Distillation plant

Distillation plant comprising an axially elongated horizontally extending tubular shaped shell having a first end and a second end, a plurality of generally vertically positioned horizontally spaced partitions extending transversely of the axis of said shell and dividing the interior of said shell between the first and second ends into a plurality of serially arranged vaporizing chambers, each said vaporizing chamber consisting of the entire space extending between a pair of said partitions and bounded by the full lateral extent of said shell between the pair of said partitions, a bundle of flexible heat resistant plastic condensation tubes extending continuously through all of said vaporizing chambers from adjacent the first end of said shell to adjacent to second end thereof and passing through said partitions between adjacent vaporizing chambers, means located adjacent the first end of said shell for introducing distilland into the ends of said tubes located for flow through said tubes in the direction from the first end toward the second end of said shell, a basin for distilland in each vaporizing chamber below the tubes passing therethrough, heated distilland flowing through said basins, a condensate trough in each vaporizing chamber located below the tubes passing therethrough and above the basin therein for gathering of distillate dripping down from the condensation tubes, means for removing distillate from said troughs, said condensation tubes extending also through a heating chamber, said heating chamber being contained within the shell and sealed from the distilland flowing therethrough, said heating chamber being located after the last vaporizing chamber adjacent the second end of said shell, means for feeding exhaust vapor from a vapor turbine into said heating chamber for heating the distilland by indirect heat transfer, whereby the turbine vapor condenses on the condensation tubes extending through said heating chamber such that the distilland passing through said tubes is heated before transfer to said basins, and means for removal of turbine vapor condensate from said heating chamber wherein said heating changer is defined by said shell and two adjacent partitions, said second end of said shell and the adjacent partition forming a plenum chamber into which the tubes discharge after sealed passage through said heating chamber, a conduit extending through said heating chamber and communicating said plenum chamber with said basin in the vaporizing chamber next adjacent to said heating chamber.