Abstract: In order to investigate the adaptability of sulformethylated humic acid to preparation of coal water slurry ( CWS) with different kinds of coal，test is made on the slurryability of CWS prepared with Yulin coal and Binchang coal of Shaanxi Province，Yili coal of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Ｒegion，and Tongliao coal of Inner Mongolia，using sulformethylated humic acid ( SHA) as dispersing agent. Based on the apparent viscosity，fluidity and stability of the CWS determined through test，an analysis is made of such factors as oxygen functional group on coal surface，hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity and oxygen / carbon ratio in relation to adaptability of the dispersant. As evidenced by test result，SHA dispersing agent is more suitable for the preparation of CWS with Binchang coal of Shaanxi Province.