Shell removal. The requirements for shell removal and kernel separation of the tea seed oil press are: high cracking rate, no seed loss, and small powder degree; the shell content in the kernel should be between 5%-10%, tested with a 10-mesh per inch sieve (aperture of 2mm); the kernel content in the shell should not exceed 0.5% (hand-picked inspection), and if there are whole seeds, they should be counted after shell removal.
2. Flattening. The purpose of flattening is to achieve a certain particle size of the oil material, making it easier to enter the gaps between the rollers in the extrusion machine; during the subsequent oil material steaming and roasting process, the tea seed oil press increases the contact surface of the kernel during heating, facilitating the adjustment of moisture and material temperature.
3. Steam and Roast. The process of converting raw oil material obtained from rolling billets into mature embryos through wetting with water, heating, steaming, and roasting, is known as steam and roast. The main function of steam and roast in the tea seed oil press is: to extract the oil more fully; reduce the power consumption of oil extraction; adjust the structure of the material embryo to meet the requirements of pressing; and facilitate the production of higher-quality oil.
4. Essential Conditions for Oil Extraction Using a Tea Seed Oil Press: The hydraulic pressure of the oil within the channels of the material being pressed should be as high as possible; the pressing time should be as long as possible within a certain limit (but not too long to prevent saponin hardening); the viscosity of the compressed oil should be as low as possible.
