Patent ID: 7069977

Claim:
A heat exchanger that recovers thermal energy of a high temperature fluid from a heat source, comprising: heat transfer members (H 1 to H 4 ), a heat transfer medium flowing through the interior of the heat transfer members (H 1 to H 4 ), wherein the heat transfer members (H 1 to H 4 ) are disposed along a flow path ( 33 ) of the high temperature fluid, and constructed to have a heat transfer surface density defined as the heat transfer area of the heat transfer members divided by the volume of the heat transfer members which is determined such that the heat transfer surface density of the heat transfer members (H 1 to H 4 ) becomes higher on a more downstream side of the flow path ( 33 ) of the high temperature fluid, and wherein the heat transfer members (H 1 to H 4 ) are disposed in radial layers such that radially inner layers of the heat transfer members are positioned on an upstream side of the flow path of the high temperature fluid, and radially outer layers of the heat transfer members are positioned on a downstream side of the flow path of the high temperature fluid.