Process and apparatus for flash distillation

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR DISTILLATION OF A DISTILLABLE MATERIAL COMPRISING INTRODUCING SUCH A MATERIAL INTO A FIRST SECTION OF A DISTILLATION ZONE UNDER FLASHING CONDITIONS TO VAPORIZE A PORTION OF SAID MATERIAL, THUS FORMING VAPORS CONTAINING ENTRAINED LIQUID PARTICLES; PASSING SAID VAPORS IN CONTACT WITH A SPRAY OF LIQUID PARTICLES MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE AT LEAST AS HIGH AND HAVING A MOMENTUM AT LEAST AS GREAT AS THAT OF PARTICLES IN VAPORS CONTACTED THEREWITH SO AS TO CAUSE IMPINGEMENT OF SAID SPRAYED PARTICLES WITH SAID ENTRAINED LIQUID PARTICLES IN SAID VAPORS AND TO CAUSE SETTLING OF RESULTING IMPINGED LIQUID PARTICLES AND SPRAYED PASSING VAPORS FROM SAID FIRST SECTION TO A SECOND SECTION OF SAID DISTILLATION ZONE; AND THEREIN CONDENSING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID VAPORS; AND REMOVING LIQUID, FORMED AS A RESULT OF CONDENSING VAPORS IN SAID SECOND SECTION, SEPARATELY FROM LIQUID SETTLED IN SAID SECTION TO A POINT OUTSIDE SAID DISTILLATION ZONE.