MOBILE SELF-CONTAINED SYSTEM FOR ON-SITE RECOVERY OF SOLVENTS

A system (10) for on-site recovery of reusable industrial waste components, such as solvents, from a liquid waste stream includes a trailer (14) that is internally partitioned to separate system components through which the waste stream passes in a first partitioned section (18) of the trailer from support and control components in the second trailer section (22). Input waste is fed into a horizontal thin-film evaporator within the first trailer section, while steam is fed in a closed loop through the evaporator from the second section of the trailer for evaporating volatile solvents in the waste stream, and thereby separating the volatile solvents from non-volatile liquid and solid components of the waste stream. The evaporated volatile solvents are fed to a heat exchanger, again enclosed within the first partitioned section of the trailer, for recondensation through heat exchange with a coolant fed to the heat exchanger in a closed loop from the second trailer section. The recondensed solvents are then fed to a water separator tank and a molecular sieve for separation of immiscible and miscible water from the solvents, and thence to a holding tank for resupply to the customer. The non-volatile components of the evaporator output are fed to a second holding tank for recirculation through the evaporator or return to the customer for disposal.