OPTIMAL CORRUGATED STRUCTURED PACKING

摘要

A structured packing having a surface area density in the range of about 500 m2/m3 to about 675 m2/m3 includes a plurality of corrugated plates disposed in vertically parallel relation. Each plate has at least one aperture and a plurality of regularly spaced and substantially parallel corrugations disposed in crisscrossing retation to the corrugations of an adjacent plate. The apertures have an equivalent diameter of less than about 4 millimeters but greater than about: 2 millimeters. The corrugations have a corrugation angle (~) relative to horizontal in the range of about 40.degree. to about 60.degree.. Each corrugation, when approximated to be substantially a triangular cross-section, has an included angle (.beta.) defined by two sides of the corrugation in the range of about 90.degree. to about 100.degree.. The structured packing is used in exchange columns for exchanging heat and/or mass between a first phase and a second phase in processes such as cryogenic air separation. A method also is provided for installing the structured packing in an exchange column