A computational work was carried out for the study of one-dimensional, laminar, premixed, flat, atomized vacuum residue (VR) particle-air flames. The mathematical model includes the specified pyrolysis scheme, soot and char oxidation scheme. With some experimental works, the product composition and kinetic parameters of VR pyrolysis were determined and used for the present computational work. The computed results show that the oxidation of VR carbon char and soot occurs mainly in the reaction zone and the oxidation rate of soot is much higher than that of VR carbon char. The oxidation rates of carbon char and soot can be increased with the decrease in particle diameter, and it might be accomplished by the more effective atomization and mixing of solid particles with combustion air. Copyright (c) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.