Abstract: A direct contact condenser is arranged to establish sequential steam flows of downward, lateral, and tortuous but collectively upward directions in a housing. Cooling liquid fed to the condenser is introduced to first overflow means for temporarily accumulating cooling liquid and for allowing excess accumulated cooling liquid to overflow. Second overflow means is provided for temporarily accumulating the cooling liquid supplied from the first overflow means, for allowing the cooling liquid to fall in multiple streams into the collectively upward steam flow zone to cause direct heat exchange between the falling cooling liquid and the steam, and for causing excess cooling water accumulated by the second overflow means to overflow. The cooling liquid overflowing from the second overflow means is supplied to the downward stream flow to cause direct heat exchange between the cooling liquid and the steam when excess accumulated cooling liquid overflows from the second overflow means.