Patent ID: 8790496

Claim:
A process for concentrating wastewater with a heated gas comprising oxides of sulfur (SOx) and reducing SO x therein, the process comprising: (a) combining the heated gas and a liquid flow of wastewater under pressure to form a mixture thereof at a first location upstream of a narrowed portion of a mixing corridor; (b) drawing the mixture through the mixing corridor, and reducing the static pressure of the mixture in the narrowed portion to vaporize a portion of the liquid in the mixture yielding a partially vaporized mixture comprising entrained concentrated liquid; (c) contacting with the partially vaporized mixture an alkaline agent to reduce the oxides of sulfur in the partially vaporized mixture; (d) removing a portion of the entrained concentrated liquid and reduced oxides of sulfur from the vaporized mixture to provide a demisted gas, and (e) returning a portion of the concentrated liquid to the mixing corridor at a second location, downstream of the first location.