Question 86General Subjects - 1st Asst/Chief

The correct answer is B) saltwater feed heater. The saltwater feed heater is the most likely location for the thickest deposit of scale in a flash evaporator. This is because the saltwater feed heater is the component where the seawater is heated to the required temperature before entering the flash chamber. As the seawater is heated, dissolved minerals and salts tend to precipitate out and form scale deposits, which accumulate most heavily in the tubes of the feed heater. The other options are less likely locations for the thickest scale deposits. The distillate cooler (A) and the first-stage condenser (D) handle the freshwater product, which has a lower mineral content. The flash chamber (C) operates at a lower temperature, so scale formation is less prominent in this component.