Two passages adjacent to each other via walls are formed spirally, and heat is
exchanged between fluids passing through the passages via the walls. Upper and
lower end faces of the spiral passages are covered with end plates, and the spiral
passages and the end plates are sealed air-tightly. The end plates have a first
passage inlet opening only to the first passage, a first passage outlet opening
only to the first passage, a second passage inlet opening only to the second passage
and a second passage outlet opening only to the second passage. Each of the inlets
and outlets is open to every turn of the spiral passage. A first fluid entering
the passage from the first passage inlet passes through the first passage for less
than one turn only and is discharged from the first passage outlet. A second fluid
entering the passage through the second passage inlet passes through the second
passage for less than one turn only and is discharged from the second passage outlet.
Thus, since the fluids entering from the openings pass through the passages for
less than one turn only, the pressure loss is small, throughput is high, and the
power used for the processing can be reduced.