Mesh baffle for wiped film evaporator

An improved thin film evaporator for evaporating a liquid solution, wherein the evaporator is of the type having a housing containing:

• a solution inlet for the liquid solution to enter the evaporator,
• a concentrate outlet for a concentrate to exit the evaporator,
• an evaporation surface wherein evaporation of at least part of the liquid solution can occur to form a vapor when the evaporation surface is heated,
• a condensation surface wherein condensing of the vapor into the concentrate can occur when the condensation surface is cooled, and
• a wiper carrier holding a plurality of wiper blades each having a blade edge, wherein the wiper carrier is rotatably driven within the evaporator by a rotator shaft such that the blade edges are movable in close proximity to the evaporation surface, the improvement comprising:
• a mesh baffle also connected to the wiper carrier and held in a spaced relation between the evaporation surface and the condensation surface as the wiper blades move therebetween, said mesh baffle to thereby assemble liquid droplets produced in the vapor and centrifuge them back towards the evaporation surface.