The tantalum U-tube heat exchanger is recommended when:

• The heat transfer medium involves highly corrosive acids such as concentrated hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, or aqua regia, under conditions with frequent temperature changes (e.g., batch reactions), where fixed-tube exchangers often suffer leakage due to thermal stress.
• The tube-side medium is viscous or prone to fouling, such as acid liquids containing small amounts of solids. The U-tube’s through-flow structure makes cleaning and maintenance more convenient.
• Applications require high purity (e.g., pharmaceutical or electronic chemicals), combined with limited installation space. In such cases, tantalum U-tube exchangers balance corrosion resistance, thermal compensation, and compact structure. Given the high cost of tantalum, it should be selected only where both corrosion and temperature fluctuation resistance are irreplaceable.