The steel industry has traditionally used PTFE Immersion Coils, graphite block Heat Exchangers and direct steam Spargers to heat their HCL acid tanks and pickle baths. Continuous high maintenance costs, soaring hazardous waste disposal costs and expensive downtime has forced the steel industry to look for alternative methods.
They found their answer in Tantalum. Completely inert and offering total corrosion resistance when exposed to pickle bath chemistries, Tantalum Heat Exchangers offer better heat transfer characteristics and higher pressure capabilities than PTFE or graphite, allowing smaller-sized Heat Exchangers. Tantalum Heat Exchangers are fully welded, all metal designs that are robust and 100% helium leak tested prior to leaving our facility. Corrosion is zero – Tantalum is unaffected by HCL at pickle line temperatures and concentrations. Maintenance and downtime are eliminated, meaning the pickle line can run all the time, every day, every month. The life expectancy of a Tantalum Heat Exchanger is far superior to traditional non-metallic Heat Exchangers, further reducing downtime and maintenance costs.
TITAN introduced Tantalum Heat Exchangers for pickle lines and has since grown to be the worldwide leader and standard in the industry. Tantalum Pickle Line Heat Exchangers have eliminated all of the potential problems associated with PTFE Immersion Coils, graphite block Heat Exchangers and direct steam sparging.
TITAN Tantalum Heat Exchanger Benefits
- Cost-competitive with PTFE coils and Carbon Block Heat Exchangers
- Easily retrofittable into the existing equipment footprint
- Elimination of downtime due to equipment failure
- No spare parts to keep in inventory
- Superior corrosion resistance
- High heat transfer
- High steam pressures to increase the LMTF and reduce the required surface area
- Fully-welded metal design eliminates breakage during handling, installation and operation
- Elimination of acid leaks into steam condensate
- Non-fouling or plugging
- TITAN tested and proven thermal designs
- TITAN worldwide reputation and experience as the leader in Tantalum Pickle Line Heat Exchangers
Serpentine, Grid and U-Shaped Coils; Traditional Deep Tanks
TITAN set the standard for the industry with our extensive experience in sizing and designing the most innovative and efficient Tantalum Immersion Coils for customer-specific requirements. Our units are designed to be located on the side wall of the pickle tank and tuck tightly against it to allow for maximum tank space. U-shaped and Serpentine Coils are for applications with smaller heat transfer requirements, while Grid-style Coils can be used to achieve greater heat transfer area in the least amount of dimensional in-tank space.