To understand the effect of radiative heat transfer on ignition of pulverized coal clouds, radiative heat transfer and combustion analysis in a turbulent pulverized coal fired furnace (coal feed 6 kg . h(-1)) was carried out. Pulverized coal combustion simulation was performed in consideration of radiation transfer of particles in the furnace. The first- order spherical harmonics approximation was used to model the radiative heat transfer equation. To confirm the accuracy of the simulated result, the temperature and unburned carbon profiles were measured and compared. Parametrical analyses were employed to evaluate the influence of the particle cmissivity on the combustion simulation. The influence of the radiation appeared particularly as differences in the ignition position and the relaxation of a temperature gradient around the flame zone, because the preheating effect of coal Particles near the burner nozzle is enhanced by the absorption of radiation energy propagated from the combustion area. The calculated temperatures agreed with measurements when the particle emissivity was assumed to be a function of unburned carbon. It was found that the accuracy of a pulverized coal combustion simulation especially in the ignition step depends on radiation heat transfer.