Structured elements and methods of use

Abstract

Structured elements with capabilities for stream flow division and distribution and mitigation of undesired species that exceed those of conventionally available materials are provided. The structured elements provide increased opportunities for surface attraction, retention and coalescence of undesired species in a process stream. The functional contact surfaces of the structured elements can include one or more of the faces of cells, the surfaces of struts connecting cells, the surfaces of nodes connecting struts, and the surfaces of asperities or irregularities caused by channels, flutes, spikes, fibrils or filaments in or on the material surfaces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of flow division and distribution of a stream to a process unit, the method comprising: passing the stream through structured elements in the unit, wherein the structured elements have a contact surface with a surface area ranging from 200 to 800,000 square meters per cubic meter of structured elements, the structured elements being present in an amount sufficient to facilitate flow division and distribution of the stream. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contact surfaces of the structured elements facilitate filtration and mitigation of undesired species in the stream of sizes from 100 nanometers to 11 millimeters. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the structured elements have a contact surface with a surface area of at least 10,000 square meters per cubic meter of structured elements. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the structured elements have a contact surface with a surface area of up to 800,000 square meters per cubic meter of structured elements 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the structured elements comprise one or more interconnected unit cells, each unit cell having a frame and a plurality of faces. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the frame and plurality of faces form a three dimensional structure. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the interconnected unit cells form a three dimensional structure. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the structured element has a contact surface with a plurality of asperities formed thereon. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the asperities comprise one or more of channels, flutes, spikes, fibrils and filaments. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the contact surface comprises the surfaces of the frame, the surfaces of the asperities, and the surfaces of the faces. 
     
     
         11 . A method of mitigation of undesired species from a stream to a unit, the method comprising:
 passing the stream through structured elements in the unit, the structured elements being present in an amount sufficient to mitigate the undesired species in the stream; and   contacting the stream with the contact surfaces of the structured elements to mitigate the undesired species in the stream, wherein the structured elements have a contact surface with a surface area ranging from 200 to 800,000 square meters per cubic meter of structured elements.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the surfaces having geometrical properties which provide the capability to attract, retain and mitigate undesired species. 
     
     
         13 . A method of facilitating flow division and distribution of a stream to a unit, the method comprising:
 passing the stream through structured elements in the unit, the structured elements being in an amount sufficient to facilitate flow division and distribution of the stream; and   contacting the stream with the contact surfaces of the structured elements to facilitate flow division and distribution of the stream, wherein the structured elements have a contact surface with a surface area ranging from 200 to 800,000 square meters per cubic meter of structured elements.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the structured elements are capable of filtration and have a filtration capability able to effectively remove particulates of sizes from 100 nanometers to 11 millimeters. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stream is an industrial process stream and the unit is an industrial process unit. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the industrial process stream comprises hydrocarbons or inorganics. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the industrial process unit comprises a hydrotreater, a still or an extractor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the three dimensional structure is a polyhedron comprising a plurality of the unit cells, wherein the faces of the unit cells are open, partially open or closed, and wherein the asperities are formed on the frame of the unit cells.