Process and apparatus for producing solid fuel from coal

The present invention provides a process and an apparatus for producing a low-pyrophoricity, transportable, storable dewatered solid fuel from a low rank coal, in which the amount of heavy oil added can be reduced. A solid fuel production process includes the steps of mixing an oil containing a solvent oil with a coal to prepare a raw material slurry; evaporating moisture from the raw material slurry; subsequently performing solid-liquid separation on the slurry to yield a solid fuel; and adding a heavy oil to the slurry after the completion of or in the course of evaporating moisture. A solid fuel production apparatus includes a mixing vessel 1 in which an oil containing a solvent oil is mixed with a coal to prepare a raw material slurry; evaporators 2 and 3 that evaporate moisture from the raw material slurry; a solid-liquid separation means that perform solid-liquid separation on the slurry from which moisture has been evaporated; and an addition means that adds a heavy oil to the slurry after the completion of or in the course of evaporating moisture.