Patent ID: 8425223

Claim:
An apparatus by which fuel gas to drive a heat source is heated, comprising: a first gas passage including piping by which at least a portion of the fuel gas is transported from an inlet to an outlet, the outlet being fluidly coupled to the heat source; a plurality of heat pipes in thermal communication, at respective first ends thereof, with the portion of the fuel gas transported by the first gas passage; and a heating element remote from the piping and of the first gas passage fluidly coupled to the heat source to receive exhaust of the heat source, the heating element including a main body through which respective second ends of the heat pipes extend and through which the exhaust flows such that the exhaust flows over and around the heat pipes whereby the heat pipes are heated by the heat of the exhaust, the heat pipes being configured to transmit the heat of the exhaust from an interior of the main body to an exterior of the main body and subsequently to the portion of the fuel in the piping of the first gas passage.