Multiple effect distillation method and apparatus

A process for the continuous evaporation of alcohol-containing fermented liquors for the recovery of alcohol and the production of slop containing solid matter in high concentration, comprising heating the liquor, introducing the heated liquor into an evaporator, said evaporator having an inside pressure less than atmospheric and temperature such that upon entering the evaporator volatile components of said liquor immediately flash into an alcohol-containing vapor, said evaporator being provided with an upper rectifying section formed of vertically spaced perforated plates positioned above the point at which said liquor enters the evaporator, partially rectifying said alcohol-containing vapor in said upper rectifying section to form an enriched alcoholic vapor, providing an enricher communicating with said upper rectifying section of said evaporator, said enricher containing perforated plates, passing a portion of said enriched alcoholic vapor directly from said upper rectifying section to said enricher at a position below said perforated plates and completing rectification of the alcoholic vapor in said enricher to produce a concentrated alcohol vapor and condensing said concentrated alcohol vapor to liquid alcohol.