Patent ID: 7967946

Claim:
An ethanol boiler for removal of ethanol from an ethanol-containing semi-liquid feedstock, comprising: a substantially horizontal main body having a hollow interior thereof, the hollow interior having a top portion and bottom portion and first end and second end; the first end including an inlet for admitting a flow of the semi-liquid feedstock into the interior of the body; the second end including an outlet for the semi-liquid feedstock; a plurality of baffle plates within the interior of the body between the first end and second end, each baffle plate having at least one passage therethrough to permit passage of the semi-liquid feedstock from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the plurality of baffle plates comprises at least one primary baffle plate and at least one secondary baffle plate; at least one heating element for heating the semi-liquid feedstock to vaporize at least some of the ethanol in the semi-liquid feedstock while the semi-liquid feedstock passes from the inlet to the outlet, wherein the at least one heating element comprises at least one electrical heating rod; at least one vent on the top portion of the body, the vent allowing vaporous ethanol to exit from the interior of the body; wherein the at least one heating element passes through and is held by the plurality of baffle plates.