Compact groundnut peanut oil mill interior in Khartoum Sudan, small industrial space, press machines running, amber oil flowing, warm North African light through industrial windows
10 TPD Groundnut Oil Plant in Sudan
Compact urban groundnut oil mill in Khartoum North — designed around 450 m² space constraints, regular 2–4 hour power outages, and Sudan's world-class groundnut quality.
Project Overview
Sudan is one of the world's most significant groundnut producers, with annual production of 2.5–3.5 million tonnes from North Kordofan, South Kordofan, Gedaref, and Blue Nile states. Sudanese groundnuts are particularly valued for their high oil content (45–52%) and distinctive flavour. Despite this, approximately 70% of Sudan's groundnut production was historically exported as raw commodity — with processing margin captured in importing countries rather than in Sudan.
An urban entrepreneur in Khartoum North — one of Khartoum's industrial and commercial districts — secured a 450 m² factory unit and set about establishing a small groundnut oil mill to supply the Khartoum consumer market. The factory space was adequate but not generous: the entire plant including a generator room needed to fit within this footprint.
The most significant operational challenge in Khartoum is power reliability. The city grid experiences regular interruptions of 2–4 hours duration, occurring on average 8–10 days per month. This meant that a diesel generator backup was not optional — it was mandatory for viable commercial operation. SinoOil's design incorporated an automatic voltage regulator (AVR stabilizer) to protect motors from grid voltage fluctuations common before and after outages, plus an automatic generator changeover switch that transfers plant load within 30 seconds of grid failure.
The refinery design deliberately avoids a steam boiler — which would add significant capital cost, operating complexity, and generator load. Instead, the batch degumming vessel uses electric heating elements (3 kW, thermostatically controlled), sufficient for the 1T batch size and significantly simpler to operate and maintain. The entire plant electrical load including electric-heated refinery vessel fits within a 45 kVA generator.
Since commissioning in October 2023, the plant has run two shifts per day with zero major equipment breakdowns. The generator changeover operates reliably during grid outages, and operators follow a simple checklist for switchover. The Khartoum groundnut oil is sold directly to local market traders and retail shops.
Process Flow
Compact 9-step groundnut oil process optimized for 450 m² urban factory with generator-ready electrical design.
Equipment List
12-item machinery list for the Khartoum North 10 TPD compact groundnut oil plant with power backup systems.
| # | Equipment | Model | Qty | Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vibrating cleaning screen | TQLZ60 | 1 | Removes stones, chaff, and debris from incoming groundnut |
| 2 | Peanut dehulling machine | BTM-600 | 1 | Removes shells, increases oil yield to 43%+ from whole-nut 38% |
| 3 | Shell-kernel gravity separator | — | 1 | Post-dehulling airflow separation of shells from kernels |
| 4 | Rotary drum roaster | CYJ-2 | 1 | 180°C roasting; LPG or natural gas fired; aroma development |
| 5 | Screw oil press | 6YL-160 | 2 | ~5 TPD each; redundant press design for maintenance flexibility |
| 6 | Plate and frame filter press | BASY-320 | 1 | Crude oil clarification post-pressing |
| 7 | Crude oil storage tanks | — | 2 | 2T each, carbon steel |
| 8 | Electric-heated batch degumming vessel | DG-1000E | 1 | 1T batch, 3 kW electric heating element, thermostat-controlled; no steam boiler needed |
| 9 | Refined oil storage tanks | — | 2 | 3T each, food-grade SS304 |
| 10 | AVR automatic voltage regulator | AVR-40kVA | 1 | Protects all motors from grid voltage fluctuations; critical for Sudan grid conditions |
| 11 | Generator changeover switch (ATS) | ATS-100A | 1 | Automatic transfer to 45 kVA diesel generator within 30 seconds of grid failure |
| 12 | Manual control panel | — | 1 | Push-button + indicator lights; Arabic-labelled for operator convenience |
Results
Operational outcomes after 8 months of production at the Khartoum North groundnut oil mill.
"Sudan has the best groundnuts in the world but we were giving them away as raw commodity. My little factory now adds the value here in Khartoum. The generator changeover works perfectly — my workers know what to do when the grid fails. We have not had one major breakdown since we started."— Owner, Khartoum groundnut oil mill, Sudan | November 2023
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View all Africa projects →Frequently Asked Questions
Sudan groundnut production, power reliability, generator sizing, and compact oil mill design questions answered.
Is Sudan a major groundnut producer?
Yes. Sudan is among the world's top 5 groundnut producers, producing 2.5–3.5 million tonnes annually — making it one of the largest in Africa. Sudanese groundnuts (particularly from North Kordofan and Gedaref states) are prized for their high oil content (45–52%) and distinctive flavour. Despite this production scale, Sudan historically exported most groundnuts as raw commodity, with processing margin captured in importing countries rather than in Sudan. This creates a significant processing opportunity for entrepreneurs with local access to raw groundnut supply.
How do I design an oil mill for unreliable grid power supply?
Designing an oil mill for unreliable grid supply involves four elements: (1) Automatic voltage regulator (AVR stabilizer) — protects motors and control panels from voltage fluctuations common in African grid supply; (2) Generator changeover switch (ATS) — automatically transfers load to generator when grid fails; (3) Diesel generator sized at 110–120% of plant running load; (4) UPS for the control panel — prevents loss of settings and timer state during switchover. In Sudan, where outages average 2–4 hours daily, the Khartoum plant uses a 45 kVA generator and runs approximately 8 days/month on generator power.
What size generator do I need for a 10 TPD groundnut oil mill?
A 10 TPD groundnut oil mill with 2× 6YL-160 screw presses, cleaning screen, roaster, and electric-heated batch degumming vessel has a total connected load of approximately 30–40 kW. For reliable generator backup covering all equipment simultaneously, a 45–60 kVA diesel generator is recommended (accounting for motor starting surge currents, typically 3–5× running current). If the refinery is electric-heated, add 8–12 kW for heating elements. The Khartoum plant uses a 45 kVA generator that covers all essential process equipment.
What is the groundnut oil market in Sudan?
Sudan's domestic groundnut oil market is substantial — groundnut oil is the traditional cooking oil for most Sudanese households, particularly in central and northern regions. Despite Sudan's world-leading groundnut production, the domestic refined groundnut oil supply historically came from a mix of local small mills and imported refined vegetable oils. Urban consumers in Khartoum increasingly demand clear, filtered groundnut oil over raw pressed oil. The entrepreneur model of buying local groundnut at farm-gate prices and selling refined oil in Khartoum captures a significant processing margin in one of Africa's largest groundnut-producing nations.
Is electric heating or steam heating better for a small oil refinery?
For small oil refineries under 20 TPD, electric heating is generally preferred over steam for several reasons: (1) No steam boiler capital cost ($8,000–$25,000 saved), (2) No boiler operator licensing requirement, (3) No water treatment chemicals, (4) Easier generator backup — electric-heated tanks have a predictable constant load easier to size for than a steam boiler; (5) Lower maintenance. The disadvantages of electric heating: higher ongoing electricity cost per unit heat vs. gas, and slower heating time for large batches. For the Khartoum plant's 10 TPD scale with regular generator operation, electric heating was the correct choice.
Build Your Groundnut Oil Mill in Africa
Compact 5–20 TPD groundnut oil plants with generator backup design. Engineered for African power conditions. Arabic, French, and English documentation available.