The effects of stripping the solvent and lighter fraction derived from coal under liquefaction conditions were investigated in the presence of iron-sulfur catalyst at temperatures of 420-450 degrees C using a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) system. This was done to clarify the mechanism for the enhancement of brown coal liquefaction by increasing the gas flow rate in the reactors. The increase in the distillate yield was correlated to the prolonging of actual residence time (theta(RT)) Of the liquid phase in the reactors due to stripping of the solvent fraction. In addition, the changes in the composition of the liquid phase and the concentration of the catalyst and heavy fraction derived from the coal were also found to influence the yields because, at the same theta(RT) Of the reactor liquid, the increase in the ratio of the gas flow rate to solvent in the feed slurry provided a higher distillate yield than that obtained by decreasing the slurry-feeding rate. The increase in gas hold-up and gas/liquid interface by the gas flow rate did not influence the yield. Based on these results, the enhancement of the liquefaction by the increase in the gas flow rate was ascribed to the stripping of the solvent fraction from the reactor liquids; resulting simultaneously in the prolonged theta(RT) and the increased concentration of the catalyst used and of the heavy fraction derived from the coal.