This paper aims to offer a new compact, safer, less energy-intensive technological alternative for ethanolwater separation, based on the intensified multi-tube falling film distillation technology. A pilot-scale investigation (with a processing capacity close to 250 kg h(-1)) proved the practical feasibility of a multitube falling film distillation column coupled with a biphasic thermosiphon for the distillation of ethanol and water in obtaining concentrated ethanol (64 wt.% - acceptable for medical applications) from aqueous ethanol (12 wt.%). Notable findings were achieved by using the intensified multi-tube falling film distillation to produce hydrated ethanol with adequate ethanol recovery (50 %), acceptable energy savings (15 %) and significant space savings (63 %) as compared with a conventional tray column, thus justifying its relevance for sugarcane ethanol distilleries. Finally, new research prospects for further improving the separation efficiency of this novel distillation concept are also mentioned in this study, purporting to make such novel intensified distillation process more competitive with conventional distillation columns in the future. (C) 2020 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.