Fresh Water Generators for Marine Applications

Fresh water generators (often called watermakers) provide onboard freshwater by converting seawater into high-quality fresh water using vacuum distillation. This supports reliable domestic and process water supply on vessels, rigs, and remote marine operations—without dependence on frequent bunkering.

How Vacuum Distillation Watermakers Work

Vacuum distillation lowers the boiling point of seawater, allowing freshwater production using available shipboard heat sources. In plate-pack designs, evaporation, separation, and condensation occur within a compact assembly, producing fresh water while rejecting salts into a brine stream.

Why These Systems Are Selected

• Compact, marine-ready footprint: Plate-pack freshwater generators are designed to reduce installation space compared with older approaches.
• Lower electrical demand: Thermally driven systems rely primarily on heat input rather than high electrical power draw.
• Operational efficiency: Modern plate technology can reduce seawater flow and pumping requirements versus conventional freshwater generators, lowering energy use and associated emissions.
• Serviceability: Scaling/fouling is managed through periodic cleaning (e.g., CIP), and certain designs support on-site gasket service.

Application Guidance

To size and specify a freshwater generator correctly, the key inputs are your daily freshwater demand (m³/day), available heating media (e.g., jacket water/steam), seawater temperature range, and engine-room space and service-access constraints. SECO can support selection, integration, and ongoing parts/service as an Alfa Laval Master Distributor.