The Coal Gasification Research Studies program consists of three tasks: (1) coal ash behavior studies, (2) high-pressure fluidization studies, and (3) high-temperature fluidization studies. During this quarter, seven gasification runs were made in the 2-inch fluidized-bed gasifier at 1800/sup 0/F using gas mixtures of both high (5%) and low (0.2%) oxygen content. The carbon conversion of these runs ranged from 35% to 98%. Although corrosion products from the reactor walls presented problems in analysis, the reactor residue showed that iron silicates were formed in the high-oxygen runs, but very few were produced when a low-oxygen content gas was used. In the high-pressure fluidization studies, tests at ambient conditions in a 12-inch-diameter column with a multi-orifice distributor showed that the pressure probe signal was not clean due to the large number of bubbles produced by this type of distributor. Using five- and seven-nozzle distributors gave a much cleaner signal from the pressure probes. It was also found that a substantial number of the bubbles do not rise vertically, but move at an angle through the column. A new pressure probe configuration was designed to account for these bubbles. The test results indicate, however, that a much higher scanning rate will be needed to correctly measure their velocities. In the high-temperature fluidization studies, the modification of the existing unit continued. The preheater furnace was cleaned and repiped, and a computer room to maintain the proper temperature and humidity for the data acquisition hardware was constructed. 8 figures, 1 table.