Small-Scale Sunflower Oil Plant Equipment Configuration Plan

Looking to enter the healthy cooking oil market with minimal investment and quick returns? A small-scale sunflower oil plant offers easy-to-operate equipment and a fast payback, making it ideal for entrepreneurs and small businesses. With a scientifically designed, efficient, and reliable equipment configuration, you can start producing high-quality, natural sunflower oil and capture growing consumer demand.

1. Basic Requirements for a Small-Scale Sunflower Oil Plant

1.1 Production Capacity

• Small-scale plants typically process 0.5–20 tons of sunflower seeds per day.

• A 10 tons/day (10TPD) plant is a common and economical starting point.

• Processing 10 tons of sunflower seeds (oil content ~35%-50%) can produce approximately 3.5–5 tons of crude oil, yielding 3–4.5 tons of refined oil after refining.

1.2 Investment Scale

• Investment includes land, buildings, equipment, raw materials, environmental facilities, and working capital.

• A basic small-scale production line (pre-treatment + pressing + simple filtration) typically costs tens of thousands of USD; adding refining and dewaxing equipment increases the total investment.

1.3 Site Requirements

• Workshop area: approximately 150–300 m², depending on capacity.

• Considerations: raw material storage, finished oil storage, operation area, office space.

• Basic facility requirements: stable electricity, sufficient steam or heat source, ventilation, fire safety, and environmental protection measures.

2. Core Equipment Configuration for a Small Sunflower Oil Plant

2.1 Equipment Overview Table

Note: Dewaxing is critical for sunflower oil to prevent cloudiness at low temperatures and produce high-quality refined oil.

2.2 Stage Description

• Pre-treatment: Removes impurities, shells seeds, flakes, and conditions the kernels to improve oil yield and quality.

• Oil Pressing: Screw presses are ideal for small-to-medium continuous production, offering high oil yield and easy operation.

• Refining: Removes impurities and wax, improves clarity, smoke point, and taste; ensures compliance with national edible oil standards (e.g., GB 1534-2003 Grade 1).

• Bottling: Choose manual or automated systems based on market needs to improve packaging efficiency.

3. Advantages of a Small-Scale Sunflower Oil Plant

1. Low Initial Investment: Equipment investment is much lower than large-scale factories.

2. Quick Payback: Controllable investment and mature technology allow recovery within 1–3 years if well-managed.

3. Strong Market Demand: Healthy edible oils have steady, growing demand worldwide.

4. Flexible Products: Can produce crude oil, refined oil, or dewaxed oil to meet diverse customer needs.

5. Proximity to Raw Materials and Market: Planting near sunflower seed production areas reduces material and logistics costs, building regional brand recognition.

4. FAQ

Q1: How much oil can be obtained from one ton of sunflower seeds?
A: Oil content is around 35%-50%. Using a screw press, crude oil yield is approximately 35%-45%. After refining and dewaxing, finished oil yield is about 30%-40%.

Q2: How many workers are needed to operate a small production line?
A: Depends on automation. A 10TPD basic line (pre-treatment + pressing) typically requires 2–3 operators. Including refining and bottling may need 4–6 staff on shifts.

Q3: Is refining equipment necessary?
A: Not mandatory, but highly recommended. Refining removes impurities and wax, improves oil quality, safety, and marketability, and facilitates entry into supermarkets and retail channels.

Q4: Can a small sunflower oil plant expand in the future?
A: Yes. Plant layout and equipment can allow gradual expansion as market demand grows.

Start your sunflower oil business with a reliable sunflower oil production line designed for small to medium-scale plants. From seed cleaning to bottling, our solutions provide efficient production, high-quality oil, and fast return on investment. Contact us now for your customized setup!