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Tea Extraction & Concentration Plants
Specialty Food, Beverage & By-Product Processing

Tea Extraction & Concentration Plants

A tea extraction and concentration plant turns made tea or fresh leaf into liquid tea extract or instant tea powder by hot-water extraction, clarification, vacuum concentration and, for powder, drying.

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Extraction hall with a conveyor carrying raw plant material from sacks to large stainless-steel extractors

Tea Extraction & Concentration Plants

Tea behaves differently from other extraction feeds. Its polyphenols and caffeine combine as the extract cools and cloud it, its aroma is easily lost during concentration, and the water used changes colour and scale. A buyer has to settle first which tea type and grade is the feed, whether the product is a concentrate for beverage makers or an instant powder, and whether aroma is recovered and returned. Those answers fix the extractor type and number of stages, the clarification route, whether a membrane step is acceptable and which dryer suits the tea. Extraction water quality, spent leaf removal and the steam and cooling water on site then set the utilities and layout. The production plan matters too, since a line that changes between tea types needs thorough cleaning between runs.

Hot water is passed over ground tea in batch vessels or in a counter-current battery, where fresh water meets the most spent leaf. Leaf-to-water ratio, particle size, agitation, time and temperature decide how much is extracted; more heat gives more strength but also a darker, harsher extract and more tannin. After the spent leaf is pressed or screened off, the extract is clarified. Tea cream, a haze of polyphenols and caffeine that appears as the extract cools, has to be chilled out and removed or otherwise treated if the product must dissolve clear in cold water. Aroma is stripped from the first extract or from evaporator vapour and added back later, because ordinary concentration drives it off. Concentration is done in a falling-film evaporator under vacuum to keep the temperature low. Membrane steps ahead of the dryer can strip aroma, so they need trials on the real extract. For powder, a spray dryer suits black tea, while green and jasmine tea may need freeze drying to hold their taste and aroma. Softened or demineralised water protects colour and limits scale.

Indicative Capacity Range

  • 100–5,000 kg feed/day

Key Specification Inputs

Extraction solvent/water, extraction stages, batch time, filtration and recovery.

Technical Specifications

TechnologyHot-water extraction of tea, followed by clarification, vacuum concentration and optional drying
FeedBlack or green leaf, broken grades, fannings or dust; the form of tea is a first specification
Product OptionsLiquid concentrate, instant powder or both
Extractor TypeBatch vessels or a counter-current battery, chosen by throughput and how often tea type changes
Extraction ConditionsLeaf-to-water ratio, particle size, agitation, time and temperature set for each tea grade
ClarificationCentrifuge or filter, with chilling and cream removal where a cold-clear product is needed; membrane steps only after trials
Aroma HandlingOptional recovery from the extract or evaporator vapour, returned to concentrate or powder
ConcentrationFalling-film evaporator under vacuum; heat recovery by extra effects or vapour recompression on steam cost
DryerSpray dryer, or freeze dryer for heat-sensitive green or aromatic teas
Contact MaterialFood-contact stainless steel, selected for tannin and cleaning chemicals
Water and UtilitiesSoftened or demineralised process water, steam, cooling water, chilled water, compressed air and power, plus a route for spent leaf

Typical Process Route

1

Leaf Inspection and Sizing

Incoming tea is checked for moisture, grade, foreign matter and mould, then sieved or broken to the size the extractor needs. Damp or mouldy tea carries its off-flavour into every batch of extract.

2

Extraction Water Preparation

Water is filtered and softened or demineralised to the level the product needs. Hardness dulls colour and scales the heated surfaces of the extractor and evaporator.

3

Hot-Water Extraction

Tea is extracted in batch vessels or a counter-current battery. Ratio, particle size, agitation, time and temperature set the strength; pushing temperature for more output darkens the extract and brings more tannin.

4

Spent Leaf Separation and Clarification

The extract is drained or pressed off the spent leaf and clarified by centrifuge or filter. Fine leaf that passes through fouls the evaporator and clouds the finished product.

5

Cooling and Cream Removal

As the extract cools, polyphenols and caffeine combine into cream. For a product that must stay clear in cold water, the cream is chilled out and removed or treated, which costs some strength and colour.

6

Aroma Recovery

Volatile aroma is captured from the first extract or the evaporator vapour and held cold for adding back. Skipping this step leaves a concentrate that tastes flat compared with the leaf.

7

Vacuum Concentration

Extract is concentrated under vacuum at a low temperature, giving a short heating time that protects flavour and colour. Tannin films build on the heated tubes, so descaling and cleaning are scheduled.

8

Drying for Powder

Concentrate is spray dried for black tea, while green or jasmine tea that loses taste in a hot dryer may call for freeze drying. Recovered aroma is returned to the concentrate or powder.

9

Packing

Concentrate is chilled or sealed into containers; powder is packed in a low-humidity room in moisture-barrier packs, because instant tea takes up water readily and cakes.

Process & Equipment Modules

  • Leaf receiving and sieving station
  • Water filtration and softening skid
  • Extraction vessels or counter-current extraction battery
  • Spent leaf press or screen
  • Clarifying centrifuge or filter
  • Chiller and settling tank for cream removal
  • Aroma recovery condenser and cold collection tank
  • Falling-film evaporator with vacuum system
  • Spray dryer or freeze dryer
  • Powder cooling and sifting section
  • Concentrate storage and filling
  • Cleaning-in-place station

Plant Output

Liquid tea concentrateInstant tea powderRecovered tea aromaSpent leaf for fuel or compost

Applications

  • Liquid tea concentrate for ready-to-drink and beverage manufacturers
  • Instant tea powder for sachets, vending and iced tea mixes
  • Black tea extract as a base for flavoured and sweetened drinks
  • Green tea extract for beverages and ingredient blends
  • Making use of broken grades, fannings and dust that sell cheaply as leaf
  • Recovered tea aroma for flavouring and for adding back to concentrate

Key Features

  • Cream Management

    Chilling, removal or treatment of tea cream is designed in for products that must stay clear when diluted cold.

  • Aroma Recovery Option

    Aroma is captured and returned, so the concentrate and powder keep more of the character of the leaf.

  • Water Treatment in the Scope

    Extraction water is softened or demineralised to a set quality, protecting colour and limiting scale on heated tea surfaces.

  • Extractor Matched to the Leaf

    Batch vessels suit small volumes and frequent changes of tea type; a counter-current battery suits steady, larger throughput.

  • Dryer Chosen by Tea Type

    Spray drying is suited to black tea, while freeze drying is considered where green or jasmine tea loses taste and aroma in a hot dryer.

  • Cleaned Between Tea Types

    Tannin films and colour carry over between runs, so cleaning-in-place and changeover routines are part of the design.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What information is needed to size Tea Extraction & Concentration Plants?
The kilograms of tea leaf fed each day and the tea type and grade, leaf moisture and particle size, whether the product is concentrate, instant powder or both, extraction water quality, the hours the plant will run, steam and cooling water available, and whether aroma recovery and cold-clear extract are needed.
What capacity range does Tea Extraction & Concentration Plants cover?
The indicative capacity range is 100–5,000 kg feed/day. It is stated on a feed basis per day, so restate your own volume on that basis and say how many hours a day the plant will run.
What is tea cream and how does the plant deal with it?
Tea cream is the cloudy deposit of polyphenols and caffeine that forms when a strong extract cools. It matters when the product must dissolve clear in cold water. The plant can chill the extract and remove the cream by centrifuge, or treat it before concentration. Either choice costs some strength and colour, so decide early whether a cold-clear product is the target.
Does extraction water quality matter for tea?
Yes. Hard water dulls colour and leaves scale on the extractor and evaporator, and dissolved metals can darken the extract. Softened or demineralised water is the usual answer, so water treatment belongs in the plant scope. Test the local source and say what it contains when you ask for a proposal.
Spray drying or freeze drying for instant tea?
Black tea stays stable under both methods, so a spray dryer is normally enough. Green tea loses taste in a hot dryer and jasmine tea loses aroma, so these may need freeze drying, which costs more to buy and run. The tea types you plan to make decide which dryer is workable.
How is tea aroma kept in the concentrate?
Aroma is a quality and price driver and is easily lost. A recovery condenser captures volatiles from the first extract or evaporator vapour, and they are added back after concentration. Membrane clarification before drying can also strip aroma, so any such step should be tested on your own extract before it is fixed in the design.
What tea can the plant take as feed?
The form of tea decides the product. Extract made from fresh-processed green leaf keeps components that already-processed tea has lost to heat. Black grades suit black tea extract, and broken grades, fannings and dust are common cheap feeds. Define the grade, moisture and particle size, and run trial extractions on that leaf before ordering.
Concentrate or instant powder: what changes in the plant?
A concentrate plant stops after the evaporator and needs chilled or sealed storage and filling. Instant powder adds a dryer, powder cooling, a dry packing room and dust control, and so costs more and needs more utilities. Some buyers start with concentrate and add a dryer later, so leave space and utility capacity for it.
How do I request a proposal for Tea Extraction & Concentration Plants?
Use the Request a Quote page and describe your project. Define the product (concentrate or powder), the tea supply and the quality target.

Enquire about Tea Extraction & Concentration Plants

Send your raw material, target product and capacity to Kadali Africa Ventures for a technical proposal.

Request a QuoteWhatsApp