Patent ID: 8066845

Claim:
A liquid concentrator system comprising: a concentrator including a mixing corridor connectable to a stream of heated gas and having a narrowed portion, and a liquid inlet to introduce liquid 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 from the liquid inlet to define a gas-liquid mixture as a portion, but not all, of the liquid 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 liquid 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; and a re-circulating circuit disposed between the reservoir and the liquid inlet to transport liquid to the mixing corridor.