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In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a housing that has at least an inlet and an outlet. The housing is configured to receive a volume of fluid via the inlet. The volume of fluid is in a substantially liquid state and at least a portion of the volume of fluid includes a dissolved impurity. The a

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a housing that has at least an inlet and an outlet. The housing is configured to receive a volume of fluid via the inlet. The volume of fluid is in a substantially liquid state and at least a portion of the volume of fluid includes a dissolved impurity. The apparatus also includes a heat-transfer element coupled to an interior volume of the housing. The heat-transfer element includes a surface, at least a portion of which is disposed at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane. The volume of fluid includes a surface parallel to the horizontal plane. The apparatus further includes a compression component configured to compress at least a portion of fluid boiled from the volume of fluid.

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1. An apparatus, comprising: a housing assembly having a side wall defining a reservoir configured to receive a volume of a fluid, the side wall defining a first opening; anda substantially conical heat-transfer element disposed within an interior volume of the housing assembly to define a condensin

1. An apparatus, comprising: a housing assembly having a side wall defining a reservoir configured to receive a volume of a fluid, the side wall defining a first opening; anda substantially conical heat-transfer element disposed within an interior volume of the housing assembly to define a condensing chamber and a boiling chamber, the substantially conical heat-transfer element including an outer surface, an inner surface, and defining a second opening placing the condensing chamber in fluid communication with the boiling chamber, the substantially conical heat-transfer element positioned such that the volume of the fluid flows from the reservoir and across the outer surface of the substantially conical heat-transfer element via the first opening, the substantially conical heat-transfer element configured such that a portion of the fluid is boiled within the boiling chamber when the portion of the fluid flows across the outer surface, a size of the first opening configured to determine a flow rate of the volume of the fluid flowing across the outer surface of the substantially conical heat-transfer element; anda compression component configured to produce a pressure differential between the boiling portion and the condensing portion to move the portion of the fluid through the second opening,the substantially conical heat-transfer element configured such that the portion of the fluid is condensed at the inner surface. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substantially conical heat-transfer element has a base, the second opening is opposite the base, the conical heat-transfer element is configured such that the volume of the fluid flows over the outer surface towards the base as the portion of the fluid is boiled from the volume of the fluid. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid is water in a substantially liquid state, at least a portion of which includes a dissolved impurity, the portion of the fluid is boiled within the boiling chamber at a pressure below a standard atmospheric pressure. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the substantially conical heat-transfer element has a base, the second opening is opposite the base; andthe compression component is a fan coupled to at least one of the housing or the substantially conical heat-transfer element, the fan having a blade aligned with the second opening and configured to rotate about a center line of the second opening. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the size of the opening is a height, the height and a level of the volume of fluid in the reservoir collectively configured to determine the flow rate of the volume of fluid flowing across the outer surface of the substantially conical heat-transfer element. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a control unit configured to adjust a pressure of the volume of the fluid within the reservoir to modify the flow rate of the volume of fluid flowing across the outer surface of the substantially conical heat-transfer element. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the compression component is a fan having a blade aligned with the second opening; andthe reservoir surrounds the blade. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flow of the fluid across the outer surface of the heat-transfer element is induced by gravity. 9. An apparatus, comprising: a housing defining a reservoir configured to receive a volume of a fluid, the volume of the fluid being in a substantially liquid state, at least a portion of which includes a dissolved impurity;a heat-transfer element disposed within an interior volume of the housing to define a condensing chamber and a boiling chamber, the heat-transfer element including a surface, at least a portion of which is disposed at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane, the housing defining an opening placing the condensing chamber in fluid communication with the boiling chamber, the heat-transfer element positioned such that the volume of the fluid flows from the reservoir and across the surface of heat-transfer element within the boiling chamber to boil a portion of the fluid when the portion of the fluid flows across the surface;a control means for controlling a flow rate of the volume of the fluid flowing across the surface of the heat-transfer element; anda compression component configured to compress at least a portion of the fluid boiled from the volume of the fluid to move the portion of fluid through the opening from the boiling chamber to the condensing chamber. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the surface of the heat-transfer element is a top surface; andthe compression component is configured to move the portion of fluid to a bottom surface of the heat-transfer element. 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the compression component is a fan having a blade aligned with the opening, the fan being coupled to a motor configured to produce a rotational movement of the blade. 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the compression component is a fan having a blade aligned with the opening; andthe reservoir surrounds the blade. 13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the portion of the fluid is boiled from the volume of the fluid at a pressure below a standard atmospheric pressure and substantially exclusively by latent heat transferred to the portion of the fluid via the heat-transfer element. 14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the compression component has a monotonically changing pressure differential versus flowrate characteristic. 15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control means includes a control unit and a valve, the control unit configured to receive an input associated with at least one of a rate of boiling of the portion of the fluid, a temperature of the fluid flowing across the surface or a pressure of the fluid flowing across the surface, the control unit configured to move a portion of the valve to adjust the flow rate. 16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control means is configured to adjust the angle. 17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: the opening is a vapor opening; andthe housing includes a side wall defining a reservoir opening, the control means including the reservoir opening. 18. An apparatus, comprising: a housing having a side wall defining a reservoir configured to receive a volume of fluid in a liquid state, the volume of fluid including an impurity concentration, the side wall defining a first opening;a heat-transfer element disposed within an interior portion of the housing to define a condensing chamber and a boiling chamber, the heat-transfer element including a top surface, at least a portion of which is disposed at an angle with respect to a horizontal plane, the housing defining a second opening placing the condensing chamber in fluid communication with the boiling chamber, the heat-transfer element positioned such that the reservoir surrounds the second opening and the volume of fluid flows from the reservoir and on the portion of the top surface via the first opening; anda compression component coupled to the housing and configured to produce a pressure differential between the boiling portion and the condensing portion to move a portion of fluid boiled from the volume of fluid to a bottom surface of the heat-transfer element within the condensing portion via the second opening, the heat-transfer element configured such that the portion of the fluid within the condensing portion condenses at the bottom surface to transfer heat from the portion of fluid within the condensing portion to the volume of fluid within the boiling portion via the heat-transfer element. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the volume of fluid flows across the top surface at a first time, the impurity concentration at the first time is a first impurity concentration, the volume of fluid includes a second impurity concentration higher than the first impurity concentration after the portion of fluid is boiled from the volume of fluid at a second time, the second time being after the first time, the apparatus further comprising: a pump coupled to the housing and configured to move at least a portion of the volume of fluid including the second impurity concentration into the reservoir at a third time after the second time. 20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the impurity is a salt and the portion of fluid is a first portion of fluid, the first portion of fluid is boiled substantially using latent heat released from a second portion of fluid changing from a gaseous phase to a liquid phase at the bottom surface of the heat-transfer element. 21. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a control means for controlling a flow rate of the volume of the fluid flowing on the top surface of the heat-transfer element. 22. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising: a valve; anda control unit configured to receive an input associated with at least one of a rate of boiling of the portion of the fluid, a temperature of the fluid flowing on the top surface or a pressure of the fluid flowing across the top surface, the control unit configured to move a portion of the valve to adjust a flow rate of the volume of the fluid flowing across the top surface of the heat-transfer element.