Packing Performance Database

Characteristics of random packings for column design — specific surface, void fraction, dry packing factor and packing factor φ.

Random packing characteristics

Packing type	Size (mm)	Material	a (m²/m³)	ε	a/ε³	φ (m⁻¹)	ρb (kg/m³)

Reference: Perry’s Chemical Engineers’ Handbook and standard chemical engineering texts. φ is the flooding packing factor used in the Eckert correlation; a/ε³ is the dry packing factor used in the Bain–Hougen correlation.

Structured packing characteristics

Packing type	Spec	F (m/s)(kg/m³)^½	nt (1/m)	ΔP/plate (Pa)	S = F·nt	W (kg/m³)	w′	a (m²/m³)	a′	ε

Reference: stainless steel structured packing comparison — Mellapak / Sulzer / Montzpak / Gempak / Ralupak. F is the kinetic F-factor, nt the theoretical plates per metre, ΔP the pressure drop per theoretical plate; ε are typical void fractions. The search filter above applies to both tables.