Ceramic packing element

A ceramic packing element comprising an essentially uniform cross-section along an axis passing through a center of the element and about which the element is symmetrical defining a length of the element a ratio of a width dimension to the length being from 1.5:1 to 5:1, and first and second concave external surfaces at the ends of height and width axes respectively perpendicular to the length direction, said concave surfaces being connected by surfaces that are selected from convex surfaces and convex surfaces connected to the concave surfaces by relatively short intermediate flat surfaces, and the element being provided with at least three through passages in the length direction, at least one of the passageways being kidney bean-shaped in cross-section, the kidney-bean shaped passageway having two generally parallel arcuate surfaces, wherein said element further comprises a plurality of second passages having a second shape, the at least one kidney bean-shaped passage being positioned intermediate at least one of the plurality of second of passages and the center of the element.