Pulverized Taiheiyo coal (Japanese subbituminous coal) was gasified with steam in the presence of CO2 sorbent (Ca(OH)(2)) under relatively high pressure (approximately 20 MPa; subcritical condition) using a tubing-bomb microreactor (TB reactor). The transient characteristics in the conversion of coal and the formation of gaseous products during the gasification were investigated. During initial heating period, 40-50 wt.% of the coal initially loaded was rapidly converted to gas or tar. In the presence of Ca(OH)(2), the yield of gaseous products was apparently increased owing to the catalytic effects of Ca(OH)(2) on coal gasification. No CO2 was observed in the produced gas at any soaking time in the gasification with Ca(OH)(2), suggesting that CO2 sorption by Ca(OH)(2) took place effectively under high-pressure conditions. A rigid agglomeration of char and CO2 sorbent was observed at relatively high temperature, which is attributed to the formation of melts of the CO2 sorbent. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.