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Propagation characteristics of reverse combustion significantly impact the conversion of solid fuels in packed beds, especially under variable reaction atmosphere conditions. In this study, the propagation of reverse combustion was experimentally studied in an oxygen-limited and -enriched O 2 /N 2 flow with an oxygen concentration range of 21–100 % for a bed packed with rice husk. The temperature profile measured by thermocouples along the bed height was processed to appreciate the driving mechanism of combustion front, as well as the reaction structure inside the bed. Besides, the contribution of volatiles gas-phase oxidation and char surface oxidation to reverse combustion was also evaluated. Results show that compared to the air case, an oxygen-enriched condition broadens the operating range of oxygen flow rate for the oxygen-limited reverse combustion. Under high oxygen concentration conditions, the low-temperature oxidation of rice husk inside the reaction front becomes enhanced. Such chemical reaction effect widens the whole reaction front thickness and thereby reduces the oxidation intensity in local regions, resulting in a faster ignition rate and a lower temperature for combustion front. It is found that this process is dominated by the gas-phase oxidation of volatiles, of which oxygen consumed is above 60 % of the supplied. As oxygen concentration increases, the gas-phase oxidation of volatiles becomes further enhanced. Correspondingly, the oxidation ratio of char is gradually approaching a limit, about 12 %, especially at the oxygen concentration above 50 %. These findings will facilitate a better fundamental understanding of driving mechanism of this special combustion process and thereby provide an important theoretical basis for efficient thermal conversion of solid fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]