Process for cryogenic separation of air and air separation plant

In the process for low-temperature air separation, cleaned and cooled air is taken into a distilling system having at least one rectifier column and rectified there by counterflow material exchange between a vapour and a liquid phase. The substance exchange in at least one partial region of at least one rectifier column (3, 5, 15) is effected by a packing with a specific area of at least 1000 m /m .