Patent ID: 7670634

Claim:
A vacuum stripping process for physical refining or deodorization of a liquid material, said process being performed in an apparatus comprising at least a first stripping vessel ( 2 ) and at least one second stripping vessel ( 3 ), said at least one second stripping vessel being equipped with two or more trays, over which a partially stripped material coming from the first stripping vessel ( 2 ) is directed, wherein said partially stripped material on each tray is each sparged with its own supply of fresh gaseous stripping medium and said gaseous stripping medium is collected from above each tray of said at least one second stripping vessel ( 3 ) via a conduct pipe ( 30 ) of the collector ( 4 ) and a single pump ( 5 ) resulting in virtually identical pressure above each tray, wherein said first stripping vessel is supplied with said liquid material to be vacuum stripped and also is supplied with said gaseous stripping medium by said single pump ( 5 ) and the inside of said first stripping vessel, comprises a packing.