Vacuum evaporator

Claim 1

IN A MULTISTAGE SYSTEM FOR CONCENTRATING FEED LIQUID, THE COMBINATION OF MEANS SUPPLYING HIGH TEMPERATURE FEED LIQUID UNDER PRESURE, EVAPORATOR MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID LIQUID SUPPLYING MEANS FOR RECEIVING LIQUID THEREFROM AT A HIGH VELOCITY AND PARTICALLY EVAPORATING THE LIQUID INTO A LIQUID AND VAPOR MIXUTURE UNDER SUCTION PRESSURE, VAPOR HEATING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID EVAPORATOR MEANS FOR EFECTING SAID PARTIAL EVAPORATION, SEPARATOR MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE EVAPORATOR MEANS FOR RECEIVING THE LIQUID AND VAPOR MIXTURE THEREFROM AND SEPARATING THE MIXTURE INTO CONCENTRATED LIQUID AND VAPOR, PREHEATER MEANS CONNECTED TO THE SEPARATOR MEANS FOR RECEIVING THE VAPOR THEREFROM FOR ELEVATING SAID FEED LIQUID TO SAID HIGH TEMPERATURE, SAID EVAPORATOR MEANS COMPRISING VERTICALLY DISPOSED CHAMBER MEANS, A PLURALITY OF SPACED HEAT TRANSFER TUBES MOUNTED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER MEANS AND EXTENDING BEYOND LOWER AND UPPER ENDS OF THE CHAMBER MEANS, EXPANSION INLET MEANS MOUNTED IN INSULATED RELATION ABOVE THE UPPER END OF THE CHAMBER MEANS IN COMMUNICATION WITH UPPER ENDS OF THE TUBES, INSULATED LIQUID-VAPOR MIXTURE OUTLET MEANS MOUNTED BELOW THE CHAMBER MEANS IN COMMUNICATION WITH LOWER END OF THE TUBES, AND NOZZLE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID INLET MEANS FOR DELIVERING LIQUID THERETO AT SAID HIGH VELOCITY.