Open mesh fill assembly

Claim 1

A fill assembly adapted to effect contact between a gas and a liquid, which comprises: a plurality of facially-opposed corrugated sheets of material disposed in a substantially vertical, parallel relationship, all of the corrugations in each of the sheets being disposed at an angle to the vertical, and each of the corrguations extending in substantially straight lines at least partially between one edge of the sheets and another edge thereof, with the corrugations in alternate sheets crossing the corrugations in the sheets disposed between the alternate sheets, adjacent corrugated sheets defining therebetween channels for the passage of a gas and gravitating liquid therethrough the liquid being urged by gravity to flow along the surfaces of the sheets in the direction of maximum slope, said sheets being formed of a foraminous material comprising an open-mesh network of interconnected webs, the interconnected webs being arranged to define a plurality of hexagonal openings with at least two opposite sides being parallel and disposed substantially in the direction of maximum slope, each opening being of sufficient size to prevent the gravitating liquid from filming thereacross, each opening being symmetrical about at least one axis thereof and arranged within the sheet material so that said at least one axis of symmetry is oriented substantially in the direction of maximum slope, wherein the hexagonal openings interrupt the natural flow of the liquid and cause the liquid to divide around the openings and flow along the interconnecting webs, whereby the liquid is distributed broadly over the surface of the sheets, wherein the direction of maximum slope is disposed at substantially an angle γ from the vertical, and wherein the angle γ is calculated from the following equation: ##EQU3## where γ= the angle from the vertical of the direction of maximum slope; α= the fluting angle, i.e., the angle at which the corrugations are disposed from the vertical; A= the transverse pitch of the corrugations, measured from peak to valley; and H= the height of the corrugations, measured from peak to peak.