In a coal gasifier for IGCC, hot syngas leaving the gasifier at about 1550oC is rapidly quenched by cold syngas recycled from the gas cleaning process. This study investigated the flow and heat transfer characteristics in the gas quench system of a commercial IGCC process plant under different operating pressures. As the operating pressure increased from 30 bar to 50 bar, the reduced gas velocity shortened the hot syngas core. The hot fly slag particles were retained within the core more effectively, and the heat transfer became more intensive around the hot gas core under higher pressures. Despite the high particle concentrations, the wall erosion by particle impaction was estimated not significant. However, large particles became more stagnant in the transfer duct due to the reduced gas velocity and drag force under higher pressures.