If the wearing rings of device '7' shown in the illustration become worn, how will the evaporation rate in '23' be affected? Illustration MO-0111

Correct Answer: Option A — The rate of evaporation will decrease.

Device 7 is typically the vacuum or brine/feed pump. Worn wearing rings cause internal fluid slip, reducing discharge pressure and volumetric efficiency, which starves the evaporator of feed water and directly decreases the overall rate of evaporation.