A process arrangement for distilling fuel grade ethanol include a
distillation portion which distills beer to produce thin stillage and hot
ethanol vapor. In an evaporation portion, a set of first effect
evaporators which are heated either by plant steam or hot ethanol vapor,
concentrate thin stillage into mid stillage while producing first effect
steam. The first effect steam from the first effect evaporators provides
heat to a set of second effect evaporators which concentrate the mid
stillage into a syrup for further drying. The second effect evaporators
produce second effect steam which is used to heat the distillation
portion of the process arrangement. The multiple evaporators of the first
and second effects of the evaporation portion can be selectively taken
off-line for maintenance while the evaporation portion and the remainder
of the process arrangement continue to operate at full capacity.