Described herein is a column packing for a distillation apparatus, the column packing having an upper end opposite a lower end, the column packing comprising: a body extending along a central axis, the body comprising: a central channel extending parallel to the central axis, the central channel comprising a first open end opposite a second open end; and a plurality of perimeter channels circumscribing the central channel, each of the perimeter channels comprising a first open end opposite a second open end wherein the multi-channel body is formed of fluoropolymer.

The present disclosure a mechanical filter element (2) for forming a static filter pack (11) to perform mechanical filtration of a liquid. The mechanical filter element (1) has one or more filter cell (19). The present disclosure also relates to a mechanical filter apparatus (1) having a filter chamber (10) containing a plurality of mechanical filter elements (2) for forming the static filter pack (11) to perform mechanical filtration of a liquid. The mechanical filter apparatus (1) is configured to generate a flow of the liquid through the mechanical filter elements (2) during filtration to form the static filter pack (11). Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a method of mechanically filtering a liquid. A plurality of mechanical filter elements (2) each comprising one or more filter cell (19) are disposed in a filter chamber (10). During filtration, the liquid flows through the filter chamber (10) to establish a static filter pack (11) of said mechanical filter elements (2) to mechanically filter the liquid.

In a method of manufacturing objects, extrudable ceramic forming material is extruded through multiple dies arrayed around an extrusion axis, the dies mounted to permit controlled movement of the dies during the course of extrusion to vary the position of several extrudate streams exiting the dies. Extruded objects are defined by spokes corresponding to the extrudate streams with the streams having a varying spacing from a central axis.

An object is extruded to have the form of a cage, the cage defined by spokes corresponding to several extrudate streams. The spokes bound a hollow interior and extend between opposed hub regions where the spokes are fused together. In manufacturing the objects, ceramic material is extruded through multiple dies arrayed around an extrusion axis, the dies mounted to permit controlled movement of the dies during the course of extrusion to vary the position of extrudate streams exiting the dies.

An object is extruded to have the form of a cage, the cage defined by spokes corresponding to several extrudate streams. The spokes bound a hollow interior and extend between opposed hub regions where the spokes are fused together. In manufacturing the objects, ceramic material is extruded through multiple dies arrayed around an extrusion axis, the dies mounted to permit controlled movement of the dies during the course of extrusion to vary the position of extrudate streams exiting the dies.

A packed bed includes a vessel including a shell, an inlet, and an outlet, wherein the space inside the shell between the inlet and outlet forms an internal volume; a plurality of packing material structures filling at least a portion of the internal volume thereby forming a packed volume, wherein the packed volume has a void fraction, and the packing material structures provide an aggregate surface area; and the vessel has a pressure drop between the vessel inlet and vessel outlet, wherein the pressure drop is less than 1.0 times that of a packed bed of the non-twisted shapes with the same cross-section.