Coconut Oil Mill
Coconut oil, also called copra oil, is a natural edible oil extracted from the dried kernel (copra) of mature coconuts (Cocos nucifera). With growing consumer demand for healthy cooking oils, cosmetic ingredients, and bio-based industrial products, establishing a modern coconut oil mill plant has become an attractive investment opportunity in coconut-producing regions.
We providecustomized coconut oil production solutions, including 30–1000 TPD coconut oil press plants and 1–600 TPD coconut oil refining plants, suitable for small, medium, and large-scale coconut oil processing projects.
Complete Coconut Oil Production Process
A fully-fledged coconut oil mill plant integrates three core stages:
- Pretreatment & Mechanical Pressing (primary oil recovery)
- Solvent Extraction (optional, for oil-rich press cake)
- Refining & Fractionation (edible-grade finishing)
For copra with 7–10% equilibrium moisture, optimal pressing efficiency is achieved. Higher moisture reduces screw press friction and lowers oil expression; lower moisture increases fines generation and energy consumption. Our process control systems monitor and adjust moisture in real time.
Coconut Oil Processing Flowchart:
Fresh coconut → Dehusking → Deshelling → Parboiling (optional) → Drying (copra production) → Cleaning → Crushing → Conditioning/Cooking → Pre-pressing → Second-stage pressing → Crude oil filtration → Solvent extraction (cake treatment) → Crude oil storage → Degumming → Neutralization → Bleaching → Dewaxing (winterization) → Deodorization → Finished refined coconut oil
1. Copra Cleaning & Metal Removal
Dried copra pieces first pass through a vibrating screener to remove dust, fibre, and oversized debris. A magnetic separator (permanent rare-earth magnet, ≥10,000 gauss) extracts tramp iron (nails, wire, tool fragments). This step is critical for protecting the oil press screw shafts and roller crusher dies.
2. Copra Crushing
Washed coconut meat is crushed into uniform small pieces using a tooth roller crusher. This step improves heat transfer during steaming, enhancing oil extraction efficiency. Studies show that flaking increases the specific surface area by 40–60%, directly improving oil cell rupture during mechanical expression.
3. Conditioning/Cooking – Thermal Pre-treatment
Crushed copra enters a vertical steam-jacketed conditioner fitted with continuous agitator paddles. Live steam (0.3–0.5 MPa) raises the material temperature to 90–110°C over 20–30 minutes. This cooking step performs three critical functions:
- Coagulates proteins – releases oil trapped in cellular structures
- Reduces oil viscosity – improves flow through the press cage
- Adjusts moisture – optimal range 7–10% for screw pressing
Inadequate cooking leaves 18–22% residual oil in the cake; proper conditioning lowers this to 12–15% before the first press.
4. Pre-pressing
The conditioned copra is conveyed to a heavy-duty coconut oil extraction machine equipped with a worm screw press. The first pressing extracts 65–70% of the total available oil, generating a crude oil stream with 2–5% solids and a press cake containing 15–20% residual oil.
5. Secondary Pressing
The pre-pressed cake undergoes a second pass through a higher-compression coconut oil press (often a continuous expeller with a smaller-diameter cage). This secondary pressing stage reduces the residual oil content to 5–8%, ultimately achieving a mechanical oil extraction rate of ≥70%. For dried coconut varieties with a lower initial oil content (e.g., 52–55%), the double-pressing strategy still ensures that the cake residue after secondary pressing is sufficiently refined to enable cost-effective solvent extraction.
6. Crude Oil Filtration
Crude oil from both pressing stages is combined and pumped through a plate-and-frame filter press (cellulose filter cloth, 25–50 μm pore size) to remove meal fines and coarse sediment. Filtered crude oil (acid value typically 5–10 mg KOH/g) is stored in heated, nitrogen-blanketed tanks to prevent hydrolysis and free fatty acid (FFA) increase during storage.
7. Solvent Extraction (Optional – for Low-Residue Cake)
For clients aiming at <1% oil loss, the mechanically pressed cake (5–8% oil) can be further processed in a solvent extraction plant using food-grade hexane (or isopropanol in some regions). A counter-current rotary extractor (e.g., loop-type or belt-type) recovers 95–98% of the remaining oil. The combined total oil recovery reaches 98–99%, and the final defatted copra meal (oil <0.8%) is valuable as high-protein animal feed (≥18% crude protein). Solvent recovery systems include distillation and desolventizer-toaster units with energy recycling.
8. Coconut Oil Refining:
Refining is essential for producing high-quality, edible coconut oil. It involves removing free fatty acids, gums, off-flavors, and pigments. Standard refining stages include: degumming, neutralization, bleaching, and deodorization.
We offer three types of coconut oil refining systems to accommodate varying production scales:
| Refining Type | Capacity Range | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|
| Batch Refining | 1–20 TPD | Small mills, multi-feedstock flexibility |
| Semi-Continuous | 20–50 TPD | Medium plants, balanced automation |
| Fully Continuous | 50–600 TPD | Large industrial coconut oil mill plants |
Advantages of our coconut oil mill plants
- High oil yield, minimal loss: Double mechanical pressing + optional solvent extraction reduces total oil loss to <0.8%, versus 3–5% in single-press systems.
- Wide capacity range: From small coconut oil mills to large industrial plants.
- Energy efficiency: Heat recovery from deodorizer exhaust preheats crude oil; variable-frequency drives on all major motors lower kWh per ton by 12–18%.
- Customized solutions: We deliver P&ID, 3D plant modelling, foundation drawings, and piping isometrics based on your site dimensions, raw material type (copra vs. fresh coconut), and utility availability (steam, water, power).
- Transparent coconut oil mill price: Our pricing includes main equipment, spare parts, commissioning supervision, and training—no hidden fees. We also offer flexible payment terms (L/C, T/T, and project financing support).
- Robust after-sales: 12-month warranty, 24/7 technical hotline, and on-site service within 72 hours globally.
Applications of Coconut Oil
Refined coconut oil serves diverse purposes:
- Edible oil: High-temperature frying (smoke point 204°C), bakery shortening, confectionery coating fats, and non-dairy creamers.
- Cosmetics industry: Base oil for soaps, shampoos, skin lotions, and lip balms—favoured for its rapid skin absorption and antimicrobial lauric acid (≈45–50% composition).
- Pharmaceutical sector: Carrier oil and traditional medicine applications
- Industrial sectors: Feedstock for biodiesel (via transesterification), lubricant additives, and surfactant production (e.g., fatty alcohol ethoxylates).
About Us
Established in 1950, Huatai is a leading Chinese manufacturer of edible oil machinery with over 1,200 installed oil plants across 60 countries. We specialize in the design, manufacturing, and installing coconut oil mills, oil press machines, and edible oil refinery plants.
By providing advanced equipment, reasonable coconut oil mill price, and turnkey project solutions to help global clients establish profitable coconut oil processing plants.