Structured Packings for Distillation, Absorption, and Liquid-Liquid Removal

What are structured packings?

Structured packings are devices used in distillation, absorption, and liquid-liquid removal processes to separate the substances present in the various phases of the process. Due to their structure, they offer high separation efficiency combined with low pressure drop, thus improving the overall efficiency of the process.

How do structured packings work?

Structured packings are made up of thermoformed or injection-molded corrugated sheets that are overlapped to create a large contact surface between the liquid and vapor phases. The intersections between the corrugated sheets create mixing points between the two phases, thus promoting substance separation.

Applications of structured packings

Structured packings are used in various industrial applications, including:

  • Distillation: to separate the components of a liquid mixture based on their volatility;
  • Absorption: to separate the substances present in a gas mixture based on their affinity with an absorbent liquid;
  • Liquid-liquid removal: to separate the substances present in a liquid mixture based on their solubility in another liquid.