A review with 39 refs. covering pyrolysis of coal, coal-tar and mesophase pitches, and waste polyolefins, and combustion of various C carriers, analysis in terms of thermokinetic equations using Arrhenius law, discussion of the iso-kinetic effect based on Eyring's equations, and practical directions on how to make use of studies carried out on some metallurgical processes (cont. steel casting) and on C deposits from coking chambers.