Heating system using heat extracted from a computer processing unit

Abstract

The computer processing system is cooled by providing an insulating cooling fluid in the tank and passing the cooling fluid from a manifold at the bottom of the tank through an array of tubular housings, each having an open upper and lower end and housing an array of circuit boards, and this heat that would otherwise be wasted is extracted for space heating. The housings are placed on a partition sheet having an array of openings aligned with the housings, and the liquid can be passed through the manifold with little or no pressure so that the liquid flows through the housings by convection and stratifies to create a heating layer above the open tops of the housings for removal to a heat exchanger. The heat pump acts on the cooling fluid to transfer heat to a heat transfer fluid which can be further heated in a boiler and transferred to an existing heat dissipation load.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an arrangement that includes a cooling tank for extracting and utilizing heat from computer processing operations to keep the unit cool and to transfer that heat for use in other heating operations. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, the traditional way to cool a computer, server, or mining rig is by air cooling using a large number of fans, which causes major issues for noise control and dust control systems, and means high maintenance and installation costs.

[0003] It is known that many computer processing systems generate significant amounts of heat and therefore require cooling. Examples of immersive liquid cooling systems for computer processing are shown in U.S. Patent No. 9,504,190 (Best) issued to Green Revolution Cooling Inc, and other patents by the same owner, as well as U.S. Patent No. 7,307,841 (Berlin) to Delphi Technologies, and U.S. Patent No. 7,403,392 (Attlesey) to Hardcore Computers Inc. However, there are no significantly successful technologies that effectively use heat from a computer processing system to provide heating for other components or operations. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one definition of the invention, there is provided a method for performing heating, comprising the steps of: generating a flow of heat transfer fluid; passing a heat transfer fluid through a heat source such that the heat source can add heat to the heat transfer fluid; transferring heat from the heat transfer liquid to the one or more heat dissipation loads by passing the heat transfer liquid through the one or more heat dissipation loads; providing a cooling liquid formed of an insulating material into the tank, the tank housing a plurality of computer processing units, each of the computer processing units comprising at least one computer processing board having electrical components operable to generate heat while performing computer processing operations; causing cooling of the computer processing unit while passing a cooling liquid through the tank, whereby the cooling liquid is heated while cooling the computer processing unit to generate a first flow of cold liquid upstream of the heating of the cooling liquid and a second flow of heated liquid downstream of the heating; circulating a coolant from the second stream through the refrigeration cycle heat pump to the first stream such that the refrigeration cycle heat pump extracts heat from the second stream and returns it to the first stream; said heat pump transferring heat extracted from the cooling fluid to a heat transfer fluid such that the heat transfer fluid travels from an inlet stream entering the heat pump to an outlet stream exiting the heat pump while passing through both the heat source and the heat pump and receiving heat from both; A method is provided, comprising:

[0005] According to a second definition of the present invention, there is provided a method for carrying out heating, comprising the steps of: generating a flow of heat transfer fluid; transferring heat from the heat transfer liquid to the one or more heat dissipation loads by passing the heat transfer liquid through the one or more heat dissipation loads; providing a cooling liquid formed of an insulating material into the tank, the tank housing a plurality of computer processing units, each of the computer processing units comprising at least one computer processing board having electrical components operable to generate heat while performing computer processing operations; causing cooling of the computer processing unit while passing a cooling liquid through the tank, whereby the cooling liquid is heated while cooling the computer processing unit to generate a first flow of cold liquid upstream of the heating of the cooling liquid and a second flow of heated liquid downstream of the heating; circulating a coolant from the second stream through the heat pump to the first stream such that the heat pump extracts heat from the second stream and returns it to the first stream; said heat pump transferring heat extracted from the cooling liquid to a heat transfer liquid such that the heat transfer liquid progresses from an inlet stream entering the heat pump to an outlet stream exiting the heat pump; wherein the temperature of the second flow of cooling fluid is less than 60°C and the temperature of the outlet flow of heat transfer fluid is greater than 70°C, preferably greater than 80°C, more preferably about 90°C or greater.

[0006] Preferably, in one embodiment, the heat pump uses CO2 as the coolant, as CO2 has a heat difference (delta T) that is particularly suitable for the temperatures available and required in the above method.

[0007] Preferably, in one embodiment the temperature of the second flow of cooling fluid is below 60°C and the temperature of the outlet flow of heat transfer fluid is above 70°C.

[0008] Preferably, in one embodiment, the temperature of the second flow of cooling fluid is in the range of 40°C to 60°C and the temperature of the outlet flow of heat transfer fluid is in the range of 70°C to 95°C, more preferably about 90°C or greater.

[0009] These temperatures may result in one or more of the heat dissipation loads having a temperature of at least 90° C. This has the advantage that such loads are typically designed to function at this temperature, so reducing this temperature may result in heating of the load, but often not enough to meet design requirements.

[0010] Preferably, in one embodiment, the temperature of the first flow of cooling liquid is below 45°C and the temperature of the inlet flow of heat transfer liquid is above 50°C.

[0011] Preferably, in one embodiment the temperature of the first flow of cooling liquid is in the range of 20°C to 45°C and the temperature of the inlet flow of heat transfer liquid is in the range of 50°C to 70°C.

[0012] In one embodiment, the cooling liquid is circulated between the second stream and the first stream by a liquid pump, however, other embodiments may operate solely by convection.

[0013] In one embodiment, the heat pump is located inside the tank, preferably in the cooling liquid, however in other configurations the heat pump may be located outside the tank.

[0014] Preferably, in one embodiment, the heat source comprises a boiler, typically of the type that uses a combustion heating system such as gas or solid fuel to provide the required heating. In this configuration, the heat rejection load and the boiler form the existing equipment, and the boiler and the loads such as radiators, heating elements, etc. are designed to meet the heating requirements at a boiler set point temperature, typically around 90°C. In this case, the tank, coolant, multiple computer processing units and heat pump are added to the existing equipment as a supplementary heat source, and the heat from the computer processing is used as a further heat source that can be used as a replacement for the boiler or to replace the heat from the boiler. In this configuration, the computer processing is the primary or first heat source, and the existing boiler can be used as a backup if the first heat source cannot be maintained, or as a replacement if the first heat source is taken out of service for any reason.

[0015] Preferably, in one embodiment, the cooling fluid is a vegetable oil, such as soybean oil or canola oil.

[0016] The configurations herein provide a solution that improves on both the heating and cooling aspects of the configuration, replacing the liquid-to-liquid (oil vs. glycol / water) loop with a CO2 heat pump (refrigeration cycle or compression type). These newer, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly heat pumps take the high temperature output of the tank, around 50°C (112F), and raise it to 90°C (190F). The return loop (cold liquid side) of the heat pump is then cooled to 25-30°C, making it more susceptible to absorbing heat from the cooling tank.

[0017] This configuration serves to solve the difficulty of being able to plug into existing high temperature boiler systems that typically operate at 180-190F, which is currently a major constraint, and allows this configuration to operate very efficiently in the warmer months in terms of cooling the tank without the need for large dry coolers to dump the heat. It also allows this configuration to be used in a number of commercial / industrial applications.

[0018] In this way, excess heat can be extracted and transferred to the heat exchanger, which converts the extracted heat into Commercial / industrial floor heating systems or geothermal hydronic heating systems greenhouse Agricultural livestock – pig, poultry, and dairy Large Industrial Hot Water Heating - Car Wash / Truck Wash Residential Heating Grain Drying Cannabis Drying / Dehydration System Low Temperature Evaporation System Cannabis industry, including heating and cold dehydration Water heating aquaculture equipment Underground mining - heating of tunnels Large swimming pool The present invention can be used in a number of different fields, including, but not limited to,

[0019] The configuration herein provides a unique configuration for space heating that uses a computational chip instead of a traditional heating element to create an adjustable load resistive heater, specifically utilizing 100% renewable energy provided by a hydro-based utility as well as low cost commercial electricity tariffs to perform two functions: first, to provide space heating, and second, to provide a means of cooling for the computational power generating massive revenue generating activities such as cryptocurrency mining and similar data processing.

[0020] In recent years, with the development of blockchain technology, it is now clear that this new method of computation will allow for more decentralized computation and provide greater possibilities for installing more robust and redundant data processing systems, while at the same time making all the heat generated available for use.

[0021] The present invention provides a solution for space heating, especially in countries with cold climates. For example, in many northern regions, natural gas is not available and heating with electric or fossil fuel boilers is common. The present invention allows for a convenient "quick connect" option for efficient integration into existing hydronic systems. The boiler system can be installed as an individual unit or as a module housing multiple boilers to achieve the desired heating output. The boiler design can be customized to any size, ranging from a single 20KW tank to systems of 400KW or more. The tanks are designed to be installed either as standalone units within the existing infrastructure or housed in containerized modules.

[0022] The present invention can be used in conjunction with a specific design of the tank, preferably using a method for computer processing, the method comprising: providing a cooling liquid formed of an insulating material into the tank, The tank, an outer housing having a bottom opening at a lower end and a top opening at an upper end and defining a closed peripheral wall between the upper and lower ends; at least one computer processing board mounted within the housing and having electrical components that generate heat while operating to perform computer processing operations; a plurality of computer processing units each comprising: The tank has a partition sheet therein that separates the tank into a lower manifold below the partition sheet and a main portion of the tank above the sheet, an outer housing for each computer processing unit is attached to the sheet with a bottom opening disposed on the sheet and a peripheral wall upstanding within the tank to an upper end spaced from the partition sheet; a plurality of fluid communication opening arrangements in the sheet, each opening arrangement being associated with a respective one of the housings such that fluid from the manifold can enter the housing and pass through the opening; introducing a cooling fluid into the manifold; positioning an upper surface of the liquid in the tank above a top end of the outer housing; allowing liquid to enter the outer housing through the aperture arrangement, rise within the housing by convection currents generated by heat within the housing, and exit the housing through the upper end into the tank; the liquid exiting the upper end of the housing forms a heating layer within the tank between the surface and the upper end; extracting liquid from the formation; extracting heat from the extracted liquid to produce a heat supply and returning the cooled liquid to the manifold; Includes.

[0023] Preferably, the upper ends are located in a common plane that defines the bottom of the layer, enhancing stratification of the liquid within the layer as the hottest areas of the tank are removed. The depth of this zone can also be adjusted to accommodate different working fluid temperatures. The thicker the layer, the hotter the working fluid.

[0024] Typically, the extracted liquid is returned to the manifold by a pump configured to create a slight positive pressure, which causes the liquid to flow through the housing substantially entirely by convection, rather than as a positive flow. This also promotes stratification of the liquid. This also allows heat to be concentrated in the stratified heating zone at the top of the tubular housing, since no liquid enters the quiescent zone between the tubular housings. The housing is preferably fully open at the top and bottom ends, with the peripheral wall being fully open at each end, which creates the necessary flow through the housing.

[0025] That is, in one embodiment, openings from the manifold through the divider sheet are positioned in the housings to allow liquid to enter only into the housings and not between the housings to form a quiescent zone.

[0026] In one embodiment, for example, the housing is rectangular in cross section and the openings each provide an array of shapes that conform to the interior shape of the housing such that the array is also rectangular and generally conforms to the inner surface of the housing to generate a smooth upward flow within the housing. For example, the array is formed by a series of parallel slots having a length approximately equal to the dimension across the housing, although other arrays of holes can be used.

[0027] In one embodiment, the tank is sized to accommodate the housings arranged in rows and columns.

[0028] In one embodiment, the liquid is extracted from an opening on one side of the tank, which may be provided as a single opening communicating with a single duct feeding separate heat exchangers.

[0029] Preferably, the opening is located at a level above the top edge and below the top surface so as to extract only from the layer.

[0030] Preferably the liquid is mineral oil or vegetable oil based, or in some cases a completely synthetic insulating fluid can be used. Preferably, the liquid is A density of about 0.92 g / m3 (7.667 Ibs / gal) or within that range; Approximately 33-35mm at 40℃ 2 / s or in a range therebetween, or about 15 cSt or in a range therebetween at 70° C.; Dielectric breakdown of 2mm [kV] ≧ 35 (ASTM D6871), Boiling point of 360℃ or higher, Flash point above 265°C (closed cup), Auto / self-ignition temperature of 401-404°C (ASTM E659), Vapor pressure of about 0 PA or within that range below 200°C; A thermal conductivity of about 0.15089 W / mK or in that range at 70°C; Specific heat capacity of approximately 2.3472 kJ / kgK at 70°C or within that range The compound has one or more of the following characteristics:

[0031] Preferably, the insulating liquid is selected to have characteristics that result in extremely hot laminar temperature zones due to its inherent insulating properties.

[0032] Preferably, the insulating liquid has properties that allow for maximum heat transfer, high working fluid temperatures (above 60° C.) and efficient heat transfer.

[0033] Preferably, the flow of liquid into the manifold and through the housing is arranged so that the temperature within the bed is in the range of 10-60°C.

[0034] Preferably, the flow of liquid into the manifold and through the housing is arranged so that the temperature returned to the manifold is in the range of 30-85°C.

[0035] Preferably, each computer processing unit is associated with an adjacent power supply housed in a tank alongside its associated housing, and is cooled by liquid between the housings without any flow through a manifold.

[0036] Preferably, computer processing units are dropped out when peak demand situations occur.

[0037] Preferably, the computer processing unit is connected to a utility smart meter to assist with peak demand management.

[0038] Preferably, a U-shaped holder is provided which is attached to the seat and configured to hold the housing and power supply in an upright supported position.

[0039] Preferably the tank has a head zone which also serves as an expansion area to accommodate level fluctuations. The head zone should be kept free of any moisture and equipped to filter out particulate matter as well as moisture.

[0040] Preferably the tank is completely sealed and vapor tight, and is equipped with a pressure relief check valve set at 1-2 PSI to prevent damaging overpressure.

[0041] Preferably, the computing rig or processor used can be immersed without any adjustments other than removing or disabling installed fans. All air-cooled configurations and fines can remain intact.

[0042] The envisioned solution was to develop a very simple and cost-effective tank system for cooling computer computing rigs and computer computing chips using an insulating fluid with certain properties that allow for maximum heat transfer, high working fluid temperatures (above 60°C), and efficient heat transfer. There are minimal or no moving parts in the tank. The resulting design is powered by only one small circulation pump that uses approximately 300 watts of power to pump the working fluid (the insulating fluid) through the heat exchanger.

[0043] To achieve a system with no moving or overly complicated parts, the key was to utilize factory-fabricated aluminum bodies and power supplies, minimizing the adjustments required for traditional air-cooled computer computing rigs. A dedicated holder was designed to support the CPU aluminum chassis and body upright (vertical), as well as a power supply to power each unit.

[0044] Another aspect of the tank's design is a baffle plate that allows cold hydraulic fluid to collect in the tank's "cool zone" below the baffle plate, where a circulating pump creates a slight positive pressure. The baffle plate has a number of precisely cut slots that direct the fluid to the housing or "tube" of each computing rig. The amount and size of the slots is determined based on the viscosity of the fluid and the maximum temperature that can be tolerated before any damage can occur to the computing chip. This temperature is typically up to 85°C. The housing or "tube" acts as a chimney and is customizable to accommodate any type of computing motherboard.

[0045] The combination of directing the cold flow of working fluid through the slots in the baffle plate and directing it into the aluminum mining rig body or tubes creates a very powerful thermodynamic pumping or chimney effect that efficiently moves the cooled working fluid from under the baffle plate, through the tube structure, and past the computer computing boards containing the processing chips, helping to remove the high heat generated.

[0046] Upon exiting the mining rig body or tubes, the hot working fluid collects at the top of the tank area or "hot zone". Another interesting aspect of the present invention is that the hot working fluid can be efficiently removed through only one port, reducing the need for complex baffle designs and costly manifold systems. The natural tendency of insulating fluids to create extremely hot stratified temperature zones due to their inherent insulating properties is used.

[0047] This design also allows the power supply, suspended high in its holder, to utilize the temperature in the "neutral zone" to cool the power supply (see drawing). Because the power supply does not generate as much heat as the main computer boards and chips, less hydraulic fluid needs to circulate within the unit.

[0048] The system is designed to be a fully modulated and remotely controlled interface for operation in remote areas, including northern regions of Canada and the U.S. It can also be tied to utility smart meters to assist in peak demand management. The system can be designed to drop out when peak demand occurs.

[0049] The tank design is adaptable for residential installations as well as large scale industrial use. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0050] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of a complete apparatus including a cooling tank, a heat exchanger, a heating load, electrical connections, and connections to a power utility in accordance with the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a processing unit and power supply mounted on a mounting bracket for mounting inside the tank of FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a side view of the processing unit and power supply and bracket of FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a top view of the processing unit and power supply and bracket of FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 1, showing the interior of the tank. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4, showing the passage of liquid through the plate into the interior of the tubular housing. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a further embodiment of a complete apparatus including a cooling tank, a heating load, electrical connections, and a connection to an electrical utility that uses a refrigeration cycle heat pump to generate a specific temperature for a heating system in accordance with the present invention.

[0051] Like reference numbers in the drawings indicate corresponding parts in the different drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0052] The arrangement of the invention provides a tank (10) containing a cooling liquid (11) for cooling a number of circuit boards (12) and transferring the heat generated therefrom to a load (13). The cooling liquid (11) is extracted from the tank through a discharge opening (14) and returned to the tank through a heat exchanger (16) at a return port (15). A pump (17) is provided in the circuit through the heat exchanger to induce a flow of the liquid and generate an underpressure at the return port (15).

[0053] The tank has a rectangular body with four upright sides (18), a top cover (19) and a base (20). This forms a sealed container, where the tank has a head zone above the liquid level (11A) and below the top cover (19), which also serves as an expansion area to accommodate liquid level fluctuations. The head zone is kept free of any moisture by an extraction and filtration system (21), which removes not only water but also any particulate matter from the liquid. The tank is then sealed and steam tight.

[0054] The liquid in the tank, which fills the area between the base (20) and the upper liquid level (11A), serves as a cooling liquid, made of a suitable insulating material having the properties defined above.

[0055] The tank carries a superstructure (22) attached to end brackets (23) that connect the superstructure to the ends of the tank. The superstructure provides a rectangular housing that houses the electronics required to control the operation of the circuit boards and communications equipment required to operate the system. This includes a communications system (24) for communicating with a power utility (25) that provides the power required for the processing system.

[0056] The tank (10) houses a plurality of computer processing units (30) arranged in an array of rows and columns within the tank. Each unit (30) includes an outer tubular housing (31) defined by four rectangular sides (32) extending from a bottom surface (33) to a top surface (34). The top and bottom surfaces are typically open so that the housing forms a tubular duct through which liquid can freely pass from the bottom surface to the top surface. The housing is a conventional housing construction supplied by many computer processing suppliers, and typically the processing boards (12) within the housing are cooled by airflow generated by fans on one or both ends of the housing. The fans are removed so that the existing housing housing the existing boards is now cooled by the cooling liquid. Thus, the housing defines a bottom opening at the bottom end and a top opening at the top end, and a closed perimeter wall between the top and bottom ends.

[0057] The computer processing boards, with their electrical components mounted within the housing, are arranged as parallel boards at spaced locations across the housing. As they operate to perform computer processing operations in a conventional manner, they generate heat. As is well known, the processing power required for various advanced processing operations generates large amounts of heat that must be moved, and this heat can be sufficient to heat a significant amount of space, especially in cold climates.

[0058] Each computer processing unit is associated with an adjacent power supply (35), typically rectangular in body, that houses conventional components for the processing unit (30). An L-shaped holder bracket (36) is provided that is mounted on the seat and configured to hold the housing and supported power supply upright. The bracket includes a horizontal base plate (37) that extends across the lower end (33) of the housing (31). An upright plate (38), connected to the base at its top end (36A), mounts the power supply on its inner surface such that the power supply is positioned adjacent the housing (31), and the two are held generally parallel and slightly spaced apart. A connector (35A) extends from the power supply through the tank to an exit gland (not shown) to the superstructure control system.

[0059] The bracket (36) has a base (37) and an opening (37A) exposing the lower end (12A) of the board (12) for the coolant to pass through the base (37) and enter the tubular housing (31). The opening is generally rectangular with edges (37C) parallel to the sidewalls (32). However, triangular flanges (37B) are located at the corners for mounting similarly shaped flanges that are attached to the base (37) at the lower end (33). Thus, the housing (31) and the board (12) therein are mounted to the base (37) and the power supply (35) is mounted to the plate (38), allowing both to be mounted in the tank in rows and columns as shown in FIG. 5.

[0060] The rectangular tank has a partition sheet (40) parallel to the base (20) within the tank (10), dividing the tank into a lower manifold (41) below the partition sheet (40) and above the base (20), and a main tank portion (42) above the sheet (40).

[0061] Brackets (36) are secured to the bottom sheet (40) in rows and columns such that the external housing (31) of each computer processing unit is mounted on the sheet (40) with the openings at the lower ends (33) positioned on the sheet (40) and the peripheral walls (32) standing upright within the tank to their upper ends (34) spaced apart from the partition sheet (40).

[0062] To pass cooling liquid from the manifold (41) to each housing (32), a plurality of liquid transfer aperture arrangements (44) are provided in the sheet, where each aperture arrangement (44) is associated with a respective one of the housings (31) to allow liquid from the manifold (41) to enter the housing (31) and pass through the apertures (37A) to the housing. As liquid enters the manifold at the return port (15) and spreads within the manifold, aperture arrangements (44) are provided for passage to the housing. As shown in the figures, aperture arrangements (44) include a row of parallel spaced apart slots (44A), (44B) and (44C) that define an area that generally matches the area of ​​apertures (37A) such that the slots are of a length that matches the width of the housing (31).

[0063] The liquid depth is configured so that the liquid level (11A) in the tank is located above the upper end (35) of the outer housing (31) and below the top lid (19).

[0064] Thus, liquid enters the outer housing through the aperture arrangement (44), each of which provides an array of shapes that match the interior shape of the housing to create a smooth flow upward within the housing, and acts to rise within the housing due to convection currents generated by heat within the housing, and exit the housing through the top end (34) into the tank (10), causing the liquid to exit the housing through the top end (34) and form a heated layer (11B) between the top surface (11A) of the liquid in the tank and the top end (34).

[0065] The liquid in the heated layer (11B) is extracted through a drain opening (14) which is entirely within the layer so that substantially only the heated layer is removed.

[0066] The top ends (34) all lie in a common plane that defines the bottom of the heating layer (11B), as shown in Figure 6. The extracted liquid is returned to the manifold by a pump configured to create a slight positive pressure so as to cause the liquid to flow through the housing (31) substantially entirely by convection.

[0067] As described above, the open arrangement (44) is positioned in the housing (31) so that liquid only enters the housing (31) and does not enter between the housings (31) where little cooling is required, since the power source is sufficiently cooled by the presence of stationary liquid between the housings (31) alone and the heated liquid rises into the stratification (11B).

[0068] The insulating liquid is selected for its inherent insulating properties that result in extremely high temperature stratified temperature zones, allowing maximum heat transfer, high working fluid temperatures (above 50°C) and efficient heat transfer.

[0069] Turning now to FIG. 7, there is shown how heat from the tank (20) and the computer processing unit therein can be used to heat a series of heat dissipation loads (50), (51), etc.

[0070] The method involves the flow of a heat transfer liquid through a circuit (52) which receives heat from a tank. The heat transfer liquid passes through a boiler (53) having a combustion heat supply (54) which generates a heat source (55) attached to the circuit (52) such that the heat source (55) can add heat to the heat transfer liquid in the circuit (52). The heat transfer liquid passes through a series of heat dissipation loads to transfer heat from the heat transfer liquid to the loads.

[0071] A cooling liquid made of an insulating material as described above is provided in the tank (20) in association with a number of computer processing units, each of which comprises at least one computer processing board carrying electrical components operative to generate heat while performing computer processing operations. The cooling liquid is driven by a pump or by convection while passing through the tank, causing cooling of the computer processing units, thereby heating the liquid while cooling the computer processing units, so as to generate at the inlet (15) a first flow of cold liquid upstream of the heating of the liquid in the pipe (56) and at the outlet (14) a second flow of heated liquid downstream of the heating in the pipe (57).

[0072] The coolant from the second stream (57) passes through a heat pump (58) into the first stream (56) such that the refrigeration cycle heat pump (58) extracts heat from the second stream and returns it to the first stream (56). The heat pump is a commercially available refrigeration cycle type that uses CO2 as the refrigerant and has two coils (59) and (60) connected by a circuit (61) that includes a compressor (62).

[0073] The heat pump (61) operates by transferring heat extracted from the coolant from the tank to the heat transfer fluid in the circuit (52) such that the heat transfer fluid progresses from an inlet stream (64) entering the heat pump to an outlet stream (65) exiting the heat pump, such that the heat transfer fluid passes through and receives heat from both the heat source (55) and the heat pump (62).

Claims

1. 1. A method for performing heating, comprising: generating a flow of heat transfer fluid; passing the heat transfer liquid through a heat source such that the heat source can add heat to the heat transfer liquid; transferring heat from the heat transfer liquid to one or more heat dissipation loads by passing the heat transfer liquid through the one or more heat dissipation loads; providing a cooling liquid formed of an insulating material into the tank, the tank housing a plurality of computer processing units, each of the computer processing units comprising at least one computer processing board having electrical components operable to generate heat while performing computer processing operations; causing cooling of the computer processing unit while passing the cooling liquid through the tank, whereby the cooling liquid is heated while cooling the computer processing unit to generate a first flow of cold liquid upstream of the heating of the cooling liquid and a second flow of heated liquid downstream of the heating; circulating the coolant from the second stream through the refrigeration cycle heat pump to the first stream such that the refrigeration cycle heat pump extracts heat from the second stream and returns it to the first stream; said refrigeration cycle heat pump transferring said heat extracted from said cooling liquid to said heat transfer liquid such that said heat transfer liquid travels from an inlet flow entering said refrigeration cycle heat pump to an outlet flow exiting said refrigeration cycle heat pump while passing through and receiving heat from both said heat source and said refrigeration cycle heat pump; A method comprising:

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration cycle heat pump uses CO2 as a refrigerant.

3. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the temperature of the second flow of the cooling fluid is below 60°C and the temperature of the outlet flow of the heat transfer fluid is above 70°C.

4. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the temperature of the second flow of the cooling liquid is in the range of 40°C to 60°C and the temperature of the outlet flow of the heat transfer liquid is in the range of 70°C to 95°C.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the temperature of at least one of the one or more heat dissipation loads is at least 90°C.

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the temperature of the first flow of the cooling liquid is below 45°C and the temperature of the inlet flow of the heat transfer liquid is above 50°C.

7. 7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the temperature of the first flow of the cooling liquid is in the range of 20°C to 45°C and the temperature of the inlet flow of the heat transfer liquid is in the range of 50°C to 70°C.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling liquid is circulated between the second stream and the first stream by a liquid pump.

9. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the refrigeration cycle heat pump is positioned outside the tank.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the heat source comprises a boiler.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the boiler and the one or more heat dissipation loads comprise existing equipment, and the tank, coolant, multiple computer processing units, and heat pump are added to the existing equipment as a supplemental heat source.

12. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the heat source is a combustion source.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling liquid is vegetable oil.

14. The method of any of claims 1 to 13, wherein the cooling liquid is soybean oil or canola oil.

15. The cooling liquid Density in the range of 0.92 g / m3 (7.667 Ibs / gal); a kinematic viscosity in the range of 33-35 mm 2 / s at 40° C., or about 15 cSt or within that range at 70° C.; Dielectric breakdown of 2 mm [kV] ≧ 35 (ASTM D6871), Boiling point of 360°C or higher, Flash point of 265°C or higher (closed cup), Auto / autoignition temperature of 401-404°C (ASTM E659); Vapor pressure within the range of 0 PA at 200°C or less, Thermal conductivity in the range of 0.15089 W / mK at 70° C. Specific heat in the range of 2.3472 kJ / kgK at 70°C The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, having one or more of the following characteristics:

16. A method for performing heating, comprising the steps of: generating a flow of heat transfer fluid; transferring heat from the heat transfer liquid to one or more heat dissipation loads by passing the heat transfer liquid through the one or more heat dissipation loads; providing a cooling fluid formed of an insulating material to a tank, the tank housing a plurality of computer processing units, each of the computer processing units comprising at least one computer processing board having electrical components operable to generate heat while performing computer processing operations; causing cooling of the computer processing unit while passing the cooling liquid through the tank, whereby the cooling liquid is heated while cooling the computer processing unit to generate a first flow of cold liquid upstream of the heating of the cooling liquid and a second flow of heated liquid downstream of the heating; circulating the cooling liquid from the second stream through the heat pump to the first stream such that the heat pump extracts heat from the second stream and returns it to the first stream; said heat pump transferring heat extracted from said cooling liquid to said heat transfer liquid such that said heat transfer liquid progresses from an inlet stream entering said heat pump to an outlet stream exiting said heat pump; wherein the temperature of the second flow of the cooling fluid is less than 60° C. and the temperature of the outlet flow of the heat transfer fluid is greater than 70° C., preferably greater than 80° C., more preferably about 90° C. or greater.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the heat pump uses CO2 as a coolant.

18. The method described in claim 16 or 17, wherein the temperature of at least one of the one or more heat dissipation loads is at least 90°C.

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