Oriented structure for treating a fluid

A reactor for treating a liquid, the reactor comprising:

• a chamber with an upper portion and a lower portion;
• a liquid inlet in the upper portion for introducing in the chamber a liquid to be treated and a liquid outlet in the lower portion for discharging from the chamber a treated liquid;
• and
• at least one oriented structure for treating a fluid mounted within the chamber, said oriented structure comprising a juxtaposition of layers of porous material having a different porosity, each layer spanning generally vertically within the chamber;
• wherein the juxtaposition of layers comprises layers of a first material having a first porosity chosen so as to create a zone of dynamic hold-up of the fluid alternating with layers of a second material having a second porosity chosen so as to create a static hold-up of the fluid, thereby promoting internal exchanges of the fluid between the zone of dynamic hold-up and the zone of static hold-up.

A method for manufacturing an oriented structure for treating a fluid, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing two mats of a first porous material having a porosity chosen so as to create a zone of dynamic hold-up of the fluid and a second porous material made of particles having a porosity chosen so as to create a static hold-up of the fluid;
• b) forming a multilayer structure by covering one of said two mats with a layer of the second material and covering the layer of the second material with the other one of said two mats;
• and
• c) rolling up the multilayer structure.