The thermochemical conversion processes of biomass to energy are more and more demanding in the quality of the raw material, especially regarding its moisture content. The use of continuous dryers is tempting because of their low cost and perfect integration in the production line. However the design of the drying chamber and of the heating source and the maximization of the material flow are tedious. With the help of two case studies, this paper aims at proving the potential of a multiscale computational model – considering particle, bed and dryer levels – to design and optimize industrial plants used for wood pretreatment.