To　cope　with　small　production　quantities　of　specialized　chemicals,　modular　production　plants　have　gained　increasing　attention　in　recent　years.　Zero-gravity　distillation　(ZGD)　is　a　small-scale　distillation　process,　which　offers　high　separation　efficiency,　proving　advantageous　for　modularizing　processes.　In　this　research,　the　study　of　ZGD　process　intensification　is　conducted.　A　ZGD　experimental　setup　was　established　and　the　separation　of　ethanol/water　mixtures　was　chosen　as　an　example　to　investigate　the　effects　of　metal　foam　material,　liquid　filling　rate,　and　PPI　of　metal　foam　on　the　separation　performance,　which　was　quantified　by　height　equivalent　to　a　theoretical　plate　(HETP).　The　results　reveal　that　under　constant　feed　volume　(50　ml)　and　the　mole　fraction　of　ethanol　(0.2),　employing　40　PPI　copper　foam　and　100　%　liquid　filling　rate　results　in　HETP　of　5.56　cm　for　ZGD　unit,　demonstrating　superior　separation　performance.　Subsequently,　an　optimization　strategy　adopting　sandwich　internal　structure　with　ordered　hierarchical　meta　foam　is　proposed　to　further　intensify　the　separation　process.　In　contrast　to　the　case　of　employing　40　PPI　copper　foam　and　liquid　filling　rate　of　100　%,　the　optimization　strategy　can　further　reduce　HETP　by　approximately　18.17　%,　being　4.55　cm.　This　finding　provides　a　theoretical　foundation　and　technical　guidance　for　developing　zero-gravity　distillation　technology.　©　2024　Elsevier　B.V.