A method and system for treating feedwater includes evaporating a portion
of the feedwater in a first evaporation chamber so as to separate water
vapor from the remaining feedwater. Droplets of the remaining feedwater
are dispersed into a stream of hot air produced in a second evaporation
chamber. The droplets evaporate and solids in the feedwater precipitate.
The precipitated solids are collected in the lower section of the second
evaporation chamber. Water vapor discharged from both evaporation
chambers can be treated in a cyclone separator to remove residual solids
therefrom. The cleansed water vapor output from the cyclone separator can
be condensed to recover clean water. Dry solids can be discharged from
the second evaporation chamber and the cyclone separator for recovery.