Evaporation apparatus

An apparatus for utilizing a heated gas stream to evaporate a volatile component from a liquid solution comprising:

• means for feeding said gas stream from a source of heated gas;
• container means having an inner chamber to hold said liquid solution for evaporation of said volatile component and an outer chamber connected to said gas stream feeding means forming a gas channel substantially surrounding said inner chamber through which at least a portion of said gas stream flows to supply heat to said inner chamber and evaporate said volatile component of said liquid solution;
• means for feeding said liquid solution into said inner chamber;
• upper and lower liquid level control means for controlling the quantity of liquid solution fed into said inner chamber to establish a liquid level therein;
• means for agitating said liquid solution in said inner chamber;
• sump means below said container means and connected to said gas feeding means to receive any condensate from said gas stream and any liquid leaking from said inner chamber so as to prevent the condensate and leaking liquid from flowing back through the gas stream feeding means to the source of the gas stream, said sump means further having discharge means to allow draining thereof;
• means for combining and venting the evaporated volatile component from inner chamber and said gas stream from said outer chamber for discharge;
• and
• means for removing said liquid solution from said inner chamber.

An apparatus for utilizing a heated gas stream to evaporate a volatile component from a liquid solution comprising:

• means for feeding said gas stream from a source of heated gas;
• container means having an inner chamber to hold said liquid solution for evaporation of said volatile component and an outer chamber connected to said gas stream feeding means forming a gas channel substantially surrounding said inner chamber through which at least a portion of said gas stream flows to supply heat to said inner chamber and evaporate said volatile component of said liquid solution:
• means for feeding said liquid into said inner chamber;
• upper and lower liquid level control means for controlling the quantity of liquid solution fed into said inner chamber to establish a liquid level therein;
• sparger means for agitating said liquid solution in said inner chamber;
• sump means below said container means and connected to said gas feeding means to receive any condensate from said gas stream and any liquid leaking from said inner chamber, said sump means including dam means to prevent the condensate and leaking liquid from flowing back through the gas stream feeding means to the source of the gas stream, said sump means further having discharge means to allow draining thereof when the received condensate and leaking liquid exceed a predetermined amount;
• means for combining and venting the evaporated volatile component from said inner chamber and said gas stream from said outer chamber for discharge;
• and
• means for removing said liquid solution from said inner chamber.