Abstract: A process of separating a multi-component liquid mixture containing n major components by forming crystals of m components, denoted as m crystallizing components, in a crystallization zone, denoted as a first processing zone, having k crystallization sub-zones, the value of m being equal to or greater than 2 and equal to or less than n, the value of k being equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or less than m, comprising a first step of crystallizing the m components in the k crystallization sub-zones to form a first condensed mass and a second step of vaporizing a mass of the volatile component(s) from the liquid mixture to form a first vapor in each sub-zone under a first pressure that is lower than the eutectic pressure defined as the equilibrium pressure at which the m solid phases and the liquid mixture co-exist with a vapor phase containing the volatile component(s), wherein the said first step and the second step are conducted simultaneously so that at least a major fraction of the heat released in S