Processes of evaporating alcoholic liquors

Claim 1

METHOD OF EVAPORATING AN ALCOHOL CONTAINING LIQUID WITH SIMULTANEOUS RECOVERY OF THE ALCOHOL CONTAINED THEREIN WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING SAID LIQUID INTO THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE STAGE OF A MULTISTAGE EVAPORATING SYSTEM HAVING STAGES PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING IN TEMPERATURE FROM SAID LOWEST TEMPERATURE STAGE, EACH STAGE BEING HEATED BY HEAT EXCHANGE WITH VAPORS FROM THE NEXT HIGHER TEMPERATURE STAGE WHEREIN THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE VAPORS IS CONDENSED WHEREBY SAID CONDENSED VAPORS STILL INCLUDE UNCONDENSED GASES, RECOVERING THE MAJOR PORTION OF SAID CONTAINED ALCOHOL IN THE FORM OF VAPOR FROM SAID LOWEST TEMPERATURE STAGE, LEAVING A LIQUID CONTAINING A MINOR PROPORTION OF ALCOHOL, CONDENSING SAID ALCOHOL VAPOR TO OBTAIN AN ALCOHOLIC CONDENSATE, FURTHER CONCENTRATING SAID ALCOHOLIC CONDENSATE IN A DISTILLATION COLUMN BY THE DIRECT HEAT OF SAID UNCONDENSED GASES FROM THE EVAPORATING STAGE OF THE SYSTEM OPERATING AT A HIGHER TEMPERATURE THAN SAID LOWEST TEMPERATURE STAGE, AND FURTHER EVAPORATING THE LIQUID FROM THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE EVAPORATION STAGE CONTAINING A MINOR PROPORTION OF ALCOHOL IN THE STAGE OPERATING AT THE NEXT HIGHEST TEMPERATURE TO RECOVER RESIDUAL ALCOHOL CONTAINED THEREIN.