Experimental evaluation of novel gas liquid contactor packing based on triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS)

• An experimental device was conceived for measurement of liquid holdup based on the liquid weight during operation. • The new prototypes showed holdup values up to 9% and 11.5% before and after the loading point, respectively. • Prototypes presented low pressure drop compared to other POCS and good flooding performance, above 3 Pa 0.5 . • Mass transfer efficiency results for prototypes point out HETP values comparable to Mellapak 250Y. Additive manufacturing has widened the possibilities of design for gas–liquid packing geometries in recent years, allowing for new unexplored shapes. A novel design approach based on triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS 1 1 Triply periodic minimal surfaces. ), an interesting class of smoothened curved surfaces, led to the conception of new periodic structures with complex geometrical features. The present study aims to assess the applicability of these new TPMS-based geometries as packing for gas–liquid contactors and the effect of their topology on performance. Liquid holdup, pressure drop, flooding and mass transfer efficiency were evaluated for three TPMS-based prototypes, with distinct characteristic dimensions. A new experimental setup was developed for the estimation of liquid holdup based on the measure of the liquid weight during operation by a set of load cells. Results show good repeatability and precision, allowing to distinguish liquid holdup between the prototypes for various gas and liquid flow rates. Two of the studied prototypes presented higher holdup than the 5 ppi ceramic foam and the 15 mm Raschig rings for lower liquid rates. Prototypes also showed good results for pressure drop, with flooding reached at gas load factors above 3 Pa 0.5 . In terms of mass transfer efficiency, HETP results for the new prototypes remained between 0.35 m and 0.45 m , comparable to Mellapak 250Y.