While the suppression baffles allow the steam to pass through to the demister, they also block the larger moisture-laden droplets of steam from entering the demister. By virtue of its design, the demister causes the vapor to change its direction of motion many times as it passes through. The demister works by separating the moisture from the vapor, thereby producing a dry saturated steam. The separated moisture, which may contain salt particles, drips back to the feedwater as brine. As the saturated steam leaves the demister, it is drawn to the condenser tube bundle.
Seawater pumped through the condenser tubes cools the tubes.
The distillate falls from the condenser tubes into a collection trough located under the condenser and is then channeled to the distillate water outlet. A pressure relief valve located on the back of the evaporator shell prevents the shell from being damaged by high internal pressure that may result from improper operation of the unit. A brine-out connection, installed in the lower section of the shell, maintains the proper level of feedwater while drawing off the brine. The connection is located at a height that allows it to maintain the feedwater level slightly above the heating tube bundle. This design assures adequate and continued submersion of the heating tube bundle.