Patent ID: 8763409

Claim:
A heat exchanger, comprising: a housing disposed in a first atmosphere and having an upstream end, a downstream end and a chamber within the housing; a first metallic block disposed in the chamber the first metallic block comprising: a first passageway extending therethrough and through which a first cryogen can flow, the first cryogen comprising a cryogenic substance selected from the group consisting of liquid nitrogen and liquid natural gas, and the first passageway comprising a first inlet port at the upstream end of the housing and a first outlet port at the downstream end of the housing; a first inlet pipe in communication with the first inlet port for providing the first cryogen to the first passageway; a first outlet pipe in communication with the first outlet port for exhausting cryogenic vapor from the first passageway to power an engine; and a first heat pipe assembly in contact with the first metallic block and extending to a second atmosphere which is separate from the first atmosphere for providing heat transfer at the second atmosphere.