STRUCTURED CROSS-CHANNEL PACKING ELEMENT WITH REDUCED MATERIAL REQUIREMENT

The present invention relates to a structured cross-channel packing element for a column for mass transfer and/or heat exchange between a heavy and a light fluid phase, wherein the structured cross-channel packing element comprises at least two adjacent layers made of expanded metal sheets each comprising openings, which are surrounded and separated from each other by separating elements, wherein at least two of the at least two layers are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the packing element parallel and in touching contact with each other so that an open space extending from one end to the opposite end of the at least two layers is provided between them so that at least one of the heavy and the light fluid phase may flow through it, wherein the ratio between the average width of at least 50% of the separating elements between adjacent openings and the sheet material thickness is at least 15, wherein the ratio between the maximum distance between at least two of the at least two layers measured in the plane being perpendicular of the longitudinal direction and the average width of the separating elements is at least 4, and wherein the ratio between the distance between two openings being in the direction perpendicular to the stretch direction of the expanded metal sheet adjacent to a separating element and the average width of this separating element is for at least 50% of all separating elements 4 to 6. La presente invención se refiere a un elemento de relleno de canal cruzado estructurado para una columna para transferencia de masa y/o intercambio de calor entre una fase de fluido pesado y una fase de fluido ligero, en donde el elemento de relleno de canal cruzado estructurado comprende al menos dos capas adyacentes fabricadas de láminas de metal expandidas, comprendiendo cada una de las mismas unas aberturas, que están rodeadas y separadas unas de otras por unos elementos de separación, en donde al menos dos de las al menos dos capas están dispuestas en la dirección longitudinal del elemento de relleno paralelas y en contacto entre sí de tal manera que un espacio abierto que se extiende desde un extremo al extremo opuesto de las al menos dos capas se proporciona entre las mismas de tal manera que al menos una de la fase de fluido pesado y la fase de fluido ligero pueda fluir a través del mismo, en donde la relación entre el ancho promedio de al menos el 50 % de los elementos de separación entre las aberturas adyacentes y el espesor de material