Abstract: The gasification characteristics of Huolinhe lignite char (HLH char), SM bituminous coal char (SM char) and Jincheng anthracite char (JC char) with the mixtures of steam and H₂ at elevated pressures were investigated in a pressurized fixed bed differential (PFBD) reactor. The results show that the inhibition of H₂ on the coal-char gasification with steam is remarkable, and the intensity of the inhibition increases with increasing H₂ partial pressure, total pressure and coal rank, respectively; while it decreases with increasing temperature. Coal-char gasification with steam or steam/H₂ can be described by the same kinetic model, and the final carbon conversion of coal-char gasification with steam/H₂ is lower than that with steam. The inhibition mechanism is related to the H₂ partial pressure. When H₂ partial pressure is low, H atom dissociated from H₂ molecule occupies the active point on the coal-char surface directly; while when the H₂ partial pressure is high, the irreversible reaction of oxygen-exchange reaction is strengthened.