A desalination system in the form of a submerged gas evaporator that includes a vessel, a gas delivery tube partially disposed within the vessel to deliver a gas into the vessel and a fluid inlet that provides a fluid to the vessel at a rate sufficient to maintain a controlled constant level of fluid within the vessel. A weir is disposed within the vessel adjacent the gas delivery tube to form a first fluid circulation path between a first weir end and a wall of the vessel and a second fluid circulation path between a second weir end and an upper end of the vessel. During operation, gas introduced through the tube mixes with the fluid and the combined gas and fluid flow at a high rate with a high degree of turbulence along the first and second circulation paths defined around the weir, thereby promoting vigorous mixing and intimate contact between the gas and the fluid. This turbulent flow develops a significant amount of inter facial surface area between the gas and the fluid resulting in a reduction of the required residence time of the gas within the fluid to achieve thermal equilibrium which leads to a more efficient and complete evaporation. Additionally, vapor exiting the submerged gas evaporator is condensed in a condensing unit thus precipitating vapor into a liquid for removal.