Castor Oil Extraction Plant

If you are planning to establish a castor oil extraction plant, especially in South Africa. This article is a gread guide for you. Even if you want start edible oil extraction business with other oilseeds and plant, this article is also worth reading!

ABC Machinery is an experienced oil extraction machinery manufacturer who is very famous in China. We can supply not only various edible oil pressing and solvent extraction equipment, but also full solutions for turnky oil mill projects. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions of cooking oil extraction and refinery plant. We are always at your services!

About Castor Oil

Castro oil is usually obtained by pressing the castor beans. The pressing involves one or a combination of solvent extraction or mechanical pressing. The oil has a bland taste and is pale yellow in color. It is also non-drying, non-volatile and viscous. Castro oil has many industrial uses. It is utilized in the beauty industry as hair oil and cosmetic, production of biodiesel, and is also used as a purgative in varnishes and paints.

Castor oil is preferred to other types of mineral oils because it is a renewable, eco-friendly, and biodegradable energy resource. Unless exposed to very high temperatures, castor oil is not prone to oxidation compared to other types of oils. The local demand for castor oil in South Africa has significantly increased. Therefore, it is necessary to establish an industrial scale production plant in the country.

Turnkey Castor Oil Extraction Plant

Small to Medium Scale Oil Pressing Plan

Large Scale Seed Oil Extraction Project (Mechanical Method)

Mechanical Pressing Process

The ripe castor seeds are dried and passed via dehulling to eliminate the shells before extraction. The seeds are then thoroughly pre-cleaned before cooking and then passed through another drying process. Cooking helps to thicken protein and to release the castor oil for optimal pressing. Pre-pressing is the initial phase of castor oil extraction. Pre-pressing is performed under very high pressure and consistent screw press or expeller. Afterward, the extracted castor oil is filtered before removing the materials from the castor oil and adding them back to the mainstream together with the fresh materials. The cake refers to the material that is eventually released from the screw press and incorporates eight to ten percent of the oil. It is then squeezed into a rough meal and then exposed to extraction with hexane (solvent extraction).

Solvent Extraction Process

Solvent extraction or liquid-liquid oil extraction plant involves distributing components between two immiscible phases. During the process, the castor seeds are thoroughly cleaned, and an oven is used to dry them before crushing the seeds and subjecting them to the solvent extraction procedure. PM (Particulate Matter) and VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) are the primary discharges from vegetable oil processing. PM comes from the transfer, handling, and the processing of raw castor seeds while VOC discharges result from hexane, the oil extraction solvent, and is classified as a harmful air pollutant. Smaller quantities of the solvent (approximately 0.2 percent of oil by volume of castor oil) are present in the crude oil after hexane is recovered by the distillation stripper and film evaporators.

Just feel free to contact us for details of customized castor oil extraction business plan! We will offer all around consulting service on plant oil machinery and oil extraction process.

Small Scale Castor Oil Extraction Unit

You maybe also interested in our small scale castor oil extraction unit which is very popular for small seed oil extraction business plan.

Click here to see more details of small castor oil press and pressing unit.

Industry and Market of Castor Oil

The global castor oil production is more than 1.3 Million tons each year. India is the leading producer with more than 60 percent market share. China is the second major producer with about 20 percent share while Brazil is the third largest producer with about 10 percent market share. Some countries in African and West Indies also produce small percentages of castor beans. In the Global oilseed trade market, castor oil has less than 0.15 percent. Oil World, a reputed vegetable oil statistics, only considers the production, consumption and business data in the various margins. 

The estimated 1.3 Mega Tons of overall castor oil produced per anum corresponds to approximately to 550 Kt of oil. The production of castor oil has consistently increased since the beginning of the 1970s. However, the production of oil has experienced fluctuations of nearly 20 percent. The storm damages experienced in the main production regions are the main causes of such variations. Almost 50 percent of all castor oil produced in the world is exported. About 80 percent of the international castor oil export comes from India and substantially dominates the vegetable oil market. About 30 wholesalers who operate globally have joined the ICOA (International Castor Oil Association) which was created in 1957. 

Currently, they produce not less than 90 percent of the overall castor oil global trade. As a consequence in speculations and production, the cost of castor oil varies significantly. In the past couple of years, it ranged from U$650 to U$1500 per every ton before taxation. The average price in the past decade was approximately U$900 per ton. Therefore, almost double the cost of rapeseed oil in Germany. America utilizes nearly 40 percent of the produced castor oil and its derivatives. The country also imported about 90 percent for its consumption. Since the beginning of 1970, castor oil extraction plants have not been established on a commercial scale.

Conclusion

The suggested castor oil extraction plant in South Africa must satisfy the expected production capacity of about 60 Kg per day based on the current demand and production trends. South Africa has a significant market for castor oil. Many local consumers utilize the castor oil for hair loss, skin care, and other domestic purposes. Castro oil is expected to become a fundamental biofuel source soon. As the benefits of castor oil continue to dominate the local and international media, most individuals are expressing interest in the unique oil product. The suggested castor oil extraction plant in South Africa should be sufficient to meet the local demand for castor oil and even provide a surplus for export.