Corrugated Packing Grid Segmentation for Mass Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional structured packings for gas-liquid contacting apparatuses suffer from limited mass transfer area, high pressure drop, low mechanical strength, and sensitivity to soiling, leading to restricted hydraulic capacity and increased production costs.

Innovation Solution

The corrugated packing grid features consecutively arranged wave troughs and crests connected by cross struts, creating an open structure that enhances surface area for gas-liquid contact, reduces pressure drop, and increases mechanical strength, allowing for high hydraulic capacity and reduced material usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional structured packings use closed plate structures, then liquid distribution is improved, but transverse transfer is restricted and sensitivity to soiling increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliquid distribution uniformityVSAvoidsensitivity to soiling

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The packing grid is segmented into multiple wave-shaped elements arranged side by side, creating an open structure with gaps between waves. This segmentation allows liquid to distribute uniformly across the packing while maintaining open channels that resist soiling accumulation, directly resolving the contradiction between liquid distribution and soiling sensitivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The packing employs an inherently open and porous wave structure with gaps between adjacent waves, allowing free transverse liquid transfer. This porous design prevents soiling accumulation by enabling continuous flow paths, thus improving both liquid distribution uniformity and resistance to soiling simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Strength

If conventional structured packings use closed plate structures, then structural integrity is improved, but hydraulic load capacity is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidhydraulic load capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The closed plate structure is segmented into multiple independent wave-shaped elements that are arranged side by side. This segmentation creates open channels between the waves that significantly increase hydraulic load capacity, while each wave element maintains sufficient structural integrity through its corrugated geometry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The packing transitions from a two-dimensional closed plate structure to a three-dimensional open wave structure with gaps between adjacent waves. This dimensional change creates additional flow paths in the transverse direction, dramatically increasing hydraulic load capacity while the vertical wave geometry maintains structural strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If conventional structured packings use folded thin sheet metals, then mass transfer area is improved, but pressure drop increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemass transfer areaVSAvoidpressure drop

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous sheet metal structure is segmented into multiple discrete wave-shaped elements with gaps between them. This segmentation creates open flow channels that reduce resistance to gas and liquid flow, thereby reducing pressure drop, while the total surface area of the waves is maintained to preserve mass transfer area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The packing employs an open porous wave structure with intentional gaps between adjacent waves. This porous design reduces flow resistance and pressure drop by providing multiple parallel flow paths, while the wave surfaces themselves maintain the necessary mass transfer area through their corrugated geometry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

4Reliability

If conventional structured packings use expanded metal with pressed out regions, then mass transfer area is improved, but material consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemass transfer areaVSAvoidmaterial consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The packing is segmented into multiple wave-shaped elements arranged side by side with gaps between them. This segmentation creates an open structure that provides sufficient mass transfer area through the wave surfaces while using less material overall compared to continuous expanded metal structures, as the gaps eliminate redundant material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The packing employs an open porous wave structure that achieves high mass transfer area with reduced material consumption. The porous design with gaps between waves eliminates the need for excessive material while maintaining adequate surface area for mass transfer, directly addressing the contradiction between mass transfer area and material consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Data Source

PatentUS9186648B2Corrugated packing grid and structured packing assembled from several packing grids

Publication Date: 2015.11.17 RVT PROCESS EQUIP

AI summary

A corrugated packing grid with consecutively arranged wave crests and wave troughs for a structured packing, which is assembled from several packing grids, for gas-liquid contacting apparatuses, and a packing assembled from the packing grids. The packing grid and the packing have a large mass transfer area and a low pressure drop at the same time and offer a high mechanical strength. This can be achieved in that elements lie in the region of the wave troughs of the packing grid, the elements extending into the wave troughs.