Investigation methods for characteristics of movement along the tubes, combustion dynamics and gasification of separate drops were developed for the coal-water mixtures (CWM). The following parameters were determined on the basis of laser heating: thermometric, pyrometric and concentration dynamics of single-drop combustion, complete combustion times, duration of temperature phases of combustion, as well as the moment and temperature of ignition. Information on the combustion mass velocity and gasification products was also obtained using laser heating.