What Are the Main Methods of Canola Oil Extraction?

Modern canola oil mills primarily employ two processing methods:

1. Mechanical pressing (cold-pressing and hot-pressing)
2. Solvent extraction (usually after pre-pressing)

Both systems are widely utilized in industrial canola oil processing plants, selected based on required oil quality, investment budget, and production scale.

1. Mechanical Pressing Method

Mechanical pressing involves physically squeezing rapeseed using a canola oil press (also known as a screw oil press) to extract oil. This method is further divided into cold pressing and hot pressing.

Canola Oil Hot Pressing Process

Hot pressing utilizes heat and mechanical force to maximize oil yield, making it suitable for medium to large-scale rapeseed oil mills.

1. Seed Cleaning
   Canola seeds are passed through cleaning equipment such as vibrating screens, destoners, and magnetic separators to remove impurities like dust, stones, and metals.
2. Seed Conditioning
   Seeds are heated and humidified in conditioning silos or rotary cookers to regulate temperature and moisture, helping break cell walls and improve oil yield.
3. Flaking
   Conditioned seeds are pressed into thin flakes using flaking rollers, increasing surface area for efficient oil extraction during pressing or solvent extraction.
4. Cooking / Steaming
   Flakes are steamed at 110–120°C to denature proteins, reduce oil viscosity, and improve oil yield.
5. Pressing
   The cooked flakes are fed into a rapeseed oil press. A rotating screw shaft generates high pressure and friction, forcing oil to flow out. The crude oil is filtered, leaving a cake containing 5-10% residual oil.

Cold Pressing Process

Cold pressing is a traditional, clean method for extracting canola oil without heating or chemical solvents.

Advantages:

• High nutritional value
• All-natural quality
• Long shelf life
• High market value

However, cold pressing yields lower oil extraction rates compared to hot pressing.

Huatai professional cold press oil press — Processes over 100 types of oilseeds without steam frying, maintaining low temperatures to prevent nutrient loss.

2. Solvent Extraction Method

For large-scale production aiming to maximize oil yield, solvent extraction is the most efficient method. It is typically combined with the pre-pressing process in canola oil extraction plants.

Process Flow:

Canola Seeds → Cleaning → Conditioning → Flaking → Cooking → Pre-pressing → Pre-pressed Cake → Solvent Extraction → Meal Desolventizing → Mixed Crude Oil

Key Advantages:

• Higher oil yield, with residual oil content in cake reduced to below 1%.
• More economical for daily capacities exceeding 200 tons.
• Lower operating costs per ton compared to full pressing.

Pre-press Solvent Extraction System:

This hybrid process first removes 70-80% of oil using canola oil presses, followed by solvent extraction of the cake. It balances equipment costs, energy consumption, and overall efficiency, making it the preferred choice for modern canola oil processing plants.

Rapeseed Oil Refining Process

Crude canola oil contains impurities like phospholipids, free fatty acids, pigments, and odors. Refining is essential to produce clear, stable, and safe edible oil.

Refining Stages:

• Degumming – Removes phospholipids using water or acid.
• Neutralization – Alkaline treatment to remove free fatty acids.
• Bleaching – Adsorption of pigments and residues using activated clay.
• Deodorization – Steam distillation under vacuum to eliminate off-flavors and volatile compounds.

A well-designed rapeseed oil refinery ensures high-quality oil, extended shelf life, and compliance with food-grade standards.

Canola Oil Processing Plant Cost Analysis

Setting up a canola oil mill plant involves considerable investment. Below is an estimated cost breakdown for solvent extraction-based plants (key equipment included):

Component	Small Plant (50 TPD)	Medium Plant (100–200 TPD)	Large Plant (300–500 TPD)
Pretreatment Equipment	$150,000 – $300,000	$300,000 – $600,000	$800,000 – $1,500,000
Extraction System	$400,000 – $600,000	$800,000 – $1,500,000	$2,000,000 – $3,500,000
Refining Line	$200,000 – $350,000	$500,000 – $900,000	$1,200,000 – $2,500,000
Automation & Control	$50,000 – $100,000	$100,000 – $200,000	$300,000 – $500,000
Installation & Civil Work	$300,000 – $600,000	$600,000 – $1,200,000	$1,500,000 – $3,000,000
Total Estimated Investment	$1.1 – $2.0 million	$2.3 – $4.4 million	$5.8 – $11.0 million

Additional Operating Costs:

Working Capital: 15–25% of fixed asset investment
Solvent Consumption: 1.5–3.0 kg per ton of raw seeds
Energy Costs: Steam, electricity, water (25–35% of operating cost)
Maintenance: 2–3% of total equipment investment per year

Customized Canola Oil Mill Solutions

Huatai Group delivers turnkey canola oil processing plants, encompassing engineering design, equipment manufacturing, on-site installation, commissioning, and operator training.

Your final solution will depend on:

• Production capacity
• Required oil quality
• Budget constraints
• Desired automation level
• Local raw material characteristics

Contact Henan Huatai Group today to discuss your rapeseed oil mill plant project. We will help you build a profitable, sustainable, and high-quality edible oil production line.