Patent ID: 7771515

Claim:
A method for treating an aqueous effluent comprising at least one dissolved gaseous compound comprising at least partially separating said compound from said effluent, in order to obtain a treated aqueous phase, depleted of said compound, a method according to which: (a) an upflow liquid column of the aqueous effluent is established, by injecting and distributing into said column, at the bottom, a gas phase less rich in said compound than the aqueous effluent, said gas phase being distributed in said column in the form of bubbles whereof the volume increases upward, whereby a mixed liquid/gas stream is obtained at the top, (b) the mixed liquid/gas stream is separated into a liquid stream constituting the treated aqueous phase, and an offgas stream enriched with said gaseous compound, wherein the mixed liquid/gas stream is separated under vacuum by establishing a gas headspace between the liquid stream and the gas stream, and by aspirating the latter, the liquid stream separated from the offgas stream constitutes a downflow liquid column, obtained by overflow of the mixed liquid/gas stream above a high point, and the downflow liquid column and the upflow liquid column are concentric to one another.