Influence of the Surface Structure on the Wettability of Polymer Packing Elements in Heat- and Mass-Transfer Equipment

The work studies methods to improve the wettability of polymer packing elements involving the application of various geometric structures onto their surface. The authors of this work review the latest scientific studies that consider the phenomena of wetting on structured surfaces. A laboratory bench is developed for the study the profile and character of the flow of a liquid film over polymer plates with different surface structures. It is noted based on the results of the performed studies that the wettability of the surface strongly depends on its structure. A qualitative and quantitative comparison of the degree of wettability of the studied plates is presented, during which it is found that a network configuration of the surface of the plate is the most efficient. Recommendations on the practical application of the results of this work are indicated based on the obtained data.