Patent ID: 8226800

Claim:
A method for producing fresh water from salt water, comprising: introducing liquid salt water into a salt water distribution head within an evaporation portion of a primary pressure vessel, the distribution head including a salt water receiving component having a non-adherent surface over which salt water is dispersed; maintaining a steam environment in the evaporation portion by direct steam injection; wherein steam is injected below the distribution head evaporating at least a portion of the water from the salt water dispersed over non-adherent surface by transferring energy from the steam environment to the water in the salt water, wherein the evaporated water from the salt water enters the steam environment; extracting steam from the steam environment in the evaporation portion into a condensing vessel; and condensing the steam extracted from the steam environment into fresh water wherein the direct steam injection conveys sufficient energy into the primary pressure vessel to compensate for heat energy removed from the primary pressure vessel by the steam which is extracted from the evaporation portion.