Separation of a vaporizable component under reduced pressure

A method for substantially separating water from a liquid mixture including water, the method comprising:

• directing a flow of a carrier gas through a humidification chamber in at least one humidifier;
• heating a liquid mixture including liquid water and at least one other ingredient selected from dissolved components, solids and other liquids;
• spraying the heated liquid mixture over packing material in the humidification chamber where the heated liquid mixture directly contacts the flow of carrier gas to humidify the carrier gas with water evaporated from the liquid mixture, producing a humidified gas flow, wherein the total pressure in the humidification chamber is less than ambient atmospheric pressure;
• directing the humidified gas flow through a dehumidification chamber in at least one dehumidifier;
• dehumidifying the humidified gas flow in the dehumidification chamber to condense water from the humidified gas flow, wherein the total pressure in the dehumidification chamber is less than the ambient atmospheric pressure;
• and
• collecting the condensed water.