Vacuum distillation

Claim 2

IN A VACUUM DISTILLATION PROCESS WHEREIN MATERIAL IS PARTIALLY FLASH VAPORIZED IN A FIRST ZONE AT SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES SEPARATING AN UNVAPORIZED PORTION OF SAID MATERIAL FROM SAID VAPORS, FLOWING AN UNVAPORIZED PORTION OF SAID MATERIAL OUT TO CONTACT AND SEPARATED FROM SAID VAPORS TO A SECOND ZONE IN OPEN VAPOR COMMUNICATION WITH SAID FIRST ZONE AND FLASH REDISTILLING SAME AT A PRESSURE SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER THAN SAID SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, SO THAT A SECOND FLASH DISTILLATION IS OBTAINED IN THE SAME VACUUM DISTILLATION SYSTEM, UTILIZING PRESSURE REDUCING MEANS EMPLOYED IN MAINTAINING SAID SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, AS THE SOLE SOURCE OF VACUUM FOR SAID PARTIAL VAPORIZATION AND SAID SECOND FLASH REDISTILLING.

Claim 3

IN THE VACUUM DISTILLATION OF A HEAVY OIL THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING INTRODUCING LIQUID CHARGE STOCK INTO A DISTILLATION ZONE, UNDER FLASH CONDITIONS PROVIDING FOR VAPORIZATION OF A PORTION OF SAID CHARGE TO FORM VAPORS CONTAINING ENTRAINED LIQUID DROPLETS, IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE DIRECTION OF VAPOR FLOW THEREIN AND AGAINST A LIQUID COALESCING SURFACE, UNDER CONDITIONS CAUSING VAPORS EMITTED TOWARD SAID SURFACE TO SUDDENLY CHANGE THEIR DIRECTION OF FLOW SUBSEQUENT TO CONTACTING SAID SURFACE, WHEREBY SEPARATIONS OF UNVAPORIZED AND VAPORIZED PORTIONS OF CHARGE IS FACILITATED AND ENTRAINMENT OF LIQUID IN THE VAPOR FORM IS MAINTAINED BY COALESCING OF UNVAPORIZED LIQUID DROPLETS ON SAID COALESCING SURFACE, AND DRAINING COALESCING LIQUID FROM SAID SURFACE AND COLLECTING LIQUID SO DRAINED BELOW SAID COALESCING SURFACE.

Claim 4

IN THE VACUUM DISTILLATION OF A HEAVY OIL THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING INTRODUCING LIQUID CHARGE STOCK INTO A DISTILLATION ZONE, UNDER FLASH CONDITIONS PROVIDING FOR VAPORIZATION OF A PORTION OF SAID CHARGE TO FORM VAPORS CONTAINING ENTRAINED LIQUID DROPLETS, IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE DIRECTION OF VAPOR FLOW THEREIN AND AGAINST A LIQUID COALESCING SURFACE, UNDER CONDITIONS CAUSING VAPORS EMITTED TOWARD SAID SURFACE TO SUDDENLY CHANGE THEIR DIRECTION OF FLOW SUBSEQUENT TO CONTACTING SAID SURFACE, WHEREBY SEPARATIONS OF UNVAPORIZED AND VAPORIZED PORTIONS OF CHARGE IS FACILITATED AND ENTRAINMENT OF LIQUID IN THE VAPOR FORM IS MAINTAINED BY COALESCING OF UNVAPORIZED LIQUID DROPLETS ON SAID COALESCING SURFACE, AND DRAINING COALESCING LIQUID FROM SAID SURFACE AND COLLECTING LIQUID SO DRAINED BELOW SAID COALESCING SURFACE.