Structured infill materials

Abstract

The corrugated structured filler sheet has a combination of corrugations, including curvatures formed in the shape of the corrugations in a lower edge region of the structured filler sheet, and surface texturing on the opposing surface of the structured filler sheet in the form of a grid of dimple structures and raised structures. Each dimple structure is separated from some or all of its adjacent ones by raised structures. The raised structures form rows of peaks and interconnected saddles. Microchannels extend along adjacent ones of the dimple structures and the interconnected saddles. The surface texturing, when used in conjunction with the curved shape of the corrugations in the lower edge region, provided unexpected performance improvements.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Related Application) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 394,976, filed Aug. 4, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] (Field of the Invention) The present invention relates generally to mass transfer columns, and more particularly to structured packings used to facilitate the transfer of mass and heat between fluids within such columns.

Background Art

[0003] Mass transfer columns are configured to contact at least two fluid streams in order to provide a product stream of a particular composition and / or temperature. As used herein, the term "mass transfer column" is intended to encompass columns for which the transfer of mass and / or heat is the primary purpose. There are several mass transfer columns that contact a gas-phase stream with a liquid-phase stream, such as those utilized in multi-component distillation and absorption applications, but there are also other mass transfer columns that can be designed to facilitate contact between two liquid phases of different densities, such as extraction columns. In many cases, mass transfer columns are typically configured to contact an ascending vapor stream or an ascending liquid stream with a descending liquid stream along a plurality of mass transfer surfaces disposed within the column. Generally, these transfer surfaces are defined by structures disposed within the internal volume of the column configured to facilitate intimate contact between the two fluid phases. As a result of these mass transfer surfaces, the rate and / or extent of mass and heat transferred between the two phases is increased.

[0004] Structured packing is a type of mass transfer surface commonly used to improve heat and / or mass transfer performance within a column. Many different types of structured packing exist, most of which comprise multiple corrugated structured packing sheets positioned in an upright, parallel relationship and joined together to form a structured packing module with fluid passages formed along the intersecting corrugations of adjacent sheets. The structured packing module itself may form a structured packing layer filling the horizontal internal cross-section of the mass transfer column, or the packing module may take the form of individual bricks positioned in an end-to-end parallel relationship to form a structured packing layer. Multiple structured packing layers are typically stacked on top of each other, with the orientation of the sheets in one layer rotated relative to the sheets in adjacent structured packing layers.

[0005] When a gas phase and a liquid phase flow through a structured packing layer, it is generally desirable to maximize heat and / or mass transfer between the gas and liquid phases. This is typically achieved by increasing the specific surface area available for mass and energy transfer. However, fluids passing through a structured packing layer with a larger specific surface area typically experience a greater pressure drop, which is undesirable from an operational standpoint.

[0006] One approach to improving the thermal and / or mass transfer performance of structured fillers without increasing the specific surface area of ​​the structured filler layer is to use various types of surface texturing on the structured filler sheet. Surface texturing facilitates the diffusion of the liquid phase across the surface of the structured filler sheet, which in turn leads to increased heat and / or mass transfer between the liquid and gas phases. A single type of surface texturing is typically applied to the entire surface area of ​​the structured filler sheet.

[0007] One known type of surface texturing uses grooves that extend laterally parallel to the upper and lower edges of a corrugated structured filler sheet. A potential drawback of this type of surface texturing is that if the structured filler sheet is not horizontal, the grooves become inclined from horizontal, causing the liquid moving along the grooves to preferentially flow in one direction, leading to unbalanced liquid distribution and reduced mass transfer efficiency.

[0008] Another type of surface texturing, which typically has higher mass transfer efficiency than groove-type surface texturing, includes a uniform grid of depressions and raised structures, where each depression is separated from adjacent depressions by raised structures. Depressions on one surface of a structured filler sheet form raised structures on the opposite surface of the structured filler sheet, and vice versa.

[0009] The raised structures surrounding the recessed structures form rows containing peaks and interconnecting saddles, and the saddles and recessed structures form rows of microchannels along which the liquid preferentially flows. The rows and microchannels are inclined and intersect the upper and lower edges of the structured filler sheet at certain angles. It has been found that the diffusion pattern of the liquid can be influenced by these microchannels.

[0010] The capacity of a structured packing layer can also be limited by the behavior of the gas and liquid phases when they change direction of flow at the interface between vertically adjacent structured packing layers. As a result of this change in flow direction, the liquid tends to accumulate at the interface, which can lead to a decrease in capacity and performance, especially at higher liquid loads.

[0011] One approach to increasing the volume of a structured packing layer and / or reducing the pressure drop at the interface involves modifying the shape of the corrugated portion at the bottom of the structured packing layer. In one such modification, a curve is formed in the shape of the corrugated portion at the bottom and optionally top of the structured packing layer such that the angle of the corrugated portion with respect to the vertical axis of the mass transfer column gradually increases from the angle present in the bulk region of the structured packing layer to a larger angle at the lower edge and optionally top edge of the structured packing layer. This curved shape of the corrugated portion reduces premature accumulation of liquid at the interface of the structured packing layer and reduces the pressure drop present at the interface if the curved shape is not used. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0012] In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a structured filler module comprising a plurality of structured filler sheets positioned upright and parallel to one another, and surface texturing on the structured filler sheets. Each structured filler sheet comprises opposing surfaces, an upper edge and a lower edge, a lower edge region adjacent to the lower edge, a bulk region above the lower edge region, and a corrugated portion interconnected by corrugated side walls, formed from alternating peaks and valleys extending in the direction of inclination that form an inclination angle with respect to the upper and / or lower edge of the structured filler sheet. The structured filler sheets are constructed and arranged such that the corrugated portions of adjacent structured filler sheets intersect each other at an angle. Each structured filler sheet further includes a curved portion formed in the shape of the corrugated portion in the lower edge region such that the inclination angle of the corrugated portion with respect to the lower edge gradually increases from the bulk region through the lower edge region. The surface texturing on the structured filler sheet comprises a grid of recessed and raised structures within a bulk region, each recessed structure being separated from some or all of the adjacent recessed structures by a raised structure, the raised structures forming rows of peaks and interconnecting saddles, and microchannels extending along interconnecting saddles positioned between each of the adjacent recessed structures.

[0013] In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a structured filler sheet comprising: an opposing surface; an upper edge portion and a lower edge portion; a lower edge region adjacent to the lower edge portion; a bulk region above the lower edge region; a plurality of openings extending through the structured filler sheet; a corrugated portion interconnected by corrugated side walls and formed from alternating peaks and valleys extending in an inclined direction that forms an inclination angle with respect to the upper and / or lower edge portion of the structured filler sheet; a curved portion formed in the shape of the corrugated portion in the lower edge region such that the inclination angle of the corrugated portion with respect to the lower edge gradually increases from the bulk region through the lower edge region; and surface texturing on the opposing surface. The surface texturing comprises a grid of recessed and raised structures, each recessed structure being separated from some or all of the adjacent recessed structures by a raised structure, the raised structures forming rows of peaks and interconnecting saddles, and microchannels extending along interconnecting saddles positioned between each of the adjacent recessed structures.

[0014] In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to a structured filler sheet comprising: an opposing surface; an upper edge and a lower edge; a lower edge region adjacent to the lower edge; a bulk region above the lower edge region; a plurality of openings extending through the structured filler sheet; a corrugated portion interconnected by corrugated side walls and formed from alternating peaks and valleys extending in an inclined direction that forms an inclination angle with respect to the upper and / or lower edge of the structured filler sheet; a curved portion formed in the shape of the corrugated portion in the lower edge region such that the inclination angle of the corrugated portion with respect to the lower edge gradually increases from the bulk region through the lower edge region; and surface texturing on the opposing surface. The surface texturing comprises a grid of recessed and raised structures, each recessed structure being separated from some or all of the adjacent recessed structures by a raised structure, the raised structures forming rows of peaks and interconnecting saddles, and microchannels extending along interconnecting saddles positioned between each of the adjacent recessed structures. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] The attached drawings form part of the specification, and the same numbers are used in various drawings to indicate the same components.

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a partial side view of a mass transfer column having a column shell taken in a vertical cross-section to show the four structured packing layers of the present invention positioned in a stacked arrangement within the mass transfer column. [Figure 2] This is a front perspective view of a corrugated structured filler sheet of the present invention, which forms part of a structured filler module and has one embodiment of surface texturing including openings and a grid of recessed and raised structures, wherein the surface texturing is shown expressively to cover only a specific portion of the sheet for clarity and ease of understanding, but in practice it may cover the entire sheet. [Figure 3] This is an enlarged partial view of a structured filler sheet having one embodiment of surface texturing, including a grid of conical peak and valley depressions and raised structures. [Figure 3a] This is a cross-sectional view along line 3a-3a in Figure 3. [Figure 3b] This is a cross-sectional view along line 3b-3b in Figure 3. [Figure 4] This is an enlarged partial view of a structured filler sheet having another embodiment of surface texturing, including a grid of recessed and raised structures in the form of elongated, raised, linear peaks and valleys. [Figure 4a] This is a cross-sectional view along line 4a-4a in Figure 4. [Figure 4b] This is a cross-sectional view along line 4b-4b in Figure 4. [Figure 5] This is an enlarged partial view of a structured filler sheet having yet another embodiment of surface texturing, including a grid of conical peak and valley-shaped depression and raised structures having high saddles between rows of peaks and low saddles between rows of peaks. [Figure 5a] This is a cross-sectional view along line 5a-5a in Figure 5. [Figure 5b] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5b-5b of FIG. 5. [Figure 6] It is a front perspective view of another embodiment of the waveform-structured filler sheet of the present invention, which is the same as the structured filler sheet shown in FIG. 2, but in addition to the curved waveform portion in the lower edge region as shown in FIG. 2, it has a curved waveform portion in the upper edge region.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0017] Referring now to the drawings in more detail, and first to FIG. 1, a mass transfer column suitable for use in mass transfer and heat exchange processes is generally designated by the numeral 10. The mass transfer column 10 can have other shapes including polygons and is within the scope of the present invention, but generally includes a vertical outer shell 12 having a cylindrical shape. The shell 12 is of any suitable diameter and height and is constructed from one or more rigid materials that are preferably inert or otherwise compatible with the fluids and conditions present during operation of the mass transfer column 10.

[0018] The shell 12 of the mass transfer column 10 defines an open internal region 14 in which desirable mass transfer and / or heat exchange occurs between fluid flows. Usually, the fluid flow includes one or more ascending vapor flows and one or more descending liquid flows. Alternatively, the fluid flow may include both ascending and descending liquid flows. The fluid flow moves into the mass transfer column 10 through any number of feed lines (not shown) positioned at appropriate locations along the height of the mass transfer column 10. One or more vapor flows may also be generated within the mass transfer column 10 rather than being introduced into the column 10 through a supply line.

[0019] The mass transfer column 10 also typically includes an overhead line (not shown) for removing vapor products or by-products, and a bottoms branch line (not shown) for removing liquid products or by-products from the mass transfer column 10. For example, other typical column components such as feed points, side draws, reflux lines, reboilers, condensers, vapor horns, and liquid distributors are not illustrated in the drawings because it is not considered necessary to illustrate the figures of these components for understanding the present invention.

[0020] One or more structured packing layers 16 including a plurality of individual structured packing sheets 18 are positioned within the open inner region 14 and extend across the horizontal inner cross-section of the mass transfer column 10. In the illustrated embodiment, four structured packing layers 16 are arranged in a stacked relationship perpendicular to each other, but it should be understood that more or fewer structured packing layers 16 may be provided.

[0021] In one embodiment, each layer of the structured packing layer 16 is formed as a single structured packing module that extends completely across the horizontal inner cross-section of the column 10. In another embodiment, each structured packing layer 16 is formed as a plurality of individually structured packing modules (not shown) referred to as bricks, positioned in an end-to-end parallel relationship to fill the horizontal inner cross-section of the mass transfer column 10.

[0022] The structured packing layers 16 are each appropriately supported within the mass transfer column 10, such as on a support ring (not shown) fixed to the shell 12, on a layer below the structured packing layer 16, or by a grid or other suitable support structure. In one embodiment, the lowermost structured packing layer 16 is supported on a support structure, and the upper structured packing layers 16 are stacked on top of each other and supported by the lowermost structured packing layer 16.

[0023] The continuous structured filler layers 16 are typically rotated relative to each other, so that individual structured filler sheets 18 within one of the filler layers 16 are positioned in a vertical plane that extends at an angle to the vertical plane defined by the individual structured filler sheets 18 within the adjacent layer(s) of the filler layer 16. This rotation angle is typically 45 or 90 degrees, but can be any other angle if desired. The height of each structured filler element 16 may vary depending on the specific application. In one embodiment, the height is in the range of about 50 to about 400 mm.

[0024] The structured packing sheets 18 of each structured packing layer 16 are positioned in an upright, parallel relationship with one another. Each structured packing sheet 18 is constructed of a suitable rigid material, such as a variety of metals, plastics, or ceramics, having sufficient strength and thickness to withstand the processing conditions experienced within the mass transfer column 10.

[0025] Referring further to Figure 2, each of the structured filler sheets 18 represents opposing front 20 and back 22, opposing upper edge 24 and lower edge 26, and opposing side edge 28 and 30. Each of the structured filler sheets 18 has a plurality of parallel corrugated sections 32 extending along part or all of the associated structured filler sheet 18. The corrugated sections 32 are formed of alternating peaks 34 and valleys 36, and corrugated section side walls 38 extending between adjacent peaks 34 and valleys 36. The peaks 34 on the front 20 of each structured filler sheet 18 form valleys 36 on the opposite side or back 22 of the structured filler sheet 18. Similarly, the valleys 36 on the front 20 of each structured filler sheet 18 form peaks 34 on the back 22 of the structured filler sheet 18.

[0026] In the exemplary embodiment, the corrugated portion 32 of each sheet of the structured filler sheet 18 extends along the entire height and width of the structured filler sheet 18 and has a substantially triangular or sinusoidal cross-section. Adjacent sheets of the structured filler sheet 18 within each structured filler layer 16 are positioned facing each other such that the front surface 20 of one of the structured filler sheets 18 faces the back surface 22 of the adjacent structured filler sheet 18.

[0027] As will be described in more detail below, in one embodiment shown in Figure 2, the shape of the corrugated portion 32 in the lower edge region 40 adjacent to the lower edge 26 of each structured filler sheet 18 is different from the shape of the corrugated portion 32 in the adjacent bulk region that forms the rest of the structured filler sheet 18. In some embodiments, the lower edge region 40 may extend to 5-30 percent, 5-25 percent, or 5-20 percent of the vertical distance from the lower edge 26 to the upper edge 24 of each structured filler sheet 18. In other embodiments, the lower edge region 40 may extend to 20-60 percent, 20-50 percent, 25-45 percent, or 30-40 percent of the distance from the lower edge 26 to the upper edge 24 of each structured filler sheet 18.

[0028] In other embodiments, such as those shown in Figure 6, the shape of the corrugated portion 32 in both the lower edge region 40 and the upper edge region 42 adjacent to the upper edge 24 of the structured filler sheet 18 differs from the shape of the corrugated portion 32 in the remaining bulk region. In the illustrated embodiments, the lower edge region 40 extends over a longer vertical distance than the upper edge region 42. For example, the lower edge region 40 may extend over 5-35 percent, 5-25 percent, 5-20 percent, or 30-35 percent of the distance from the lower edge 26 to the upper edge 24 of each structured filler sheet 18, while the upper edge region 42 may extend over 5-30 percent, 5-20 percent, 5-10 percent, or 20-25 percent. In other embodiments, the lower edge region 40 and the upper edge region 42 may extend over the same distance. For example, the lower edge region 40 and the upper edge region 42 may each extend to 5-35 percent, 5-25 percent, 5-20 percent, or 30-35 percent, respectively, of the vertical distance from the lower edge 26 to the upper edge 24 of each structured filler sheet 18.

[0029] The adjacent structured filler sheets 18 are further arranged such that the corrugated portions 32 of each sheet of the structured filler sheet 18 intersect or extend in the manner of intersecting corrugated portions with those corrugated portions 32 in adjacent sheets 18 of the structured filler sheet 18. As a result of this arrangement, the corrugated portions 32 in each structured filler sheet 18 intersect at an angle with the corrugated portions 32 of each adjacent structured filler sheet 18 in all or part of the bulk region and lower edge region 40. In one embodiment, all of the peaks 34 of the corrugated portions 32 on each front surface 20 of the structured filler sheet 18 are in contact with the peaks 34 of the corrugated portions 32 on the back surface 22 of adjacent structured filler sheets 18 in all or part of the bulk region and lower edge region 40. In other embodiments, some of the peaks 34 of the corrugated portion 32 on the front surface 20 of the structured filler sheet 18 are not in contact with the peaks 34 on the back surface of an adjacent structured filler sheet 18.

[0030] Waveform part 32The peaks 34 and valleys 36 are generally formed as curved arcs that can be defined by the vertex radius. Generally, as the vertex radius increases, the arc of curvature of the peaks 34 and valleys 36 increases, and conversely, for a given specific surface area, the length of the corrugated sidewalls 38 between the peaks 34 and valleys 36 decreases. The two corrugated sidewalls 38 of each corrugated section 32 form a vertex angle. The vertex radius, vertex angle, crimp height of the filler, and the length from peak to peak 34 are interrelated and may be varied to achieve a desired shape and specific surface area. Generally, as the crimp height decreases, the number of structured filler sheets 18 contained within each structured filler layer 16 (or module) and the associated specific surface area increase.

[0031] The corrugated portion 32 is inclined in a direction that forms an acute angle, or, in the region near the lower edge 26, in a direction that forms an inclination angle perpendicular to the upper edge 24 and / or lower edge 26 of the structured packing sheet 18. The inclination angle may be selected to suit the requirements of the specific application in which the structured packing sheet 18 is used. In one embodiment, the inclination angle in the bulk region may be in the range of 25 to 75 degrees. Specific examples of inclination angles are about 30 degrees, about 45 degrees, and about 60 degrees. Since the upper edge 24 and lower edge 26 of the structured packing sheet 18 are positioned perpendicular to the vertical axis of the mass transfer column 10, the corrugated portion 32 is also inclined with respect to the vertical axis of the mass transfer column 10. At each position on the structured packing sheet 18, the inclination angle of the corrugated portion 32 with respect to the upper edge 24 and / or lower edge 26 of the structured packing sheet 18 and the acute angle at which the corrugated portion 32 is inclined with respect to the vertical axis of the mass transfer column 10 are complementary angles.

[0032] The shape of the corrugated portion 32 in the lower edge region 40 adjacent to the lower edge 26 of the structured filler sheet 18 is modified to increase the volume of the structured filler layer 16 and / or reduce the pressure drop as the fluid flow passes through the transition zone at the interface between vertically adjacent structured filler layers 16. In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the curved portion 44 is shaped to the corrugated portion 32 in the lower edge region 40 such that the inclination angle of the corrugated portion 32 with respect to the lower edge 26 of the structured filler sheet 18 gradually increases from the bulk region of the structured filler sheet 18 through the lower edge region 40. The inclination angle of the corrugated portion 32 increases to an inclination angle in the range of 65-90 degrees, 75-90 degrees, or 85-90 degrees at the lower edge 26 of the structured filler sheet 18.

[0033] Similarly, as shown in Figure 6, the curved portion 46 may be formed in the shape of the corrugated portion 32 of the upper edge region 42 of the structured filler sheet 18. The curved portion 46 of the upper edge region 42 is formed in the same way as the curved portion 44 of the lower edge region 40.

[0034] The curved portion 44 of the corrugated portion 32 in the lower edge region 40, and the curved portion 46 of the corrugated portion 32 in the upper edge region 42, if present, smoothly changes the direction of the rising vapor flow as it moves between adjacent structured packing layers 16 and enters and exits the bulk region of the structured packing sheet 18. This smooth transition in the direction of the vapor flow reduces premature accumulation of liquid at the interface of the structured packing layers 16 and reduces the pressure drop present at the interface when the curved shape is not used.

[0035] Part or all of the structured filler sheet 18 has multiple openings 48 that extend through the structured filler sheet 18 to facilitate the distribution of vapor and liquid within the structured filler layer 16. but Each opening may be provided. 48 This provides an opening area to allow fluid to pass through the associated filler sheet 18. 48 These are usually uniformly distributed on the structured filler sheet 18. In one embodiment, opening 48These are provided on each structured filler sheet 18 within each structured filler layer 16.

[0036] The front 20 and / or back 22 of the structured filler sheet 18 include one or more different types of surface texturing 49 to facilitate diffusion and thereby maximize contact between the rising and falling fluid flows. In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, the surface texturing 49 includes a grid of recessed structures 50 and raised structures 52 on the front 20 and back 22 of the structured filler sheet 18. Although only some representative areas of the grid of recessed structures 50 and raised structures 52 are shown in Figure 3 so that the corrugated portion 32 can be easily seen, it should be understood that the grid may cover the entire surface area of ​​the structured filler sheet 18 or a sufficient portion thereof to achieve the desired mass transfer efficiency. In one embodiment, the grid extends between the upper edge 24 and the lower edge 26, and between the side edge 28 and the side edge 30, so as to cover the entire surface area of ​​the structured filler sheet 18. In another embodiment, the grid covers 70 to 95 percent of the total surface area of ​​each structured filler sheet 18.

[0037] Each recessed structure 50 is separated from some or all of the adjacent recessed structures 50 by a raised structure 52. The recessed structures 50 may be arranged in parallel rows and positioned in a square, rhombus, triangular, or other pattern. The raised structure 52 comprises ridges 54 and interconnecting saddles 56. The ridges 54 may be substantially conical in shape, as shown in Figures 3, 3a, and 3b, and Figures 5, 5a, and 5b, or elongated to form a ridge shape, as shown in Figures 4, 4a, and 4b. Other shapes and / or configurations are possible and within the scope of the present invention. Typically, at least some portions of the raised structures 52 on the front surface 20 are formed by at least some portions of the recessed structures 50 on the back surface 22, and vice versa. Thus, each of the conical ridges 54 may be formed by the end of one of the conical recessed structures 50 on the opposing surface 20 or 22 of the structured filler sheet 18. Similarly, each of the raised linear peaks 54 may be formed by the end of one of the raised linear peaks of the recessed structures 50 on the opposing surface 20 or 22 of the structured filler sheet 18.

[0038] The surface texturing 49 includes microchannels indicated by arrows 58, which extend along interconnecting saddles 56 of the recessed structures 50 and the raised structures 52 positioned between the recessed structures 50 and the adjacent recessed structures 50. These microchannels 58 facilitate the diffusion of liquid across the front 20 and back 22 of the structured filler sheet 18. Tanibe It intersects with 36, or Tanibe They may extend parallel to or nearly parallel to 36. The orientation of the microchannels 58 with respect to the upper edge 24 and / or lower edge 26 of the structured filler sheet 18, therefore Tanibe The orientation of the microchannel 58 relative to 36 is selected to optimize the diffusion of the liquid on the front surface 20 and the back surface 22.

[0039] In one embodiment, some of the microchannels 58 are Tanibe 36 It extends in a parallel relationship with respect to. For example, one-third or one-half of the microchannel 58 is Tanibe 36They may extend in a parallel relationship with respect to. In other embodiments, the microchannel 58 is at an angle in the range of 20 to 75 degrees. Tanibe It intersects with 36, and this intersection angle is, Tanibe 36 and microchannels 58 It is understood to be the smallest of the intersection angles that can be formed between them. In some embodiments, the angle may be in the range of 25 to 70 degrees or 30 to 65 degrees.

[0040] Two of the microchannels 58 extend in each recessed structure 50 in a relationship where they intersect each other at an intersection angle. In one embodiment, the intersection angle may be in the range of 50 to 140 degrees. In other embodiments, the intersection angle may be in the range of 70 to 130 degrees or 85 to 95 degrees. The microchannels 58 may extend linearly as shown in Figure 3, in a zigzag pattern as shown in Figure 4, or in other ways as shown in Figure 5. For example, in the embodiment of Figure 6, the interconnecting saddles 56 of the raised structures 52 are higher between rows of peaks 54 that form more barriers to the fluid flow and lower between rows of peaks 54 that form less barriers to the fluid flow, resulting in more fluid flowing through the microchannels 58 between rows of peaks 54.

[0041] Comparative tests were conducted using structured filler layers having two types of corrugated sections within the structured filler sheet and two types of surface texturing on the structured filler sheet. In one set of tests, a surface texturing commercially used on MONTZ-PAK™ Type B1 structured filler sheets was applied to a straight corrugated structured filler sheet and tested against the aforementioned surface texturing 49 applied to a straight structured filler sheet of the same type.

[0042] In another set of tests, a surface texturing commercially used on MONTZ-PAK™ Type B1 structured filler sheets was applied to a structured filler sheet 18 having a curved portion 44 in the lower region 40, and tested against the aforementioned surface texturing 49 applied to a corrugated structured filler sheet 18 of the same type having a curved portion 44 in the lower edge region 40. Generally, the surface texturing commercially used on MONTZ-PAK™ Type B1 structured filler sheets has a triangular pitch pattern and is finer and has more densely packed depression and ridge structures than the aforementioned surface texturing 49.

[0043] Before conducting the tests, it was expected that the effect of surface texturing on the performance of the structured filler layer would be independent of the shape of the corrugated portion of the structured filler sheet. In other words, it was expected that the performance of surface texturing commercially used on MONTZ-PAK(trademark) Type B1 structured filler sheets would be carried over to structured filler sheets having curved portions 44 within the corrugated portion 32 compared to surface texturing 49 on straight corrugated structured filler sheets.

[0044] Surprisingly, that prediction was not supported by comparative test data. Instead, the data showed waveform section 32 The surface texturing 49, when used in combination with the internal curved portion 44, performed unexpectedly better than predicted based on the comparative performance of the two surface textures when used with the straight corrugated portion shape. Therefore, the comparative test data demonstrate that the surface texturing 49 functions differently depending on the shape of the corrugated portion on the structured filler sheet, and that improved synergistic performance is achieved by combining the surface texturing 49 with the corrugated structured filler sheet 18 having a curved portion 44 in the lower edge region 40.

[0045] This unexpected performance improvement can be seen in the normalized comparative test data shown in the table below, where the linear corrugated structured filler sheet is the KOCH-GLITSCH(trademark) FLEXIPAC(registered trademark) 250Y structured filler sheet, the curved corrugated structured filler sheet 18 has a curved portion 44 only in the lower edge region 40 and has the corrugated structure found in the commercially available MONTZ-PAK(trademark) B1-250MN structured filler, the MONTZ(trademark) surface texturing is the surface texturing commercially used on MONTZ-PAK(trademark) type B1 structured filler sheet, and the KOCH-GLITSCH(trademark) surface texturing was the surface texturing 49 described above and generally shown in Figures 3, 3a, and 3b and commercially used on the KOCH-GLITSCH(trademark) FLEXIPAC(registered trademark) 250Y structured filler sheet.

[0046] In the comparative test results shown in Table 1, the performance of the structured filler layer with MONTZ® surface texture was better than that of the structured filler layer with KOCH-GLITSCH® surface texture in 6 out of 11 flow rates, and the same in 2 out of 11 flow rates. This comparative performance between the two surface textures was expected to be observed even when the test was conducted using a structured filler layer having a curved portion 44 in the lower edge region 40. In other words, the structured filler layer with MONTZ® surface texture was expected to perform better than the structured filler layer with KOCH-GLITSCH® surface texture when the shape of the corrugated portion changed in the lower edge region.

[0047] Instead, as unexpectedly shown in Table 2, the structured filler layer having KOCH-GLITSCH™ surface texturing has a curved portion 44 within the corrugated portion of the lower edge region 40. 32When added, it performed better than the structured filler layer with MONTZ™ surface texturing in eight of the eleven flow rates, and the same in two of the eleven flow rates. This performance improvement suggests that using the surface texturing 49 in combination with the curved portion 44 in the lower edge region 40 of the structured filler sheet 18 results in a kind of synergistic interaction.

[0048] [Table 1]

[0049] [Table 2]

[0050] Thus, it will be evident that the present invention, along with other advantages inherent in its structure, is well-adapted to achieve all of the above-mentioned objectives and goals of this specification.

[0051] It will be understood that certain functions and partial combinations are useful and can be used independently of other functions and partial combinations. This is conceived within the scope of the present invention and falls within its scope.

[0052] Since many possible embodiments can be derived from the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention, it should be understood that all matters described herein or shown in the accompanying drawings should be construed as illustrative and not intended to be limiting.

Claims

1. A structured filler module, Multiple structured filler sheets positioned in an upright, parallel relationship to one another, wherein each structured filler sheet is Opposing surfaces, The upper edge and the lower edge, The lower edge region adjacent to the aforementioned lower edge, The bulk region above the lower edge region, Multiple openings extending through the structured filler sheet, A plurality of structured filler sheets comprising: a corrugated portion interconnected by the side walls of the corrugated portion, formed from alternating peaks and valleys extending in a sloping direction that forms an inclination angle with respect to one or both of the upper and lower edges of the structured filler sheet, wherein the structured filler sheet is constructed and arranged such that the corrugated portions of adjacent structured filler sheets intersect each other at a certain angle; The curved portion is formed in the shape of the waveform in the lower edge region such that the inclination angle of the waveform with respect to the lower edge gradually increases from the bulk region through the lower edge region, Surface texturing on the structured filler sheet, Equipped with, The aforementioned surface texturing is A structured filler module comprising a grid of recessed and raised structures within a bulk region, wherein each recessed structure is separated from some or all of adjacent recessed structures by the raised structures, and the raised structures form rows of peaks and interconnecting saddles; and microchannels extending along the interconnecting saddles positioned between adjacent recessed structures and each of the adjacent recessed structures, wherein some of the microchannels extend in a relationship parallel to the valleys of the corrugated portions.

2. The structured filler module according to claim 1, wherein the inclination angle of the corrugated portion at the lower edge is within the range of 65 to 90 degrees.

3. The structured filler module according to claim 1, wherein the inclination angle of the corrugated portion at the lower edge is within the range of 75 to 90 degrees.

4. The structured filler module according to claim 3, wherein the recessed structures are arranged in parallel rows, and the interconnecting saddles of the raised structures connect adjacent recessed structures within each row.

5. The structured filler module according to claim 4, wherein each of the ridges of the raised structure is conical in shape and is formed by the end of one of the conical recesses on the opposing surface of the structured filler sheet.

6. The structured filler module according to claim 4, wherein each of the ridges of the raised structure is in the shape of a raised line, and is formed by the end of one of the raised line shapes of the recessed structures on the opposing surface of the structured filler sheet.

7. The upper edge region adjacent to the upper edge, The structured filler module according to claim 4, further comprising: another curved portion formed in the shape of the corrugated portion in the upper edge region such that the inclination angle of the corrugated portion with respect to the upper edge gradually increases from the bulk region through the upper edge region.

8. The structured filler module according to claim 1, wherein the lower edge region extends to 5 to 30 percent, 5 to 25 percent, 5 to 20 percent, 20 to 60 percent, 20 to 50 percent, 25 to 45 percent, or 30 to 40 percent of the distance from the lower edge to the upper edge of the structured filler sheet.

9. The structured filler module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of openings are uniformly distributed on the structured filler sheet.

10. A structured filler sheet, Opposing surfaces, The upper edge and the lower edge, The lower edge region adjacent to the aforementioned lower edge, The bulk region above the lower edge region, Multiple openings extending through the structured filler sheet, A corrugated portion is formed from alternating peaks and valleys extending in the direction of inclination, which are interconnected by the side walls of the corrugated portion and form an inclination angle with respect to one or both of the upper and lower edges of the structured filler sheet, The curved portion is formed in the shape of the waveform in the lower edge region such that the inclination angle of the waveform with respect to the lower edge gradually increases from the bulk region through the lower edge region, Surface texturing on the opposing surface, Equipped with, The aforementioned surface texturing is A structured filler sheet comprising a grid of recessed and raised structures, wherein each recessed structure is separated by a raised structure from some or all of the adjacent recessed structures, and the raised structures form rows of peaks and interconnecting saddles; and microchannels extending along the interconnecting saddles positioned between adjacent recessed structures and each of the adjacent recessed structures, wherein some of the microchannels extend in a relationship parallel to the valleys of the corrugated portions.

11. The structured filler sheet according to claim 10, wherein the inclination angle of the corrugated portion at the lower edge is within the range of 65 to 90 degrees.

12. The structured filler sheet according to claim 10, wherein the inclination angle of the corrugated portion at the lower edge is within the range of 75 to 90 degrees.

13. The structured filler sheet according to claim 10, wherein the recessed structures are arranged in parallel rows, and the interconnecting saddles of the raised structures connect adjacent recessed structures within each row.

14. The structured filler sheet according to claim 10, wherein each of the ridges of the raised structure is conical in shape and is formed by the end of one of the conical recesses on the opposing surface of the structured filler sheet.

15. The structured filler sheet according to claim 10, wherein each of the ridges of the raised structure is in the shape of a raised line and is formed by the end of one of the raised line shapes of the recessed structures on the opposing surface of the structured filler sheet.

16. The structured filler sheet according to claim 15, wherein two of the microchannels extend toward each other in each recess structure at an intersection angle in the range of 50 to 140 degrees.

17. The structured filler sheet according to claim 10, wherein the lower edge region extends to 5 to 30 percent, 5 to 25 percent, 5 to 20 percent, 20 to 60 percent, 20 to 50 percent, 25 to 45 percent, or 30 to 40 percent of the distance from the lower edge to the upper edge of the structured filler sheet.

18. A structured filler sheet, Opposing surfaces, The upper edge and the lower edge, A lower edge region adjacent to the lower edge, wherein the lower edge region comprises a lower edge region that extends 25 to 45 percent of the distance from the lower edge to the upper edge of the structured filler sheet, The bulk region above the lower edge region, Multiple openings extending through the structured filler sheet, A corrugated portion is formed from alternating peaks and valleys extending in the direction of inclination, which are interconnected by the side walls of the corrugated portion and form an inclination angle with respect to one or both of the upper and lower edges of the structured filler sheet, The angle of inclination of the waveform portion with respect to the lower edge gradually increases from the bulk region through the lower edge region, and the angle of inclination at the lower edge is within the range of 65 to 90 degrees, such that the curved portion is formed in the shape of the waveform portion in the lower edge region. Surface texturing on the opposing surface, Equipped with, The aforementioned surface texturing is A structured filler sheet comprising a grid of recessed and raised structures, wherein each recessed structure is separated by a raised structure from some or all of the adjacent recessed structures, the raised structures forming rows of peaks and interconnecting saddles; and microchannels extending along the interconnecting saddles positioned between each of the adjacent recessed structures, the recessed structures arranged in parallel rows, the interconnecting saddles of the raised structures connecting adjacent recessed structures within each row, and some of the microchannels extending in a relationship parallel to the valleys of the corrugated sections.

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