Patent ID: 7398643

Claim:
A heat exchanger, comprising: a first fluid passageway extending between a first inlet port and a first outlet port; a second fluid passageway extending between a second inlet port and a second outlet port, wherein the first and second fluid passageways are sealed from one another; at least one heat exchange surface through which the first and second fluid passageways are in heat exchange communication with one another; and at least one electrode located in said second fluid passageway; wherein the at least one electrode is connected to a voltage source which, during use of the heat exchanger, applies a voltage to said at least one electrode; and wherein the voltage is of sufficient magnitude to cause the at least one electrode to generate a non-thermal plasma in the second fluid passageway; wherein the heat exchanger comprises a shell and tube heat exchanger comprising a plurality of parallel, elongate, longitudinally-extending tubes having hollow interiors, the tubes arranged in a tube bundle received within a longitudinally-extending housing; wherein the first fluid passageway comprises an interior of the housing and the second fluid passageway comprises the hollow interiors of the tubes; wherein said at least one least one heat exchange surface comprises side walls of the tubes; wherein each of said tubes has one of said electrodes extending longitudinally through its hollow interior in spaced relation to the tube side wall; and wherein opposite ends of said electrodes are supported by support structures located at opposite ends of the housing; said support structures preventing electrical contact between the electrode and the tube bundle and housing; one of said support structures incorporating an electrically conductive structure through which the voltage is applied to one end of each electrode.