What are the advantages and disadvantages of plastic structured packing

The advantages and disadvantages of plastic structured packing are closely related to its material characteristics, structural design and application scenarios. The following is a comparative analysis of its core advantages and disadvantages:

I. Advantages

Strong corrosion resistance

Applicable media: acid and alkali resistance (such as PP can resist pH 1~14), organic solvents (such as PVDF resistant to chloroform, acetone), especially suitable for chemical industry, environmental protection and other corrosive scenes.

Typical case: PP packings in wastewater treatment towers are used to neutralize acidic wastewater, avoiding the corrosion problem of metal packings.

Light weight and high strength

Low density: PP material density is only 0.9g /cm³, reducing the tower load and reducing the installation cost.

Mechanical strength: Tensile strength ≥ 78.5MPa (such as enhanced PP), can withstand a certain impact and vibration.

Low pressure drop and high efficiency

Pressure reduction: The pressure drop of corrugated packing is less than 100 Pa/m, which is only 1/3 to 1/2 of the bulk packing, and the energy saving is significant.

Large specific surface area: 250~700 m²/m³ specific surface area provides efficient mass transfer and reduces tower height requirements.

Excellent plugging resistance

Surface characteristics: Smooth or porous structure (such as punctured ripples) reduces solid particle deposition and is suitable for media containing suspended matter or easy polymerization.

Typical case: In the exhaust gas purification tower in the pharmaceutical industry, the PP pulse packing has no plugging problem in long-term operation.

High flexibility in operation

Wide gas speed range: allows gas speed fluctuation ±20%, ADAPTS to load changes, reduces the need for frequent adjustment of operating parameters.

Ii. Disadvantages

Limited temperature resistance

Common material: PP≤100 ° C, PVDF≤150 ° C, use metal or ceramic packing in high temperature scenarios.

Limitations: Long-term exposure to high temperatures may lead to aging or deformation (such as special modification of PP above 120 ° C).

Limited plugging resistance

High viscosity liquid: Lack of surface wettability may lead to uneven local liquid film, which needs to be optimized with liquid distributor.

Easy scaling medium: long-term operation may affect the mass transfer efficiency due to the adhesion of scale layer.

High initial investment

Cost comparison: The unit price of plastic packings is about 2 to 3 times that of bulk packings, and the initial procurement cost is higher.

Balance point: The difference in initial investment can be offset through energy saving and long cycle operation (more than 5 years).

Weak ability to withstand pressure

Applicable pressure: Generally ≤ 0.6MPa, high pressure scenarios need to choose metal or composite material packing.

Typical case: Natural gas desulfurization tower, high pressure conditions need to use stainless steel corrugated packing.

3. Recommendation of applicable scenarios

Scenario Recommended Type Precautions

Chemical rectification (acid-base medium) PVDF ripple, PP puncture ripple need to verify temperature adaptability (such as PVDF≤150℃)

Wastewater treatment (containing suspended matter) PP pulse, PE grid matching anti-blocking liquid distributor

Vacuum distillation (low viscosity liquid) PP wire mesh is preferred low drop model (such as BX type)

Food & Pharmaceutical (Clean Environment) PTFE (Teflon) structured packing meets FDA approval and tolerates strong oxidants

Iv. Summary

Plastic structured packings have significant advantages in corrosion resistance, lightweight, low pressure drop, Hengerwo chemical packings are especially suitable for chemical, environmental protection, food and other fields of non-extreme conditions. However, its application in high temperature, high pressure and high viscosity media is limited, and it is necessary to select materials or supporting protective measures according to specific needs. It is recommended to confirm the actual performance through small test verification (such as mass transfer coefficient, pressure drop test), and weigh the initial cost and long-term benefits.