The devolatilization of coal is a complex process (Lowry, 1963; Kobayashi et al., 1977). A simple approach has been employed to develop a theoretical model required for the prediction of simultaneous heating and devolatilization of a single coal particle entrained in a hot inert gas stream in the presence of a thermal radiative field. Reidelbach and Algermissen (1978) have described a single coal particle heating model that predicts the temperature of the particle as a function of time. Their model, however, does not account for the effect of loss of mass of the coal solid phase on the particle temperature during devolatilization. The model described in this note accounts for this deficiency.