Cottonseed quote guide: six fields close the loop in one round
Cottonseed equipment quote moves fast when six fields are filled: 1) feed status (linted or acid/saw delinted; whole-seed or dehulled kernel; oil content 18-22% whole / 35-45% kernel; moisture 8-12%; gossypol lab cert), 2) scale (10-30 t/d gin-side / 50-100 t/d mill / 1-3 t/d pilot), 3) press class + count (200-325 ton × 1-10 units), 4) refining scope (sell crude, on-site NBD, or contract refining), 5) cake/by-product plan (ruminant feed bagged 23-44% protein, hulls feed/fuel/board, linters cellulose), 6) compliance (FAO/WHO free gossypol <0.045%, FDA, EU 1881/2006, China GB 1535, Halal/Kosher).
Feed and scale
Linted/delinted (acid 90-95% / saw 70-85%), whole-seed (yield 14-18%) or dehulled kernel (28-35%). Scale: 10-30 t/d gin-side / 50-100 t/d mill / 1-3 t/d pilot.
Press, refining, cake
Press: 200-325 ton × 1-10 units, 100 kg/barrel, 30-45 min/cycle, 80-110°C jacket. Refining: crude only / NBD train ($200-400k for 50 t/d). Cake: feed bag 23-44% protein.
Compliance and by-products
Compliance: free gossypol <0.045% (FAO/WHO), FFA <0.1%, peroxide <2, EU 1881/2006, US FDA, China GB 1535. By-products: hulls 35-45% (feed/fuel/board), linters 5-15% (cellulose).
Six required fields
What turns an inquiry into a fast cottonseed proposal
- Feed: linted (need linter saw or acid delinter) or pre-delinted; whole seed (yield 14-18%) or dehulled kernel (28-35%); oil + moisture + gossypol lab data.
- Scale + cadence: 1-3 t/d pilot / 10-30 t/d gin-side seasonal / 50-100 t/d industrial mill year-round. Operating days/year and shifts/day.
- Press class: 200-325 ton × 1-10 units, 100 kg/barrel, 30-45 min/cycle, jacket 80-110°C.
- Refining scope: sell crude oil to refinery (no NBD onsite, save $200-400k capex), or build NBD train (degum + neutralize + bleach + deodorize 240-260°C) for finished retail oil.
- Cake/by-product plan: ruminant feed bagged 23-28% (whole-seed cake) or 41-44% (decorticated meal); hulls feed/fuel/board; linters cellulose.
- Compliance: free gossypol <0.045% (FAO/WHO + FDA + EU + GB), FFA <0.1%, peroxide <2, organic, Halal, Kosher.
Site data
Attachments that prevent rework
- Workshop drawing: m² × ceiling height (5 m for press hall + refining), drainage, fire exits, fire safety class for linter dust.
- Utility readings: 380V/50Hz (or 480V/60Hz US) available kW (200-500 kW for 30-100 t/d), boiler steam capacity (1-3 t/h), water (jacket cooling + cleaning), compressed air.
- Existing equipment: linter saw, sheller, cooker, press, settling tank, refining train — capacity, model, age, condition.
- Seed COA: oil content (18-22% whole / 35-45% kernel), moisture, FFA, free + bound gossypol, lint %, hull %.
- Project scope: crude-oil seller (gin-side simple) / refined retail brand (full NBD + bottling) / export (compliance + container logistics) — drives capex 5-10×.
Questions to confirm next
What is the minimum data set for a same-week cottonseed quote?
Press-only or full pretreatment + refining line?
Keep the engineering path moving
These next topics sharpen process, layout, and utility scope
Ready to size a line for your oilseed?
Share feed condition, pretreatment depth, shift output, post-press destination, and utility limits. We use that to narrow the scope to the pressing section, clarification loop, and real factory boundary.