Sunflower seed oil is a healthy edible oil rich in unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, and citric acid. Sunflower seed oil processing equipment is a systematic project, and its configuration varies greatly depending on the production scale and process objectives. FOTMA MILL sunflower seed oil processing equipment ranges from small oil mills to large refineries. Production lines generally cover cleaning, pressing/extraction, and refining stages:
Pre-treatment Stage (Increasing Oil Yield)
* Cleaning Screen + Magnetic Separator: Multi-layer screens remove sand, straw, and iron filings; impurities controlled ≤0.3%, moisture 7%–9%.
* Shelling + Kernel-Shell Separator: Centrifugal shelling, air separation/gravity separation; kernel-to-shell ratio < 5%, shell-to-kernel ratio < 1%, significantly reducing pigments and crude fiber in the oil.
Crusher + Roller: Crushes into 2-3 pieces, rolls into 0.25-0.3mm thin flakes, disrupting cell structure; large plants can be equipped with an extruder (95-105℃), increasing extraction efficiency by 15%-20%.
Steaming/Roasting Pan: Vertical/layer type, temperature-controlled steaming and roasting to adjust moisture and temperature; hot pressing 100-105℃, cold pressing ≤60℃, avoiding rancidity of fatty acids.
Pressing/Extraction Section:
Pressing Method: Extracts oil through physical extrusion, preserving a large portion of sunflower seed nutrition and flavor. Screw Press: Utilizes the rotation of a screw shaft to extrude oil, processing 1-20 tons per day, with an oil yield of 42%-45%; this process does not use chemical solvents, producing naturally pure oil, suitable for producing high-end cold-pressed oil or first-grade edible oil. Suitable for medium to large-scale hot pressing lines, featuring continuous production and high efficiency, it is currently the mainstream equipment.
Hydraulic Oil Press: Employs static high-pressure pressing (60MPa+), with a cold-pressing temperature ≤60℃, preserving natural vitamin E and flavor; suitable for small-batch, high-quality oil production.
Leaching: Utilizes food-grade solvents to soak the pressed oil cake, reducing residual oil content to a very low level (e.g., below 0.5%). This method boasts high oil yield and low cost, and is commonly used in large oil mills, but requires a subsequent solvent recovery system.
Refining and Purification Section:
Whether obtained through pressing or leaching, the crude oil contains impurities such as phospholipids, free fatty acids, pigments, and off-flavor substances, requiring refining equipment to become edible finished oil.
Degumming Tank: Removes pectin-soluble impurities through hydration, preventing foaming during oil heating.
Deacidification Tower: Neutralizes free fatty acids using alkali refining or physical distillation, lowering the acid value.
Decolorization Tower: Utilizes activated clay to adsorb pigments, resulting in a clear and transparent oil.
Deodorization Tower: Steam is introduced under high temperature and high vacuum to remove odors and improve smoke point and stability.
Dewaxing Machine (Optional): Removes wax through low-temperature crystallization filtration, ensuring the oil remains clear at low temperatures and enhancing its market value.
Recommended Scale and Processes:
Small-scale (1-5 tons/day): Cold pressing + simple refining; Equipment: Hydraulic cold press + 0.5–1 ton/day refining unit.
Medium-scale (10-30 tons/day): Screw pre-pressing + semi-continuous refining; Equipment: Twin screw oil press + 10 ton/day refining line.
Large-scale (≥50 tons/day): Pre-pressing + leaching + fully continuous refining + dewaxing; Equipment: Rotary leaching unit + 30 ton/day or more refining + winterization dewaxing system.
Choosing suitable sunflower seed oil processing equipment requires comprehensive consideration of your production capacity needs, investment budget, and desired final product quality. FOTMA MILL offers a full range of services including design, installation, commissioning, and training.
Post time: Apr-13-2026