Filling element for columns already caught on throughout this country

摘要

An efficient packing element for exchange columns is made up of a plurality of preformed vertical sheets (12), each having a plurality of elongated inclined troughs (18) including converging embossed sidewalls, valleys (V), and ridges (R) extending between upper inlet edges (20) and lower outlet drip edges (22) and projecting alternately outwardly from one side and then the opposite side of the median plane of each sheet. Projecting from the converging sidewalls of the troughs are a plurality of hollow protuberances (30) such as, produced by embossing with perforated peaks including small openings (32) surrounded by edges of the wall about the peaks. The sheets are arranged so that the inclined rows of the embossed troughs in adjacent sheets are oppositely inclined and in criss-crossing relation to the inclined rows of the adjacent sheet of the packing element causing frequent changes in direction of liquid flow and whereby both embossed sides (14, 16) of each sheet are more easily and uniformly wetted by the frequently diverted liquid flowing downwardly over the surfaces thereof.