Tanzania sunflower oil processing line supplier | QIE Group integrated solutions

From Field to Bottle: The Complete Process of a Sunflower Seed Oil Production Line

In sun-drenched Tanzania, East Africa, sunflower fields undulate like a golden sea with the seasons. This region is not only one of Africa's most important sunflower seed producing areas but also a rising star in the global edible oil industry. In recent years, with strong government support for agricultural processing, investors have shown great interest in the potential for deep processing of local sunflower seed oil.

However, raw material advantages do not equate to market dominance. How to transform plump sunflower seeds into high-quality, high-value-added edible oil? Behind this lies a complete and sophisticated process chain – the core competence that QIE Group has cultivated for decades.

I. Pretreatment System: Laying the Foundation for High Oil Yield

We often say, "Good oil begins with respect for the raw materials." Tanzania sunflower seeds typically have an oil content of 45%-54%, and improper processing can lead to a decrease in oil yield of more than 10%.

The preprocessing stage includes:

1. Deep cleaning

   • 🔹 Multi-stage combined cleaning equipment (vibrating screen, magnetic separator, destoner) removes stones, dust, metal and stems.

   • 🔹 Ensure stable operation of subsequent equipment to reduce the risk of downtime. ( 🔗: View sunflower seed cleaning equipment )

1. Precise dehulling and separation

   • 🔹 High-efficiency shelling machine + air separation/screening system to remove oil-free shells.

   • 🔹 Improving oil yield and crude oil quality is the key starting point for an efficient production line.

2. quenching and tempering of rolled billets

   • 🔹 After being shelled, the kernels are rolled evenly to break down their cell structure.

   • 🔹 The steaming and frying pan precisely controls temperature and humidity, creating optimal conditions for efficient pressing.

II. Core Oil Extraction Technology: Flexible Adaptation to Different Scale Needs

1. Pre-pressing-leaching (preferred for medium to large-scale projects)

• First, pre-press the oil using a twin-screw oil press; the oil content of the cake is 12%-18%.

• It is then sent to the solvent leaching workshop (n-hexane) to reduce the residual oil content to below 1%.

• It boasts the highest overall oil yield, making it suitable for customers seeking economies of scale.

2. Full pressing (preferred for small and medium-sized projects)

• The optimized design of the high-efficiency twin-screw oil press unit achieves a high oil yield per press.

• Low investment and operating costs, easy maintenance. ( 🔗 : Learn about sunflower seed oil pressing equipment )

III. Refining Process: Transforming crude oil into shelf-ready refined oil products.

Freshly extracted crude oil contains impurities such as free fatty acids, pigments, and waxes, and must undergo five refining steps:

1. Degumming: Removes phospholipids and improves transparency.
2. Deacidification: Reduces acid value and extends shelf life.
3. Decolorization: Activated carbon adsorbs pigments and enhances color.
4. Deodorization: High-temperature steam removes odors, ensuring pure flavor.
5. Dewaxing: Low-temperature crystallization filtration ensures no turbidity in winter.

We offer three refining modes: intermittent, semi-continuous, and fully continuous, allowing customers to choose freely based on their production capacity budget. ( 🔗 : View sunflower seed oil refining equipment )

Real-world experience: QIE's successful implementation in Africa

Case 1: Tanzania 30TPD Project – Pre-pressing + circular leaching + continuous refining (including dewaxing) achieves residual oil of less than 1%, and the finished oil meets TBS and Codex standards. Customer feedback: "High level of automation, especially stable operation of pre-treatment and refining, reduces raw material loss and labor costs, and the oil yield exceeds expectations."

Case Study 2: Uganda 20TPD Project – Full pressing + intermittent refining, with only 6%-7% residual oil in the dry cake, 15% lower energy consumption than similar equipment, simple maintenance, suitable for small and medium-sized farmers to upgrade and transform.

Why choose QIE? We don't just sell equipment, we're a reliable partner

• High oil yield guaranteed: Optimized design throughout the entire process reduces oil absorption loss, increasing the average oil yield per line by 8%-12%.
• Energy saving and consumption reduction: The thermal energy cascade utilization + solvent recovery system can save more than 150,000 kWh of electricity per year.
• Intelligent control system: PLC/DCS automatic control, fault warning 3 hours in advance, reducing downtime risk.
• Full lifecycle service : Factory layout planning → Equipment supply → Installation guidance → Commissioning → Training → Production.
• Durable and easy to maintain: Stainless steel key components + modular structure, convenient maintenance and long service life.
• Continuous optimization : Providing improvement suggestions based on production data.