A fluid direct contact heat exchanger having a contact chamber with a source fluid inlet provided by a source fluid inlet pipe, a source fluid outlet provided by a source fluid outlet pipe, a transfer fluid inlet provided by a transfer fluid inlet pipe, and a transfer fluid outlet provided by a transfer fluid outlet pipe. The source fluid and the transfer fluid have substantially different specific gravities and the source fluid and the transfer fluid are each insoluble in the other. The heat exchanger incorporates a heat transfer inducement element in the contact chamber which has a rotatable inducer shaft and a transfer accelerator element attached to the inducer shaft.