprises a thermo-chemical treatment chamber which is a two-stage compact moving bed type including two compartments for pre-torrefaction and torrefaction and having a star or spider or ring formic hot gas distribution system equipped with at least one hot gas input and at least one hot gas output for each compartment, and at least one particulate biomass inlet and at least one particulate biomass outlet.