Patent ID: 7041198

Claim:
A distillation system comprising: an evaporation conduit; an intake conduit in communication between a source of solution and the evaporation conduit at the top end of the intake conduit, the intake conduit comprising an upright column in which communication of the intake conduit with the evaporation conduit is unrestricted at the top end of the intake conduit; a return conduit in communication between the evaporation conduit at a top end of the return conduit and a return sump, the return conduit comprising an upright column in which communication of the return conduit with the evaporation conduit is unrestricted at the top end of the return conduit; a condensing conduit; a variable controlled transfer system connecting the evaporation conduit and the condensing conduit and which is arranged to transfer distillate vapour from the evaporation conduit to the condensing conduit to condense the distillate vapour in the condensing conduit, the variable controlled transfer system being operable through a range of vapour transfer rates; a distillate conduit in communication with the condensing conduit which is arranged to collect condensed distillate therein; and a vacuum pump connected to at least one of the evaporation and condensing conduits for evacuating air from the evaporation and condensing conduits.