# US 9,039,987 B2 · Mass transfer packing element and method of making the same

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- Number: US 9,039,987 B2
- Document ID: US9039987B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/698,291
- Filed: 2011-05-23
- Published: 2013-03-07
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2010-05-26
- Assignees: Saint-Gobain Ceramics & Plastics, Inc.
- Applicants: Daniel C. Sherman
- Inventors: Daniel C. Sherman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039987B2

## CPC

- B01J 8/0278: {Feeding reactive fluids (for solid material B01J8/0015)}
- B01J 19/30: Loose or shaped packing elements, e.g. Raschig rings or Berl saddles, for pouring into the apparatus for mass or heat transfer
- B28B 11/16: for extrusion {or for materials supplied in long webs}
- B29C 48/11: comprising two or more partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. honeycomb-shaped
- B29C 48/12: Articles with an irregular circumference when viewed in cross-section, e.g. window profiles
- B01J 2219/30215: Toroid or ring
- B01J 2219/30223: Cylinder
- B01J 2219/30416: Ceramic
- B29C 2793/0027: Cutting off
- B29K 2709/02: Ceramics
- B29L 2031/60: Multitubular or multicompartmented articles, e.g. honeycomb
- B29L 2031/608: {Honeycomb structures}
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B28B: SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER (foundry moulding B22C; working stone or stone-like material B28D; shaping of substances in a plastic state, in general B29C; making layered products not composed wholly of these substances B32B)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A ceramic mass transfer packing element that includes a planar end surface which intersects an internal wall's geometric plane at an acute angle is disclosed. A process for making the packing element and an apparatus that uses the packing element are also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A mass transfer packing element, comprising:
(a) a continuous peripheral wall comprising a first end and a second end, wherein said peripheral wall surrounds a passageway through said element, said first end defines a first planar surface and said second end defines a second planar surface
(b) disposed within said passageway a first internal wall defines a first geometric plane and a second internal wall defines a second geometric plane; wherein said first and second geometric planes are mutually parallel and intersect said first and second planar surfaces at an acute angle; and
(c) said peripheral wall and said internal walls comprise ceramic material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The packing element of claim 1 wherein said first geometric plane intersects said first planar surface at an angle less than 80°.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The packing element of claim 1 wherein said first geometric plane intersects said first planar surface at an angle less than 70°.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The packing element of claim 1 wherein said first geometric plane intersects said first planar surface at an angle less than 60° and greater than 30°.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The packing element of claim 1 wherein said first and second planar surfaces are mutually parallel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The packing element of claim 1 wherein said element has a maximum width, Wmax, a minimum width, Wmin, and the ratio of Wmax:Wmin is at least 1.1:1.0.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The packing element of claim 6 wherein said ratio of Wmax:Wmin is at least 1.2:1.0.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The packing element of claim 6 further comprising a height H, which is the minimum distance between said first planar surface and said second planar surface, wherein the ratio of Wmax:H is between 2:1 and 10:1.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The packing element of claim 8 wherein the ratio of Wmax:H is between 3:1 and 7:1.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The packing element of claim 1 wherein the shape of said second planar surface is non-circular.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The packing element of claim 1 having a total geometric surface area comprising vertically exposed surface area and vertically non-exposed surface area wherein at least 50 percent of the total geometric surface area is vertically exposed surface area.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The packing element of claim 11 wherein the ratio of exposed surface area to non-exposed surface area is at least 2:1.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The packing element of claim 11 wherein the ratio of exposed surface area to non-exposed surface area is at least 4:1.

### Claim 14

A process for manufacturing mass transfer packing elements comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a mixture of sinterable, ceramic materials;
(b) extruding the mixture along a central axis to form an extrudate, said extrudate comprising a peripheral wall which surrounds a passageway therethrough, a first internal wall and a second internal wall disposed within said passageway, said first internal wall defines a first geometric plane, said second internal wall defines a second geometric plane;
(c) dividing said extrudate into a plurality of uniformly shaped packing elements by cutting said extrudate along cutting planes which intersect said central axis at an acute angle, thereby forming a first end which defines a first planar surface and a second end which defines a second planar surface; wherein said first and second geometric planes intersect said first and second planar surfaces at an acute angle and said geometric planes defined by said first and second internal walls are mutually parallel; and
(d) sintering said uniformly shaped packing elements.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14 wherein at least one of said cutting planes and said central axis form an angle less than 80°.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14 wherein at least one of said cutting planes and said central axis form an angle less than 70°.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14 wherein at least one of said cutting planes and said central axis form an angle less than 60° and greater than 30°.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14 wherein at least two of said cutting planes are mutually parallel.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14 wherein all of said cutting planes are mutually parallel.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14 wherein said cutting comprises a cutting member selected from the group consisting of a wire and a liquid.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The process of claim 20 wherein said cutting comprises two cutting members simultaneously cutting said extrudate.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The process of claim 20 wherein said cutting comprises moving said wire through said extrudate.

### Claim 23

A process for manufacturing mass transfer packing elements comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a mixture of sinterable, ceramic materials;
(b) extruding the mixture along a central axis to form an extrudate, said extrudate comprising a peripheral wall which surrounds a passageway therethrough;
(c) dividing said extrudate into a plurality of uniformly shaped packing elements by cutting said extrudate along cutting planes which intersect said central axis at an acute angle wherein said cutting comprises selecting a cutting member selected from the group consisting of a wire and a liquid and rapidly forcing said liquid through said extrudate.

### Claim 24

A chemical processing apparatus comprising a vessel, said vessel comprises a first fluid entry point, a second fluid entry point, a fluid exit point and a bed of randomly oriented packing elements disposed between said first and second entry points, wherein at least a majority of said packing elements each comprise a continuous peripheral wall comprising a first end and a second end, wherein said peripheral wall surrounds a passageway through said element and said first end defines a first planar surface; and disposed within said passageway, a first internal wall defines a first geometric plane and a second internal wall defines a second geometric plane, said geometric planes are mutually parallel and intersects said first planar surface at an acute angle.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The chemical processing apparatus of claim 24 wherein said bed of packing elements consists essentially of said packing elements.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The chemical processing apparatus of claim 24 wherein said bed of packing elements consists of said packing elements.