Compact wastewater concentrator using waste heat

A liquid concentrator system comprising:

• a mixing corridor connectable to a stream of heated gas and having a narrowed portion;
• a liquid inlet to introduce liquid droplets into the mixing corridor upstream of the narrowed portion,
• the narrowed portion of the mixing corridor defining a direct heat transfer evaporator having an operational state wherein the stream of heated gas is accelerated and mixes with the liquid droplets from the one or more liquid inlets to define a gas-liquid mixture as a portion, but not all, of the liquid in the liquid droplets evaporates and is absorbed by the heated gas,
• a cyclonic chamber coupled to the mixing corridor, the cyclonic chamber including a separation passage in which entrained droplets are removed from the gas-liquid mixture flowing in the separation passage, and a reservoir that collects the entrained liquid droplets removed from the gas-liquid mixture;
• a re-circulating circuit disposed between the reservoir and the liquid inlet to transport liquid to the mixing corridor;
• and
• a fan coupled to the separation passage to pull the stream of heated gas and the gas-liquid mixture in turn through the mixing corridor and the separation passage.

A concentrator system utilizing only fluid-to-fluid direct heat exchange, the concentrator system comprising:

• a mixing corridor connectable to a stream of heated gas and having a narrowed portion, and including an adjustable flow restriction disposed in the narrowed portion of the mixing corridor, the adjustable flow restriction adjustable to alter gas flow through the mixing corridor;
• a nozzle to inject liquid droplets into the mixing corridor upstream of the narrowed portion,
• the narrowed portion of the mixing corridor defining a direct heat transfer evaporator having an operational state wherein the stream of heated gas is accelerated and mixes with the liquid droplets from the nozzle to define a gas-liquid mixture as a portion, but not all, of the liquid in the liquid droplets evaporates and is absorbed by the heated gas,
• a cyclonic chamber coupled to the mixing corridor, the cyclonic chamber including a separation passage in which entrained droplets are removed from the gas-liquid mixture flowing in the separation passage, and a reservoir that collects the entrained liquid removed from the gas-liquid mixture;
• a re-circulating circuit disposed between the reservoir and the nozzle to transport liquid to the mixing corridor;
• and
• a fan coupled to the separation passage to pull the stream of heated gas and the gas-liquid mixture in turn through the mixing corridor and the separation passage.