PURPOSE: To provide a hot-gas cleanup method and an apparatus therefor for removing particulates, alkalis, and sulfur from a fuel gas produced by the gasification of coal in a gasifier.

CONSTITUTION: A calcium-based sulfur sorbent and an alkali sorbent are injected directly into the fuel gas and then recovered, along with a used sorbent in a high-efficiency and high-temp. ceramic barrier filter (25). The fuel gas is then subjected to further desulfurization in a polishing desulfurizer (33) supplied with a copper-based sulfur sorbent. The used copper-based sorbent is regenerated in a fluidized bed regenerator (34). The regenerated sorbent is returned to the polishing desulfurizer and sulfur dioxide produced by the regeneration is directed to an oxidizer (26) to which the used and unused sulfur sorbent from the filter is supplied so that the used sulfur sorbent can be converted to a more stable form for disposal.