Certificate of Competency - 5

General Engineering Knowledge

Fresh Water Generator Troubleshooting

Problem

Cause

Consequence

Drop in production
due to lower
boiling temperature
and lower t over
evaporator

Partially blocked
fead water orifice
and / or sludge
deposits on hot
water side

Drop in production
due to higher
boiling temperature
and lower t over
condenser

sludge on the heat

exchanger plates on
the sea water side

Dismantle
condenser section
and then clean

Production drop
due to lower boiling
temperature and
higher t over
evaporator /
condenser

Inlet channel
in evaporator /
condenser plate
stack blogged, eg:
with rust scales,
gasket, fragments
etc

Dismantle
evaporator,
condenser section
and clean

Too low ejector

pump pressure

scaling of heat
exchanger plates
on vapor side

Action

Not sufficient
flow to condenser
section and
ejector

Leakages
Production drop
due to low vacuum
(normal vacuum
above 90%)

Page | 1 |

Low vacuum

Dismantle
evaporator
section and clean
evaporator and
orifice

See instructions
for low flow ejector
pump, below
Carry out a pressure
test at max. 150
kPa(1.5 kp / cm 2 )
(21.8 PSI)

Foreign bodies in
ejector nozzles

Blocking

Inspect nozzles,
and clean, replace
nozzles, if damaged.

Certificate of Competency - 5
General Engineering Knowledge

Problem

Too high back

Production drop
pressure downsteam
of ejector. Max 60
KPa (0.5 kp / cm2)
(8.7 PSI)

Check overboard
pipe and valves for
blocking / function
ability

Non return valve in

air extraction pipe
defect

Replace non-return
valve

Cause

Consequence

Action

Too low ejector

pump pressure

Not sufficient
See Sea cooling
flow to condenser water flow
section and ejector

Air in condenser

Production drop

Too high back

Production drop
pressure downsteam
of ejector max
60kPa(0.6,kp/ cm 2)

vent condenser
Check overboard
pipe and valves for
blocking/function
ability

(8.7 PSI)
Leakages

Production due
to high boiling
temperature

Page | 2 |

Low vacuum

Carry out a pressure

test at max. 150
kPa(1.5 kp/cm 2 )
(21.8 PSI)

Foreign bodies in
ejected nozzles

Blocking

Inspect nozzles,
and clean. Replace
nozzles, if damaged

Too low ejector

pump pressure.
Minimum pressure
300 kPa(2.0 kp/
cm2) (43.5 PSI)

Pressure gauge
defect

Clean or replace
power gauge

Certificate of Competency - 5
General Engineering Knowledge
Suston strainer
blocked

Too low fresh

water production
due to incorrect
temperature on the
circulated heating
water

Page | 3 |

No sufficient
Clean suction
pressure and
strainer
flow to condenser
section and ejector

Valves on suction or
pressure pipe defect

see above

Examine and
overhaul defective
valves

Leakages from
suction pipe to pump

see above

Repair

Impeller/seal ring
defective

see above

Check pump
maximum clearance
is 1.0mm

Pump rotating in
wrong direction

see above

Interchange phases

Warm or incorrect
injector nozzle

Replace nozzle

Air pockets in steam

arrangement

Discrete steam
arrangement and
evaporator section

steam pressure
Incorrect

See technical
specification and
adjust pressure
accordingly

Incorrect back
pressure in
condensate
discharge pipe

Check whether
actual back pressure
on condensate line
corresponds with
max back pressure
on installation
(PI) diagram. See
technical drawings

Certificate of Competency - 5
General Engineering Knowledge
Problem

Cause
Suction pipe
leakage.

Consequence

Action

produced
freshwater
escapes
overboard through
ejector

Check suction pipe

especially unions
and connections,
repair.

Mechanical seal in
freshwater pump
defect

see above

Replace mechanical
seal

Impeller / seal
Sight glass overflow. ring in fresh water
extraction pipe
defect

see above

Check pump. Max

clearance 0.9mm.

see above

Interchange phases

Pump rotating in
wrong direction
Valves to freshwater
tank closed
Inlet filter for water
clock blocked
Production drop
Defective water
according to water
clock
clock. In spite of
normal pressure and
temperature and
no visible overflow
in sight glass and
vacuum pipe

Page | 4 |

Check all valves

see above

Clean filter
Examine water
clock. Let the
produced water flow
through water clock
into a 10
and check
production with a
stop watch

Certificate of Competency - 5
General Engineering Knowledge
Demister not fitted
correctly

Front cover gasket

defect or not fitted
correctly
Insufficient brine
extraction

Salinity too high

(more than 2.0
ppm).

Dumping of
produced
freshwater

Check the demister

is fitted against
baffle and front
cover
Replace front cover
gasket

High brine level

See separate
(normal level 10 instructions for
20 mm).
insufficient, brine
extraction, below.

electrode unit
defective or dirty

Examine electrode
unit for cracks.
Check that is fitted
correctly. Clean if
necessary.

leakage in
condenser section

Open distiller
and pressure test
condenser. Max.600
kPa (6.0 kp/ cm 2 )
(87 PSI). If there is
a defective plate,
remove together
with adjacent plate
assemble plate stack
according to new
plate number with
reduced assembly
measurements.
Check plate gaskets
and replace, if
necessary.

Page | 5 |

Certificate of Competency - 5
General Engineering Knowledge
Problem

Insufficient brine
extraction-brine
level in sight glass
higher than 20 mm.

Cause

Page | 6 |

Action

Ejector pump
pressure too low

High boiling
temperature, low
vacuum. Salinity
higher than 2.00
ppm

See special
instructions for too
low ejector pump
pressure, above.

Foreign bodies in
ejector nozzles

see above

Check nozzles,
and clean. Replace
damaged nozzles

Too high back

see above
pressure downstream
of ejector

Examine overboard
pipe and valves

Wrong dimension of
feedwater orifice

see above

Examine office
dimensioncheck technical
specification

Non-return valve in
brine suction pipe of
ejector defect

see above

Examine valve and

repair, or replace

Leakage in
evaporator section

Frequent refit
of freshwater
expansion tank due
to lose of hot water

Consequence

Open distiller
and pressure test
condenser. Max. 600
kPa (6.0 kp/ cm 2 )
(87 PSI). If there
is defective plate,
remove together
with adjacent plates
assemble plate
stack according to
new plate number with
reduced assembly
measurements. Check
plate gaskets and
replace, if necessary.

Certificate of Competency - 5
General Engineering Knowledge
Ejector nozzles
defective

High boiling
temperature, low
vacuum

Wrong dimension
of feedwater inlet
orifice
Abnormal amperage
consumption of
ejector pump motor

Page | 7 |

Replace nozzles

Check dimensions
on spare parts list.

Bearings in motor
defective

High temperature
in motor ends,
and exercise
noise

Examine with
stethoscope, and
replace bearings, if
defective

Contractor defective

Frequent motor
stops

Examine and
replace contactor
set, if defective

Breaking of phases

See above

Max. 5% difference
in amperage
between phases