Patent ID: 7297261

Claim:
A system for removing at least one lipid from a fluid containing lipids or lipid-containing organisms, comprising: an extraction solvent source containing an extraction solvent; a delipidation device that receives a mixture of the fluid and the extraction solvent and dissolves at least a portion of the lipids; a solvent removal subsystem coupled to the delipidation device such that the solvent removal subsystem receives at least a portion of the mixture from the delipidation device, the solvent removal subsystem comprising: a recirculating vessel with at least two inlet ports and an outlet port; an output buffer container; at least one hollow fiber contactor; a sensor coupled to a conduit disposed adjacent the outlet port of the recirculating vessel and configured to detect a level of the extraction solvent within the portion of the mixture; and at least one valve positioned adjacent the sensor that directs the portion of the mixture exiting the outlet port of the recirculating vessel (i) to the output buffer container when the extraction solvent level detected by the sensor is below the predetermined threshold and (ii) to the at least one hollow fiber contactor when the extraction solvent level detected by the sensor is above the predetermined threshold.