Distributed computing with heat transfer

摘要

An apparatus comprises a computer unit 101 adapted to perform distributed computing tasks e.g. video rendering or blockchain processing and comprising one or more processing components e.g. graphics or tensor processing units. The apparatus further comprises a fluid circuit 112-114 for transferring heat energy from the one or more processing components to a heat sink 115 e.g. a counter flow heat exchanger for a domestic or commercial heating system. The fluid is returned via a tank 116 and a pump 117. A Peltier heat pump 107 cools fluid at a first point 105 in the circuit after the fluid has been cooled by the heat sink and before heating by the processing components and raises the fluid temperature at a second point 106 in the fluid circuit after fluid heating by the processing components, making it suitable to supply the heating circuit. A processor may match the work done by the Peltier device to the work done by the processor. Multiple such apparatus may be connected by a server adapted to co-ordinate processing tasks. A method of transferring heat with a Peltier device is also disclosed.