The Effect of Vacuum Pressure on the Production Capacity of a Fresh Water Generator (FWG) on A Ship

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-793-4_29How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Fresh Water Generator; vacuum pressure; production capacity; evaporator; fresh water; auxiliary ship machinery

Abstract

A Fresh Water Generator (FWG) is one of the auxiliary systems that plays a vital role in meeting the ship’s fresh water requirements. This system utilises engine exhaust heat to remove water from seawater under low pressure, thereby producing fresh water through condensation. One of the operational parameters that significantly determines the performance of the FWG is the vacuum pressure within the evaporator section. An optimal vacuum pressure lowers the boiling point of seawater, allowing the evaporation process to proceed more rapidly while consuming energy efficiently. Consequently, controlling the vacuum pressure is a key factor in maintaining a continuous supply of fresh water during a ship’s operation. This study aims to analyse the effect of vacuum pressure on the production capacity of a Fresh Water Generator (FWG) on board ships. The research method employed was a quantitative experimental approach, involving direct observation and measurement of variations in vacuum pressure and the fresh water production capacity of the FWG. Research data were obtained by measuring vacuum pressure using a vacuum gauge and fresh water production capacity using a flow meter during the vessel’s operational period. Data analysis was carried out using simple linear regression and Pearson’s correlation to determine the relationship between vacuum pressure and fresh water production capacity. The results of the study show that vacuum pressure has a significant effect on the production capacity of the Fresh Water Generator. At a vacuum pressure of 70 kPa, the fresh water production capacity was recorded at 100 L/h, and at a vacuum pressure of 30 kPa, it increased to 180 L/h. Regression analysis revealed a very strong negative correlation with a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.98, indicating that 98 per cent of the variation in production capacity is influenced by changes in vacuum pressure. Every 10 kPa decrease in vacuum pressure increases the average production capacity by 20 L/h. Optimum operating conditions are achieved within the vacuum pressure range of 30–40 kPa, which produces the highest production capacity and better system efficiency. The findings of this study indicate that optimizing vacuum pressure can improve FWG performance, energy efficiency, and the reliability of fresh water supply on board ships.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Adnan Adnan
AU  - Irwan Irwan
AU  - Muhammad Saleh
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/16
TI  - The Effect of Vacuum Pressure on the Production Capacity of a Fresh Water Generator (FWG) on A Ship
BT  - Proceedings of the  International Conference on Advanced Maritime Interconnection (ICAMI 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 391
EP  - 406
SN  - 2352-5401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-793-4_29
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-793-4_29
ID  - Adnan2026
ER  -