If $\kappa$ is an infinite cardinal and, then the relation $\mathcal E$$|X\bigtriangleup Y|\lt\kappa$ (where $X\bigtriangleup Y=(X\setminus Y)\cup(Y\setminus X)$) is a maximal diverse subset ofan equivalence relation on $\mathcal P(\kappa)$, then $|\mathcal E|=2^\kappa$.
Proof. Suppose A collection $\mathcal E\subseteq\mathcal P(\kappa)$ is diverse and $|\mathcal E|\lt2^\kappa$; I will show that"diverse" if it contains at most one element of each equivalence class. $\mathcal E$ is not maximal.
Leta "maximal diverse family" if it contains exactly one element of each equivalence class, in which case $\kappa=\bigcup_{\alpha\in\kappa}S_\alpha$ where$|\mathcal E|$ is equal to the $S_\alpha$ are pairwise disjoint setsnumber of cardinality $\kappa$. Define $f:\mathcal E\to\mathcal P(\kappa)$ by settingequivalence classes, which is $f(X)=\{\alpha\in\kappa:|X\cap S_\alpha|=\kappa\}$$2^\kappa$.
Since $|\mathcal E|\lt2^\kappa$, $f$ is not surjective. Choose a set $A\subseteq\kappa$ which is not inTo see that the rangenumber of $f$, and letequivalence classes is $Y=\bigcup_{\alpha\in A}S_\alpha$$2^\kappa$, soobserve that $f(Y)=A$ and$\{X\times\kappa:X\subseteq\kappa\}$ is a "diverse" collection of subsets of $Y\notin\mathcal E$$\kappa\times\kappa$.
If $X\in\mathcal E$ then $f(X)\ne f(Y)$, so there is some $\alpha\in\kappa$ such that either $|X\cap S_\alpha|\lt\kappa=|Y\cap S_\alpha|$ or else $|Y\cap S_\alpha|\lt\kappa=|X\cap S_\alpha|$, so $|(X\setminus Y)\cup(Y\setminus X)|=\kappa$, so $\mathcal E\cup\{Y\}$ is diverseThis argument does not apply to maximal almost disjoint families, showing thatbecause the relation $\mathcal E$$|X\cap Y|=\kappa$ is not maximalan equivalence relation.