In simplest terms, the exhaust gas is forced into a constrained area, where filters separate the condensate from the gas.

The three most common types of mist eliminators are mesh, vane (sometimes known as Chevron), and fiber bed demisters. These three types of mist collection can be used separately or in conjunction with one another, depending on the setup.

These varieties of mist eliminators mechanically separate miniscule droplets of liquid from vapor streams, though they do it in slightly different ways.