In order to predict the pressure drop across the cake of coal gasification (CG) ash formed on ceramic filter, an empirical equation was developed taking into account several factors, such as the face velocity, ash load, shape factor and size of particles, and especially the operating temperature. The hot air stream of well classified fine particles of CG ash was simulated as the syngas derived from the coal gasification process. The pressure drop behavior and cleaning efficiency of the filter were carefully investigated within the temperature range from room temperature to 673 K. The pressure drop across the ash cake was dominantly governed by the air viscosity, which increased with temperature. It was well expressed by the previously reported-empirical equation [J.H. Choi, Y.C. Bak, H.J. Jang, J.H. Kim, and J.H. Kim, Korean J. Chern. Eng., 21(3) (2004) 726.] with the modification of the viscosity term in the equation for different temperatures. The residual pressure drop rate across the ash cake also increased while the cleaning efficiency of the ceramic filter decreased as temperature increased. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.