Ceramic Saddles

Our Super Saddles have a curved, half-ring shape with ridged walls on either side — similar to a rainbow or saddle. The wall ridging resembles a scalloped or corrugated shape, ideal for applications requiring superior flow and gas-liquid transfer. This design also prevents packing materials from nesting on top of one another.

Ceramic Saddles’ smooth surface adds to their inherent resistance to harsh chemicals. Durable ceramic offers excellent mechanical strength, too.

We manufacture our ceramic Saddles in the following sizes:

• 1″, with an 86% void fraction, 79.3 ft2/ft3 surface area and 31.8 lb/ft3 weight
• 1 1/2″, with an 84% void fraction, 64 ft2/ft3 surface area and 30.2 lb/ft3 weight2″, with an 84% void fraction, 42.7 ft2/ft3 surface area and 33.6 lb/ft3 weight
• 3″, with a 72% void fraction, 32 ft2/ft3 surface area and 36.2 lb/ft3 weight

For more information or assistance choosing the best ceramic Saddle for your application, get in touch with one of our engineers. We offer a range of additional services, including process simulation, that can help you make a more informed choice.

Regardless of which size ceramic Super Saddle you need, you can expect the following:

• No-nest design: The scalloped edging eliminates the risk of materials nesting or stacking on top of each other, potentially disrupting or slowing gas and liquid flow or transfer.
• Increased surface area: The Super Saddle’s namesake curvature provides more surface area than standard ring packing options, increasing the amount of space available for mass transfer. Transfers are also more efficient, as the higher contact levels also allow for uniform spreading, while the saddle’s curved shape increases the degree of randomness in a packed bed.
• Corrugated edging: The same corrugated edging that prevents nesting also increases the ceramic Saddle’s ability to separate chemicals efficiently while offering an option for a lower pressure drop than alternative options. The more consistent and uniform the transfer, the better quality and increased productivity you enjoy.
• Suitable for wet packing: Ceramic is a more delicate material than some plastic or metal saddle alternatives, but this also makes it suitable for wet packing methods and applications. You should use your ceramic Saddle with adequate water fill before adding it to a tower or column, as this will buffer against breakage, reduce pressure drop and increase your project’s overall capacity.
• Non-reactive surface: The ceramic saddle surface does not react with other materials. Ceramic saddle ring packing is ideal for sulfuric acid absorption and treating of similarly corrosive materials, as they will resist damage associated with most acid liquids and vapors.

• Cost-efficiency: Ceramic Saddles can help you reduce overall operating costs because they have a simple design and are relatively affordable to produce. They also have a higher capacity than non-saddle rings, providing more value for the investment.
• Versatile options: Mach Engineering ceramic Saddles are available in a variety of size options for whatever application or quantity your project needs.
• Minimal service requirements: Their resistance and overall durability against high temperatures, corrosion and acidic substances mean you spend less time servicing, maintaining or replacing ceramic Super Saddles. This translates to improved productivity and quicker turnaround times.
• Temperature and chemical resistance: Ceramic is an excellent choice for tower packing thanks to its smooth surface, low porosity and chemical resistance. Use our ceramic saddle ring tower packing in high and low temperatures or other demanding applications. They are chemically stable and resistant to corrosion from exposure to inorganic and organic acids and most organic solvents, with the exception of hydrofluoric acid. Ceramic saddles are also highly resistant to thermal shock.
• Durability and longevity: Ceramic Super Saddles are designed to withstand the mechanical stress associated with many applications, and the smooth surface resists most types of abrasion.

Mach Engineering also offers plastic Super Saddles if you need packing with greater vapor and liquid distribution resistance or work with specific corrosive materials.

Some common applications for ceramic Super Saddle rings include:

• Chemical processes: Ceramic saddles are common in the chemical and petrochemical industries, especially for corrosive acid applications and chemical distilling, stripping and absorbing.
• Towers and columns: Ceramic Super Saddles are suitable for filtering, cooling, washing and recovering towers, drying and absorbing columns, and other vessels. This makes them widely used in chemical, metallurgy, gas, coal and environmental applications.
• Absorbers: Ceramic is acid-resistant, making it a good choice for intermediate and final absorbers in acid regeneration plants.
• Environmental areas: One popular environmental use is for Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) equipment.
• Industrial processes: Ceramic Super Saddles work across various industrial processes, especially those requiring high heat transfer, which makes them common in the pharmaceutical industry and similar applications.

MACH Engineering is a dedicated leader in tower packing materials. These ceramic Saddle rings deliver the same desirable physical properties and price point as traditional models but with subtle improvements for optimal performance.

Find out for yourself the benefits of choosing MACH Engineering ceramic Saddle rings. Call us at our Houston, TX, head office at (281) 550-3232 to get in touch with a representative, request a quote and place an order. You can also use the form on our contact page to reach out by email.