Abstract: In the distillation of fresh water from sea water, the sea water is passed ownwardly in a falling film evaporator through a multiplicity of vertical tube evaporator (VTE) stages and multiple stage flash (MSF) evaporators. After the sea water passes through the first VTE stage where it forms a liquid component and a steam component, the liquid component is distributed evenly into the next VTE stage while the steam component enters an adjoining MSF stage. Condensed fresh water flows downwardly from one MSF stage to the next and experiences flash evaporation. The sea water or brine component and the fresh water distillate flow downwardly through the VTE and MSF stages so that the brine component can be removed from the final VTE stage and the fresh water distillate from the final MSF stage.

Abstract: In the distillation of fresh water from sea water, the sea water is passed ownwardly in a falling film evaporator through a multiplicity of vertical tube evaporator (VTE) stages and multiple stage flash (MSF) evaporators. After the sea water passes through the first VTE stage where it forms a liquid component and a steam component, the liquid component is distributed evenly into the next VTE stage while the steam component enters an adjoining MSF stage. Condensed fresh water flows downwardly from one MSF stage to the next and experiences flash evaporation. The sea water or brine component and the fresh water distillate flow downwardly through the VTE and MSF stages so that the brine component can be removed from the final VTE stage and the fresh water distillate from the final MSF stage.

Abstract: Apparatus for a vertically extending heat exchanger column for the desaliion of sea water based on a multi-effect evaporation process includes a container for forming a pressure-tight enclosure about the heat exchanger column. The container is made up of four upwardly extending side walls, a top end wall and a bottom end wall. The side walls are arranged in pairs with the walls of each pair spaced opposite one another. A truss-like support structure is arranged around the outside of the container with one pair of side walls and the top and bottom end walls fixed to the support structure. The other pair of side walls are movably secured to the support structure. Lifting tackle is located on the upper end of the support structure. Movable platforms are mounted along the movable side walls of the container. Snap closures secure the movable side walls to the other side walls and to the end walls. Seals are provided along the movable side walls for the pressure tight enclosure of the container.

Abstract: In an apparatus for the desalination of sea water using a multi-effect evrator process, a sea water preheater and a falling film evaporator are both formed of similar stamped heat exchanger plates. The heat exchanger plates have a uniform arrangement of projections-depressions disposed in a grid-like manner with rows of the projections-depressions extending perpendicularly to one another. The plates are assembled in facing contact so that one pair of plates form tubular ducts and adjacent plates on each side of the pair combine with the plates forming the tubular ducts and provide slot-like ducts separated from and extending perpendicularly to the tubular ducts. Adjacent plates are welded together. The plates in the preheater form a continuous unit divided into stages. The plates in the falling film evaporator are arranged in individual units with each unit forming a separate stage.