The cohesive characteristics of pulverized coal were revealed firstly by investigating the flow properties and fluidization behaviours of coal B and coal Y. Different from the classic fluidization profiles, the cohesive coals displayed complex behaviours during the fluidization process. Saw toothed pressure curves were found in the process with increasing aeration velocity. The prevailing mechanisms for cohesive coal discharge were analyzed and verified through the experiments. Experimental results of hopper discharge showed that most models had relatively large deviations to predict the discharge rate. Based on Huang's model, an improved model for discharge rate prediction within +/- 20% deviation in the experimental range was presented. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.