The invention concerns a heat exchanger for industrial installations, in particular for power plants, with at least one distributor for a fluid medium and at least one heat exchanger element attached to the distributor. The heat exchanger is composed of a sandwich-like configuration of distributors and heat exchanger elements consisting of metal sponges. The distributors are constructed as pipes or at least as semi-pipes connected with each other. Adjacent pipes or semi-pipes are connected with each other through the metal sponge. The sandwich profile of the invention may easily be manufactured in the required dimensions for industrial installations. Herein, particularly the low weight of such a heat exchanger module and the connection between shell and metal sponge, which may simply be made by means of soldering or welding, proves to be particularly advantageous. The metal foam may also be cast onto the shells. The metal sponge should preferably consist of open-pored metal foam and in particular aluminum foam.