Introduction
Metal Pall ring saddle packing is a high-performance random packing integrating the advantages of pall rings and Intalox saddles, widely used in chemical engineering, petroleum refining, and environmental protection separation processes. Crafted from metals like carbon steel, stainless steel (304/316), and nickel alloys, it combines the ring structure’s high voidage with the saddle shape’s excellent fluid distribution, achieving a balance between mass transfer efficiency and operational stability.
Core Structural Characteristics
The packing features a unique hybrid design: a cylindrical ring base with inward-bent tabs and a saddle-like curved profile. This structure eliminates the "dead zones" of traditional rings, ensuring uniform gas-liquid flow. Key structural traits include:
- Open geometry: Distributed tabs and slots reduce flow resistance while maintaining high mechanical strength, suitable for high-pressure column operations.
- Symmetric shape: Ensures consistent stacking density, avoiding uneven packing that causes channeling or wall flow.
- Controllable surface area: Specific surface area ranges from 50 to 200 m²/m³, adjustable via size (16mm to 100mm) to match process requirements.
Superior Performance Traits
- High mass transfer efficiency: The saddle-shaped surface enhances liquid film formation and renewal, while ring tabs promote gas turbulence, increasing interfacial contact between phases. Compared to pall rings, it achieves 10–15% higher theoretical plate numbers in distillation processes.
- Low pressure drop: Optimized void fraction (typically 0.9–0.95) reduces gas resistance, making it ideal for low-energy-consumption processes like absorption and stripping.
- Strong mechanical durability: Metal materials withstand high temperatures (up to 600°C for stainless steel) and pressures, resisting deformation under long-term operational loads.
- Wide applicability: Compatible with non-corrosive, weakly corrosive, and high-temperature media, with material customization (e.g., Hastelloy for strong acids) expanding its use in harsh environments.
Advantages in Industrial Applications
- Process adaptability: Performs stably across varying load ranges (30–120% of design capacity), suitable for fluctuating feed conditions in petrochemical plants.
- Easy installation and maintenance: Rigid structure simplifies filling and replacement, reducing downtime during column overhauls.
- Cost-effectiveness: Balances performance and lifespan, offering longer service cycles than plastic packings and lower investment than structured packings in medium-scale separation units.
Typical Application Scenarios
Commonly used in distillation of petroleum fractions, natural gas sweetening, wastewater stripping, and solvent recovery. Its ability to handle high gas velocities and heavy loads makes it a preferred choice in large-scale industrial separation systems requiring both efficiency and reliability.