The rapid devolatilization experiments of single coal particles with direct particle temperature measurements by a thin thermocouple were performed using a spot heater apparatus. Fairly large coal particles ranging from 600 to 1300,mum were used in the present investigation, During the devolatilization, the initial stages and micro phenomena of the devolatilization were in-situ observed by recording the images of released volatiles from the coal sample with a CCD digital video camera. The utility of this apparatus for rapid coal devolatilization was verified experimentally under various conditions, such as coal type, inert gas pressure, temperature, heating rate, particle size, and inert atmosphere (N-2, He, and Ar). Experimental results showed that temperature history and devolatilization behavior of the coal sample depend on the devolatilization conditions. It was found in this apparatus that pressure has a negative impact on the heating rate and final temperature of the coal sample; the effect of coal particle size on both temperature history and weight loss can be neglected for Tatong coal smaller than 700 mum. Particularly, inert gas properties have a significant impact on coal temperature history and weight. loss. Coal samples in the inert gas with smaller thermal conductivity/specific heat were heated more quickly and up to a higher final temperature, thus they decomposed more extensively and quickly. This is contrary to the results obtained in almost all of other devolatilization apparatus in which coal samples are heated by means of forced thermal convection/thermal conduction rather than thermal radiation. In addition, on the basis of analysis of the data of weight-loss versus time/temperature, kinetic parameters of the distributed activation energy model (DAEM) for rapid coal devolatilization were estimated.