Bed pressure drop is an import parameter related to operation and performance of fixed bed gasifiers. Up to date, limited literature is found on pressure drop prediction of beds with cylindrical pellets and none was found for gasifying beds with cylindrical pellets. In this paper, an available pressure drop prediction correlation for turbulent flows in a bed with cylindrical pellets which has used equivalent tortuous passage method was extended for a gasifier bed with shrinking cylindrical pellets and for any flow condition. Further, simplified graphical representations introduced based on the developed correlation can be effectively used as a guide for selecting a suitable pellet size and designing a grate so that it can be met the system requirements. Results show that the method formulated in the present study gives pressure drop approximation within 7% deviation compared to measured values with respect to performed runs. Available empirical correlation with modified Ergun constants for cylindrical pellets gave pressure drop within 20% deviation after the effect of shrinkage was taken into account. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.