(78f) Packed for Evolution: Sulzer MellapakEvoTM

Sulzer invented structured packings 60 years ago with the Sulzer BX metal gauze packing in 1964, which is typically used in niche applications such as heavy water separation. Hence, Sulzer debuted the Mellapak^TM metal sheet packing in 1976, as a mass-market product for distillation and absorption. 23 years later, Sulzer launched the second-generation MellapakPlus^TM metal sheet packing in 1999. A further 25 years later, Sulzer recently introduced the third-generation MellapakEvo^TM metal sheet packing in June 2024.

The performance of MellapakEvo was validated with several test systems, including: (1) chlorobenzene / ethylbenzene, and (2) o-xylene / p-xylene. The column operating pressures ranged from vacuum to atmospheric. In these pilot tests, MellapakEvo demonstrated superior efficiency and hydraulic performances compared to MellapakPlus. This presentation will discuss the advantages of MellapakEvo and explore case studies which can utilize MellapakEvo to optimize column designs and/or operating parameters.