# US 10,307,689 B2 · Liquid separator and concentrator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,307,689 B2 - Document ID: US10307689B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/086,838 - Filed: 2016-03-31 - Published: 2016-10-06 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-01 - Assignees: Colorado Extraction Systems, LLC - Applicants: Colorado Extraction Systems, LLC - Inventors: Michael David Allen; Quinton Lane Van Gundy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10307689B2 ## CPC - B01D 5/0036: {Multiple-effect condensation; Fractional condensation} - B01D 1/065: {by film evaporating} - B01D 1/20: Sprayers (in general B05B) - B01D 1/30: Accessories for evaporators {; Constructional details thereof} - B01D 5/006: {with evaporation or distillation} - F28B 7/00: Combinations of two or more condensers, e.g. provision of reserve condenser - B01D 3/02: in boilers or stills - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - F28B: STEAM OR VAPOUR CONDENSERS (condensation of vapours B01D5/00; steam engine plants having condensers F01K; liquefaction of gases F25J; details of heat-exchange and heat-transfer arrangements of general application F28F) ## Abstract A liquid separator and concentrator is disclosed. An example liquid separator and concentrator includes a separator column. A spray chamber has a sprayer nozzle to spray an influent within the spray chamber and create a falling film in the separator column. A heating jacket surrounds the separator column, wherein the heating jacket heats the falling film to evaporate at least one portion of the falling film and leaves a concentrate. A concentrate collection vessel receives the concentrate from the separator column. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A liquid separator and concentrator system, comprising: a separator column; a heating jacket surrounding the separator column, wherein the heating jacket heats a failing film on an evaporation surface to evaporate a portion of the falling film to produce a concentrate and an evaporate; a spray chamber having a sprayer nozzle within the spray chamber to spray droplets of an influent within the spray chamber so that the sprayed droplets create the falling film with a consistent laminar flow in the separator column; a first condenser column connected to the spray chamber, the first condenser column configured to cool a first evaporate portion and to form a first condensate; a first evaporate collection vessel connected to the first condenser column, the first evaporate collection vessel configured to collect the first condensate; a second condenser column connected to the first condenser column through the first evaporate collection vessel so that a remaining evaporate portion received in the second condenser column passes through the first evaporate collection vessel, the second condenser column configured to further cool the remaining evaporate portion from the first condenser column to form a second condensate and pass the second condensate to the first evaporate collection vessel; a second evaporate collection vessel below the first evaporate collection vessel, the second evaporate collection vessel configured to collect the first condensate and the second condensate from the first evaporate collection vessel; a deflector member positioned in the spray chamber above the sprayer nozzle to minimize splashback of the influent from an inner wall of the spray chamber and prevent the droplets from passing to the first condenser column, the deflector member further configured to reduce carryover of droplets into the first condenser column and increase turbulence of the evaporate; a concentrate collection vessel to receive the concentrate from the separator column; and a stirrer within the concentrate collection vessel. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a vacuum to draw vapor through the first condenser. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the vacuum is connected to the second condenser. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, further comprising a valve connected between the first evaporate collection vessel and the second evaporate collection vessel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one condenser having an outer chilling line wrapping around an inner wall of the at least one condenser, a nested chilling line wrapped inside the outer chilling line, and an inner chilling line wrapped inside of the nested chilling line. ### Claim 6 A liquid separator and concentrator system, comprising: a separator column; a heating jacket surrounding the separator column, wherein the heating jacket heats a falling film to evaporate a portion and to produce a concentrate and an evaporate; a spray chamber having a sprayer nozzle to spray droplets of an influent within the spray chamber such that the sprayed droplets form a falling film in the separator column; a pair of condenser columns, wherein a first condenser column is connected to the spray chamber and is configured to cool a first portion of the evaporate and to form a first condensate, and wherein a second condenser column is connected to the first condenser column and is configured to further cool a remaining evaporate portion from the first condenser column to form a second condensate; a first evaporate collection vessel connected to the first condenser column, the first evaporate collection vessel configured to collect the first condensate; the first evaporate collection vessel being configured to receive the second condensate from the second condenser column, the second condenser column being connected to the first condenser column through the first evaporate collection vessel so that the remaining evaporate portion received in the second condenser column passes through the first evaporate collection vessel; and a second evaporate collection vessel below the first evaporate collection vessel, the second evaporate collection vessel configured to collect the first condensate and the second condensate from the first evaporate collection vessel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, further comprising a vacuum to draw vapor through at least the first condenser. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the vacuum is connected to the second condenser. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the condensers has an outer chilling line wrapping around an inner wall of the at least one condenser, a nested chilling line wrapping around inside the outer chilling line, and an inner chilling line wrapping around the inside of the nested chilling line. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A liquid separating and concentrating method using the liquid separator and concentrator system of claim 1, the method comprising: spraying the influent within the spray chamber to create the falling film in the separator column; heating the falling film to evaporate the falling film to produce the concentrate and the evaporate; and collecting the concentrate from the separator column. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising cooling the evaporate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising drawing the evaporate through at least one of the condenser columns. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising providing at least one of the condenser columns with a multi-layer chilling line. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the condenser columns has an outer chilling line wrapping around an inner wall of the at least one condenser, a nested chilling line wrapped inside the outer chilling line, and an inner chilling line wrapped inside of the nested chilling line. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one multi-layer condensing coil for at least one of the first condenser and the second condenser. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one multi-layer condensing coil is a triple layer condensing coil. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one multi-layer condensing coil has an outer chilling line wrapping around an inner wall of the at least one of the first condenser and the second condenser. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one multi-layer condensing coil has a nested chilling line wrapped inside the outer chilling line. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one multi-layer condensing coil has an inner chilling line wrapped inside of the nested chilling line. ### Claim 20 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, further comprising a deflector member positioned in the spray chamber above the sprayer nozzle.