Structured packing

The term structured packing refers to a range of specially designed materials for use in absorption and distillation columns[1].

Structured packings typically consist of thin corrugated metal plates or gauzes arranged in a way that force fluids to take complicated paths through the column, thereby creating a large surface area for contact between different phases.

The sheets are packaged into elements that are piled up in alternating layers, forming a packed bed that fills the complete cross-sectional area of the fractionation tower.

To fully utilize the separation efficiency, structured packings require a careful distribution of the liquid on top of the bed.

These structured packings, made of corrugated metal sheets, had their surfaces treated, chemically or mechanically, to enhance their wettability.

[2] Structured packing is manufactured in a wide range of sizes by varying the crimp altitude and corrugation angle (with respect to the horizontal).