Stackable structured packing with controlled symmetry

A structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a polyhedron having a plurality of edges formed by elongated rods;
• and
• a plurality of transfer sheets disposed with the polyhedron and having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the polyhedron and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to another edge of the polyhedron.

A structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a cube having a center and twelve edges comprising twelve elongated rods of equal length;
• and
• at least one transfer sheet disposed within the cube and having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the cube and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to a diagonally opposite edge of the cube.

A structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a cube having a center and twelve edges formed by twelve elongated rods of equal length;
• and
• a plurality of transfer sheets disposed within the cube, each transfer sheet having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the cube and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to a diagonally opposite edge of the cube.

An exchange column for exchanging heat and/or mass between a first phase and a second phase, the exchange column having at least one structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a polyhedron having a plurality of edges formed by elongated rods;
• and
• at least one transfer sheet disposed within the polyhedron and having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the polyhedron and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to another edge of the polyhedron.

An exchange column for exchanging heat and/or mass between a first phase and a second phase, the exchange column having at least one structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a polyhedron having a plurality of edges formed by elongated rods;
• and
• a plurality of transfer sheets disposed with the polyhedron and having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the polyhedron and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to another edge of the polyhedron.

An exchange column for exchanging heat and/or mass between a first phase and a second phase, the exchange column having at least one structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a cube having a center and twelve edges comprising twelve elongated rods of equal length;
• and
• at least one transfer sheet disposed within the cube and having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the cube and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to a diagonally opposite edge of the cube.

An exchange column for exchanging heat and/or mass between a first phase and a second phase, the exchange column having at least one structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a cube having a center and twelve edges formed by twelve elongated rods of equal length;
• and
• a plurality of transfer sheets disposed within the cube, each transfer sheet having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the cube and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to a diagonally opposite edge of the cube.

A process for cryogenic air separation comprising contacting vapor and liquid countercurrently in at least one distillation column containing at least one mass transfer zone wherein liquid-vapor contact is established by at least one structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a polyhedron having a plurality of edges formed by elongated rods;
• and
• at least one transfer sheet disposed within the polyhedron and having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the polyhedron and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to another edge of the polyhedron.

A process for cryogenic air separation comprising contacting vapor and liquid countercurrently in at least one distillation column containing at least one mass transfer zone wherein liquid-vapor contact is established by at least one structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a polyhedron having a plurality of edges formed by elongated rods;
• and
• a plurality of transfer sheets disposed with the polyhedron and having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the polyhedron and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to another edge of the polyhedron.

A process for cryogenic air separation comprising contacting vapor and liquid countercurrently in at least one distillation column containing at least one mass transfer zone wherein liquid-vapor contact is established by at least one structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a cube having a center and twelve edges comprising twelve elongated rods of equal length;
• and
• at least one transfer sheet disposed within the cube and having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the cube and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to a diagonally opposite edge of the cube.

A process for cryogenic air separation comprising contacting vapor and liquid countercurrently in at least one distillation column containing at least one mass transfer zone wherein liquid-vapor contact is established by at least one structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a cube having a center and twelve edges formed by twelve elongated rods of equal length;
• and
• a plurality of transfer sheets disposed within the cube, each transfer sheet having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the cube and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to a diagonally opposite edge of the cube.

A process for exchanging mass and/or heat between two liquids, comprising contacting said liquids in at least one exchange column wherein liquid-liquid contact is established by at least one structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a polyhedron having a plurality of edges formed by elongated rods;
• and
• at least one transfer sheet disposed within the polyhedron and having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the polyhedron and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to another edge of the polyhedron.

A process for exchanging mass and/or heat between two liquids, comprising contacting said liquids in at least one exchange column wherein liquid-liquid contact is established by at least one structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a polyhedron having a plurality of edges formed by elongated rods;
• and
• a plurality of transfer sheets disposed with the polyhedron and having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the polyhedron and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to another edge of the polyhedron.

A process for exchanging mass and/or heat between two liquids, comprising contacting said liquids in at least one exchange column wherein liquid-liquid contact is established by at least one structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a cube having a center and twelve edges comprising twelve elongated rods of equal length;
• and
• at least one transfer sheet disposed within the cube and having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the cube and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to a diagonally opposite edge of the cube.

A process for exchanging mass and/or heat between two liquids, comprising contacting said liquids in at least one exchange column wherein liquid-liquid contact is established by at least one structured packing having a plurality of packing elements stacked together, wherein each packing element comprises:

• a cube having a center and twelve edges formed by twelve elongated rods of equal length;
• and
• a plurality of transfer sheets disposed within the cube, each transfer sheet having first and second ends, wherein the first end of each transfer sheet connects to a different edge of the cube and the second end of each transfer sheet connects to a diagonally opposite edge of the cube.

An exchange column for exchanging heat and/or mass between a first fluid and a second fluid, the exchange column comprising a plurality of substantially identical packing elements packed in layers of adjacent elements, each element containing at least one inclined flow surface over which two fluids may flow countercurrently to each other and an open portion through which fluid may flow, the elements being stackable such that the relative orientation of adjacent elements within a layer and between adjacent layers is freely determinable.