Question 58General Subjects - 1st Asst/Chief

The correct answer is A) salt water feed heater. The thickest deposit of scale in a flash evaporator is most likely to occur in the tubes of the salt water feed heater. This is because the salt water feed heater is the first component where the seawater enters the system, and it is here that the most mineral-rich and hottest water is found. As the water is heated in the feed heater, the minerals and salts dissolved in the water begin to precipitate out, forming a thick scale deposit on the inside of the tubes. The other options are incorrect because the distillate cooler, first-stage condenser, and flash chamber handle water that has already been processed and has a lower mineral content, so scale buildup is less likely to occur in these components.