System and method for using waste heat generated by digital processing components

Abstract

Provided are systems and methods for managing a level of heat provided by a processing module and a heating mechanism. In one example, a method includes determining, by a system such as a management control system, that a demand for water from a hot water reservoir is increasing. The hot water reservoir may serve as a heat sink for a processing module and may include a heating mechanism adapted to provide heat to the hot water reservoir separately from the processing module. A determination may be made as to whether the processing module is able to produce enough heat to meet the demand. If the processing module is not able to produce enough heat to meet the demand, the heat output of the heating mechanism may be increased to provide additional heat to the water in the hot water reservoir.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for managing hot water production using heat generated by a processing module and a heating mechanism, the method comprising:
 determining, by a management control system, that an increased demand for water from a hot water reservoir requires more heat than is available from a processing module that uses the hot water reservoir as a heat sink, wherein the hot water reservoir includes a heating mechanism adapted to provide heat to the hot water reservoir separately from the processing module;   increasing, by the management control system, a heat output of the heating mechanism to provide additional heat to the water in the hot water reservoir;   determining, by the management control system, that the increased demand has been satisfied; and   decreasing, by the management control system, the heat output of the heating mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising modulating the heat output of the heating mechanism to avoid producing more heat than needed to satisfy the increased demand. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising modulating the heat output of the heating mechanism based on at least one of a time period within which the increased demand is to be met and an amount of hot water needed to satisfy the increased demand. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising modulating the heat output of the heating mechanism to produce more heat than needed in order to ensure the increased demand is met. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising prioritizing, by the management control system, heat produced by a processing output of the processing module over use of the heating mechanism unless prioritizing use of the heating mechanism is economically advantageous. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the increased demand is based on at least one of a projected demand and an actual demand. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining, by the management control system, that the processing module is not operating at a maximum processing load; and 
 increasing the processing module to the maximum processing load. 
 
     
     
         8 . A method for managing a level of heat provided by a processing module and a heating mechanism, the method comprising:
 determining, by a management control system, that a demand for water from a hot water reservoir is increasing, wherein the hot water reservoir serves as a heat sink for a processing module and includes a heating mechanism adapted to provide heat to the hot water reservoir separately from the processing module;   determining, by the management control system, whether the processing module is able to produce enough heat to meet the demand; and   increasing, by the management control system, a heat output of the heating mechanism to provide additional heat to the water in the hot water reservoir if the processing module is not able to produce enough heat to meet the demand.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 determining, by the management control system, that the demand has been satisfied; and 
 decreasing, by the management control system, the heat output of the heating mechanism. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein determining whether the processing module is able to produce enough heat to meet the demand is based on a maximum heat level that can be output by the processing module and at least one of a time period within which the demand is to be met and an amount of hot water needed to satisfy the demand. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein determining whether the processing module is able to produce enough heat to meet the demand includes:
 determining, by the management control system, that the processing module is not operating at a maximum processing load; 
 determining that the processing module is able to produce enough heat to meet the demand if the processing load is increased; and 
 increasing the processing load. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising modulating the heat output of the heating mechanism to avoid producing more heat than needed to satisfy the demand. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising modulating the heat output of the heating mechanism based on at least one of a time period within which the demand is to be met and an amount of hot water needed to satisfy the demand. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the demand is based on at least one of a projected demand and an actual demand. 
     
     
         15 . A controller coupled to a processing module and a heating mechanism for a hot water reservoir, the controller comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory coupled to the processor,   wherein the processor is configured to execute a plurality of instructions stored in the memory, the plurality of instructions including instructions for:
 determining that a demand for water from a hot water reservoir is increasing, wherein the hot water reservoir serves as a heat sink for a processing module and includes a heating mechanism adapted to provide heat to the hot water reservoir separately from the processing module; 
 determining whether the processing module is able to produce enough heat to meet the demand; and 
 increasing a heat output of the heating mechanism to provide additional heat to the water in the hot water reservoir if the processing module is not able to produce enough heat to meet the demand. 
   
     
     
         16 . The controller of  claim 15  wherein the controller is part of the processing module. 
     
     
         17 . The controller of  claim 15  further comprising instructions for:
 determining that the demand has been satisfied; and 
 decreasing the heat output of the heating mechanism. 
 
     
     
         18 . The controller of  claim 15  wherein the instructions for determining whether the processing module is able to produce enough heat to meet the demand include instructions for using a maximum heat level that can be output by the processing module and at least one of a time period within which the demand is to be met and an amount of hot water needed to satisfy the demand. 
     
     
         19 . The controller of  claim 15  wherein the instructions for determining whether the processing module is able to produce enough heat to meet the demand include instructions for:
 determining that the processing module is not operating at a maximum processing load; 
 determining that the processing module is able to produce enough heat to meet the demand if the processing load is increased; and 
 increasing the processing load. 
 
     
     
         20 . The controller of  claim 15  further comprising instructions for modulating the heat output of the heating mechanism based on at least one of a time period within which the demand is to be met and an amount of hot water needed to satisfy the demand.