Packing elements

Abstract

A packing element for enhancing contact between a fluid having a predominant direction of flow and a second fluid, including: a plurality of layers, each layer having a generally flat portion disposed generally in a plane aligned with the direction of flow and having a plurality of fluid deflection surfaces that project from the plane, the deflection surfaces being oriented obliquely to the direction of flow in a manner selected to impart to different portions of liquid flowing on one side of the layer different components of momentum at different angles to the direction of flow, and to cause those different fluid portions to meet on that side of the layer in a region of the flat portion with a tendency to cancel the momentum components; the deflection surface on each layer are arranged to cause portions of the liquid flowing on one side of each layer to be transferred to another side of that layer and mixed with fluid flowing on the other side; and the layers are disposed adjacent to each other so that some of the deflection surfaces of one layer contact some of the deflection surfaces of an adjacent layer at a plurality of nodes, the contacting deflection surfaces being oriented in opposite oblique directions with respect to the direction of flow to cause portions of fluid flowing on the contacting deflection surfaces to meet at the nodes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.