Study of Surface Wettability in a Modular Contact Device

This study analyzes the wettability of a standard packing of heat and mass transfer equipment. Packing elements with corrugation profile angles of 85°, 100°, and 115° are used as the main experimental models. The study of wettability is conducted in a laboratory setting using a specialized test bench. The contact device module is irrigated with water, which is subsequently drained into the sewer system. To assess wettability, the device is dyed with water-soluble dye. Wettability φ is determined from the dye traces on the elements by calculating the ratio of the undyed surface to the total surface. The study has revealed that the operation of the contact device requires minimum irrigation. The calculation of the minimum irrigation density is conducted according to the known dependence proposed by V.M. Ramm. The best wettability of packing elements is attained at a corrugation profile angle of 85°, while the worst wettability is observed at a corrugation profile angle of 115°. At the same time, for all packing modifications, the wetted surface area φ exceeds 62%.