Mixed-resistance structured packing

摘要

The HETP (height equivalent to a theoretical plate) of a section (11) packed with structured packing of a column (22) for exchanging heat and/or mass between an ascending gaseous phase and a descending liquid phase is reduced by reducing the ascending phase flow through the packing (24) adjacent the column wall (40) compared with ascending phase flow through the packing (26) in the centre (30) of the column section to compensate for reduced descending phase flow by maintaining an essentially constant phase ratio across the column section. In a preferred embodiment, the column section is packed with a layer of mixed-resistance structured packing including a central core (30) of first structured packing (26) and an outer annulus (28) of second structured packing (24) generally horizontally adjacent the first structured packing and having increased resistance to ascending gaseous flow than the first structured packing.