Water treatment and steam generation system for enhanced oil recovery and a method using same

An evaporator for receiving a liquid stream and generating steam from the liquid stream, the liquid stream comprising at least water, the evaporator comprising:

• a heating element comprising a liquid channel for receiving the liquid stream, and a heating channel for directing a high-temperature heat-exchange medium therethrough to heat the liquid in the liquid channel via heat exchange between the heating channel and the liquid channel;
• a vapor drum for receiving the heated liquid from the heating element via a top connection pipe, and for generating steam from the heated liquid, the vapor drum comprising a steam outlet for discharging generated steam, and a blowdown outlet for discharging blowdown comprising un-vaporized liquid and impurities;
• a bubble-creation assembly for generating bubbles using a gas-phase substance, and injecting generated bubbles into the heating element for self-removal of scales and other deposits in the evaporator;
• and
• a water/steam circulation path for recycling at least a portion of the steam from the steam outlet of the vapor drum to a steam condenser for condensation of the steam to produce a condensate which flows into the bubble-creation assembly for generating bubbles therein to create a bubble-mixed water stream and feeding the bubble-mixed water stream into the heating element.