Tantalum Pressure Vessels are installed throughout the process industries and found to be very cost effective methods of preventing damaging corrosive leaks in the process manufacturing.

TITAN Metal Fabricators is a well-known pressure vessel manufacturer, specializing in reactive metals such as Tantalum.

The following information is provided as background on Tantalum, the alloy characteristics, A Tantalum Pressure Vessel will often be specified for chemical, petrochemical, oil & gas and other severe industrial manufacturing environments. These chemicals are frequently heated to very high temperature, testing the material’s strength and corrosion resistance, yet a Tantalum Vessel is resilient when its surfaces come into contact with these hostile fluids.

Life Cycle Benefits of Tantalum Pressure Vessels

Tantalum Pressure Vessels should be considered for any application where corrosion is likely to be a factor and the long-term benefits of reduced downtime, increased life expectancy and profitability are important.

A TITAN Tantalum Pressure Vessel can reduce many of the problems inherent in other materials of construction. It is not brittle and will not crack like impregnated graphite. Our Tantalum Pressure Vessels are a fully welded design and will not leak like some vessels fabricated of lesser materials.

Tantalum Pressure Vessels can:

  • Eliminate downtime due to equipment failure
  • Provide superior corrosion resistance
  • Accommodate high steam pressures
  • Provide excellent stress cracking resistance

Typically, as a process facility is designed, applications that are highly corrosive are specified as corrosion resistant material of construction. Further, some facilities recognize the superior corrosion resistance potential of Tantalum, allowing an increase in temperature and pressure to Tantalum’s capabilities, thus gaining tremendous improvements in process reaction efficiencies, plant throughput and profitability.

Please see Applications of Tantalum for typical mils of corrosion of various materials in hostile environments.

Tantalum the Metal

Tantalum is the most corrosion resistant metal in common use today. It is inert to practically all organic and inorganic compounds. Tantalum is inert to Sulfuric and Hydrochloric acid below 300°F. Attack up to 400°F is not significant and is common use up to 500°F. It has good thermal conductivity and erosion resistance. It forms easily, is highly workable and weldable. This makes it an ideal tube material for corrosion resistant Vessels.

Please see Applications of Tantalum for additional Tantalum uses, some comparative corrosion resistance data including media, concentrations and temperatures.

TITAN does not purchase any materials that are known to come from conflict resources. See our Conflict-Free Materials Sourcing Policy.

Our Technical Resources area also has a complete section on properties and corrosion resistance of Tantalum.

Tantalum Pressure Vessel Designs

Typically, as a process facility is designed, applications that are highly corrosive are specified with corrosion-resistant material of construction. Further, some facilities recognize early on the benefits of Tantalum, which is capable of allowing an increase in temperature and pressure thus gaining tremendous improvements in process reaction efficiencies, plant throughput and profitability.

TITAN manufactures pressure equipment in accordance with all major international design standards and pressure vessel codes. Manufacturing capacities include widths up to 120″ diameter, 300’ in length and weights up to 200 tons.

As a Tantalum Pressure Vessel fabricator, TITAN regularly works with its customers to find creative solutions to corrosive issues. Tantalum Pressure Vessels can utilize fiberglass, PTFE lined, glass-lined Carbon Steel or Tantalum-lined Carbon Steel.

Tantalum can also be explosive clad to carbon steel to form a bimetallic material of construction. This is an ideal solution for a very high pressure Tantalum Vessel.

Designs and accessories to Tantalum Pressure Vessels include:

  • Solid wall
  • Explosive clad
  • Standard jacket
  • Half pipe jacket
  • Baffles
  • Outlet valves
  • Dip tubes
  • Spargers

The steel finishing industry uses 20% hydrochloric acid at 200°F to pickle Carbon Steel. Tantalum Vessels are the perfect choice for dependable, robust, low maintenance pickle lines. TITAN Tantalum Pressure Vessels are specified by every major North American steel mill. TITAN has some specialized designs perfected over many years of successful experience. Please visit our Steel Pickling page for more information.

See TITAN’S Pressure Vessel photo gallery.

Tantalum Corrosion Resistance

Tantalum Pressure Vessels are suitable for applications in the chemical processing, pharmaceutical, agricultural, fertilizer, petrochemical, and power industries. They are very effective in processes using salts, acids and other chemicals which can be damaging to lesser materials.

To view a list of process materials where Tantalum is commonly used, please visit Applications of Tantalum.

For a general guide on corrosion resistance, temperatures and concentrations please see TITAN’s publication “Corrosion Resistance of Metals in Various Chemical Media” for additional information.*

*Note: Final selection of material must be based on actual evaluation of the metal in the corrosive medium.

 

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