Poultry production requires lots of heat and ventilation due to litter producing ammonia, etc. A heat exchanger made of large tubes (thin inexpensive plastic) will be cheap and less efficient, but very practical. Heat recovery will save lots of heating fuel during the baby chicken phase of broiler production.

A prototype using 25 foot 3 inch tubes for home dryer exhaust available at Menards delivered about 50% heat recovery. Such a large device fits easily in a broiler chicken house attic, where attic vents, and condensation drainage under the eve make a very practical match.

Typical heat exchangers are less practical due to dust and dirt plugging them. A large tube heat exchanger is immune, and placing it in the attic space makes use of that space, as well as any solar gain available in the attic space to pre-warm the air above outside air temperature.

The incoming air would be in the tubes, while outgoing humid air would go out around the tubes.

Besides saving heat currently wasted, the air flow pattern would improve because of its continuous nature. Presently poultry producers pulse the airflow typically in a five minute cycle which causes temperature variation in the chicken house.