Patent ID: 8212060

Claim:
A method of extracting lipids from an oleaginous material, the method comprising: a. providing a plurality of inlet reservoirs and a plurality of separation devices; b. directing an oleaginous material and a first solvent mixture to a first inlet reservoir and to a first separation device; c. separating said oleaginous material and said first solvent mixture into a first retentate portion and a first diffusate portion; d. directing said first retentate portion to a subsequent inlet reservoir and separation device; e. combining said first retentate portion with a second solvent mixture, said second solvent mixture not including said first diffusate portion; f. separating said first retentate portion and said second solvent mixture into a second retentate portion and a second diffusate portion; g. directing said second retentate portion to a subsequent inlet reservoir and separation device; h. combining said second retentate portion with a third solvent mixture, said third solvent mixture not including said first or second diffusate portions; i. separating said second retentate portion and said third solvent mixture into a third retentate portion and a third diffusate portion; wherein the polarity of said second solvent mixture is less than the polarity of said first solvent mixture; and wherein the polarity of said third solvent mixture is less than the polarity of said second solvent mixture.