Liquid concentrator

Abstract

A liquid concentrator having an evaporator assembly and a cyclonic separator includes features designed to improve the performance of the liquid concentrator. A settling chamber is separated from a sump of the cyclonic separator. A liquid inlet opening into a mixing chamber of the evaporator injects wastewater at low pressures. Features to aid in the cleaning of the liquid concentrator include easy open doors and clean water injection ports for cleaning interior portions of the liquid concentrator. In one feature a settling tank is disposed below the cyclonic separator and has a width that is larger than the width of the cyclonic separator. In another variation, the cyclonic separator has a tubular body with an interior that is substantially unobstructed between an inlet from the evaporator assembly and an exhaust outlet. In yet another variation, the cyclonic separator has an upper chamber that is separated from a lower chamber.

1 . A liquid concentrator comprising:
 an evaporator assembly arranged to mix wastewater with gas and evaporate liquids from the wastewater;   a cyclonic separator arranged to receive the mixed wastewater and gas from the evaporator assembly and to separate the gas and the evaporated liquids from solids and the wastewater; and   a settling chamber disposed below the cyclonic separator for receiving the solids and liquids from the cyclonic separator;   wherein the cyclonic separator has a first width adjacent the settling chamber, and the settling chamber has a second width larger than the first width.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid concentrator of  claim 1 , wherein the first width comprises an inside diameter of an opening connecting the cyclonic separator. 
     
     
         3 . The liquid concentrator of  claim 2 , wherein the cyclonic separator comprises a tubular vessel having an axis arranged in a substantially vertical orientation, the evaporator assembly operatively connected to feed the mixed wastewater and gas into a lower portion of the tubular vessel, and an exhaust outlet through an upper portion of the tubular vessel, wherein the first width is an inside diameter of the lower portion of the tubular vessel. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid concentrator of  claim 3 , wherein the cyclonic separator is cylindrical, and the first width is an inside diameter of the cyclonic separator. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid concentrator of  claim 2 , the second width is an inside diameter of the settling chamber adjacent the opening. 
     
     
         6 . The liquid concentrator of  claim 1 , further comprising a conduit arranged to transfer wastewater from the settling chamber to a liquid inlet opening into the mixing chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid concentrator of  claim 6 , wherein the evaporator assembly comprises a mixing corridor having a mixing chamber arranged to receive the wastewater and gas and an evaporator section connected with the mixing chamber, wherein the evaporator section comprises a venturi arranged to mix and evaporate the wastewater in the gas. 
     
     
         8 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A liquid concentrator comprising:
 an evaporator assembly comprising a mixing corridor having a mixing chamber arranged to receive wastewater and gas and an evaporator section connected with the mixing chamber arranged to mix the wastewater with the gas and evaporate liquids from the wastewater;   a cyclonic separator operatively connected with the evaporator section and arranged to receive the mixed wastewater and gas and to separate the gas and the evaporated liquids from solids and the wastewater; and   a clean water injection port in at least one of the evaporator section and the cyclonic separator, wherein the clean water injection port is arranged to allow clean water to be injected therethrough to rinse the interior of the at least one of the evaporator and the cyclonic separator.   
     
     
         23 . The liquid concentrator of  claim 22 , comprising a nozzle at the clean water injection port. 
     
     
         24 . The liquid concentrator of  claim 22 , comprising a second clean water injection port in the other of the evaporator or cyclonic separator, the second clean water injection port arranged to allow clean water to be injected therethrough to rinse the interior of the said other of the evaporator and the cyclonic separator.