The U.S. DOE, Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) is sponsoring research on advanced methods for removing contaminants from the hot, fuel gas streams of coal-fired combustion or gasification plants. Contaminants present in all coals such as ash particles, compounds of sulfur and nitrogen, and alkali metals must be controlled because they are environmental problems, are detrimental to advanced generation power equipment, or both. Significant advances have been made in the high-temperature control of these contaminants.