Castor Oil Manufacturing Process Flowchart

Step 1: Castor Seed Dehulling

Castor seed contains about 30%–35% oil. The extraction process begins with the removal of the hull from the castor oil seeds. This can be accomplished with the help of a castor seed dehuller.

Step 2: Castor Seed Cleaning

After removing the hull from the seed, the seeds are cleaned in seed cleaner, the equipment has screens of various sizes that can remove inorganic impurities.

Step 3: Castor Seed Cooking

In this process, the cleaned seeds are heated in a steam-jacketed cooker/kettle to remove moisture, and this hardening process will help in extraction. The cooked seeds are then dried before the extraction process begins.

Step 4: Castor Seed Pressing

A screw oil press machine is used to crush the castor oil-seeds to facilitate removal of the oil. The first phase of this extraction is called pre-pressing. After pressing oil is collected and filtered and the filtered material is combined back with new, fresh seeds for repeat extraction. In this way, the bulk filtered material keeps getting collected and runs through several extraction cycles combining with new bulk material as the process gets repeated. This material is finally ejected from the press and is known as castor cake.

Step 5: Castor Oil Clarification

In Reaction Vessel, the castor oil is heated by steam heating coils up to 60 – 70oC followed by open steam injection to increase moisture content with continuous Agitation allowing the temperature to reach 100 – 110 oC. This kick starts the Water Hydrolysis reaction which makes the sludge to coagulate resulting in the formation of a heavy phase. This coagulated sludge is allowed to settle down in the Reaction Vessel from where it is collected into the Sludge Pans.

Cylindrical Vessel with Open top & Conical Bottom in MS Construction with Steam Heating Coil & Open Steam Injection Arrangement with adequate surface area, with agitator assembly, Geared motor etc. for Conditioning & Degumming Raw Castor Oil to produce Commercial Grade Castor Oil.