Method of operating a mass exchange column, a heat exchange column or a static mixer using a packing composed of flat structural elements

A method of operating a mass exchange column, a heat exchange column, or a static mixer. The method includes providing a packing wherein assembly of the packing includes providing at least one flat, structural element including a plurality of separate adjoining strips of a sheet material. Each strip has first and second spaced-apart longitudinal edges with longitudinal edges of adjoining strips being placed opposite each other. The adjoining strips are in contact with and secure to each other where they contact each other to provide the flat structural element with structural stability. The longitudinal edges of the strips include a plurality of repetitively spaced-apart recesses of a predetermined shape and the recessed in longitudinal edges are opposite to each other to define a multiplicity of repetitively arranged openings distributed over the structural element. At least some of the structural elements are folded along fold lines to give the folded structural elements a zigzag shape in a cross-section transverse to the fold lines. The folded structural elements are assembled in the layers to thereby form the packing. The packing is installed in an apparatus and a trickle film and a gas stream is flowed over the packing.