GB2576035A

GB2576035A - Heating apparatus and methods

Info

Publication number: GB2576035A
Application number: GB1812609.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Jordan Christopher
Original assignee: Bit Warmer Ltd
Current assignee: Bit Warmer Ltd
Priority date: 2018-08-02
Filing date: 2018-08-02
Publication date: 2020-02-05
Anticipated expiration: 2038-08-02
Also published as: GB2576035B; GB201812609D0

Abstract

A heating apparatus for a domestic hot water supply has a computer 110 that is attached to a hot water tank 102. The computer is contained within an enclosure that includes a thermal interface surface 116 that takes heat generated by computer running tasks to the hot water tank, the computer further including a communications interface to receive tasks and report results, a power supply unit that connects to a mains power supply 104, a processor that has a non-volatile memory, and a temperature sensor to detect the temperature of water in the tank. The thermal interface surface may comprise a phase-change material. The enclosure may also comprise a passive heat sink to dissipate excess heat to the local environment. A system of multiple hot water tanks with respective computers for controlling water temperature is also claimed. A method of mounting a computer to an insulated hot water tank is also claimed.

Description

Heating Apparatus and Methods

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to heating apparatus and methods, for example for domestic heating.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

There is a need to be able to assist people in fuel poverty, as well as for more efficient energy use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is therefore provided heating apparatus, in particular domestic heating apparatus. The heating apparatus may comprise a computer configured to be attached to a hot water tank such as a domestic hot water tank. The computer may have a thermal interface surface which may comprise a thermal interface plate which is configured, in particular curved, for conformal mounting on the (domestic) hot water tank. The computer may also have an enclosure including a heat transfer system to take heat from operation of the computer to the thermal interface surface/plate. The computer may comprise one or more of: a communications interface to receive a computing task and report results of the task; a power supply unit to receive a mains power supply and output power for powering a CPU (central processing unit) and/or GPU (graphics processing unit) and/or TPU (Tensor Processing Unit) of the computer, and/or memory and other electronic components; a processor coupled to memory including non-volatile memory; and a temperature sensor to sense the temperature of water in the tank. The non-volatile memory may store processor control code to implement one or more of: accept a computing task via the communications interface; run the computing task; report the results of the task via the communications interface;

and one or both of i) report the water temperature of water in the tank and ii) control execution of the task to control the water temperature.

The enclosure may comprise a passive heat sink in addition to the thermal interface surface. The passive heat sink may be configured to dissipate excess heat to air in the local environment of the computer; for example it may be located on an opposite surface of the computer to the thermal interface surface. Use of a passive heat sink can be advantageous where some components of the computer have a higher tolerance to heat than others. For example the CPU may be able to operate continuously at a high temperature such as 85°C or higher whereas other components may have a lower temperature rating, for example a maximum of around 50°C. However a passive heat sink may not be needed, for example because in some implementations all the components may be able to withstand relatively high temperatures.

A heat transfer system to take heat from operation of the computer to the thermal interface surface of the computer is also optional as, treating the computer as a black box, the heat generated within the unit has to escape. However use of a heat transfer system can help to preferentially direct the heat generated towards the hot water tank.

The heat transfer system may be a simple as a passive structure to provide a thermal bridge to transfer heat from one or more hot components such as the CPU/GPU/TPU to the thermal interface surface of the computer. This may be achieved by suitably positioning existing components of the computer and/or by providing a dedicated structure such as a metal heat transfer element and/or heat pipe between the one or more hot components and the thermal interface surface. Additionally or alternatively the heat transfer system may comprise dielectric oil within, for example partially or wholly filling, the computer enclosure.

Still further additionally or alternatively in some implementations the heat transfer system may comprise an active heat exchange system, for example comprising a first heat transfer block within the computer enclosure to take heat from a CPU and/or GPU and/or TPU and a second heat transfer block to transfer the heat to the hot water tank. Optionally the thermal interface plate may be integrate with or formed by a face of the second heat transfer block. The first and second heat transfer blocks may be thermally coupled by one or more fluid conduits through which a fluid circulates to transfer heat from the first to the second heat transfer block; the circulation may be forced, for example by a pump. The heat transfer block(s) may be made of metal; the fluid may be water.

Although in implementations the heating apparatus is configured to be retro-fitted to an existing hot water cylinder, in some implementations a thermal interface block may come pre-attached to a new tank, for example soldered/brazed or attached by other means. Additionally or alternatively a tank may include a heat transfer coil within, through which primary (or secondary) heat transfer fluid may pass.

The thermal interface plate, which operates as a heat exchanger plate i.e. heat transfer plate, may be curved for conformal mounting on a domestic hot water tank. The thermal interface plate may be attached to the hot water tank by (thermally conductive) epoxy and/or may be held in place by fasteners such as pegs, bolts or other anchors, springs, a belt or in a similar manner.

In some implementations the thermal interface surface of the computer comprises a layer of phase change material (PCM) to facilitate heat transfer from the computer to the hot water tank. The PCM material may be provided as a layer on the thermal interface surface and/or integrated within the thermal interface surface. A range of suitable PCM materials is commercially available.

There is also provided a system comprising a central system controller and a plurality of heating apparatuses each as described above. The system controller, which may comprise multiple servers and/or data processing devices, may be configured to receive a computing job, divide the job into multiple computing tasks, and control distribution of the computing tasks among the computers of the domestic heating apparatuses. There may be more than one task, and/or one or more tasks for one or more different jobs, per machine (computer); a single computer may implement tasks from more than one controller. The controller may be “central” in the sense that it organises the tasks for multiple heating apparatuses.

The system controller may be configured to monitor the water temperature of water in the tanks of the domestic heating apparatuses and/or to control task allocation maintain the water temperature of water in the tanks above a minimum threshold. Additionally or alternatively the system controller may be configured to allocate i.e. distribute the tasks to maintain a minimum threshold electrical power consumption from the mains power supply. For example the system controller may be configured to keep the GPUs busy by allocating multiple tasks, optionally for multiple jobs, to a computer. One or more of the tasks may be a background task. One or more of the tasks/jobs may generate income.

The apparatus or system may be configured to control the water temperature of water in the tank to greater than a first threshold and/or less than a second threshold. For example the first threshold may be selected to inhibit organism/bacterial growth (e.g. 50°C or 60°C); the second threshold may be chosen to reduce the risk of scalding (e.g. 70°C).

The apparatus/system may include means to control the boiler and/or an immersion heater, for example a suitable switch such as a relay. This may interrupt the call for hot water from the existing tank thermostat; or the control may be by any other suitable or available communication method.

A related method of heating a hot water tank comprises: attaching a computer to the hot water tank. The computer may include a CPU and/or GPU and/or TPU, a communications interface to receive a computing task and report results of the task, and a power supply unit to receive a mains power supply and output power for powering the CPU and/or GPU and/or TPU. The computer may further include memory, which may include non-volatile memory, and which may be coupled to the CPU/GPU/TPU. The computer may further include a temperature sensor to sense, directly or indirectly, the temperature of water in the tank. The method may comprise accepting a computing task for the computer via the communications interface; running the computing task to generate heat for heating the hot water tank; and preferably reporting the results of the task via the communications interface; and one or both of i) reporting the water temperature of water in the tank and ii) controlling execution of the task, for example locally and/or remotely, to control the water temperature.

A further related system for heating water in hot water tanks comprises a plurality of computers each attached to a respective hot water tank, the computer including a CPU and/or GPU and/or TPU. The computers may further each include a communications interface to receive a computing task. The computers may further each include,a power supply unit to receive a mains power supply and output power for powering the CPU and/or GPU and/or TPU, memory. The computers may further each include a temperature sensor. The system may further include a system controller to distribute tasks to the computers such the execution of the tasks heats the hot water in the tanks.

The invention further provides processor control code to implement the above described systems and methods, for example on a general purpose computing device, or on a mobile device, or on a digital signal processor (DSP). The code is provided on a non-transitory physical data carrier such as a disk, CD- or DVD-ROM, programmed memory such as non-volatile memory e.g. Flash, or read-only memory (Firmware). Code and/or data to implement embodiments of the invention may comprise source, object or executable code in a conventional programming language (interpreted or compiled) such as C, or assembly code, or code for a hardware description language. As the skilled person will appreciate such code and/or data may be distributed between a plurality of coupled components in communication with one another.

In another aspect the invention provides a method of mounting a computer to an insulated hot water tank. The method may comprise pushing a frame through the insulation to cut an aperture in the insulation. A flange on the frame may define the depth to which the frame is inserted. The method may further comprise removing the insulation from the aperture and exposing a surface of the tank. The method may further comprise attaching a thermal interface plate to the surface of the tank. The method may further comprise mounting the computer within the frame such that a surface of the computer is in thermal contact with the thermal interface plate.

In implementations this can facilitate rapid, reliable installation. In some implementations the thermal interface plate may be glued to the typically metal surface of the tank, for example using epoxy, in particular thermally conductive epoxy. The method may further comprise holding the thermal interface plate to the surface during the gluing, for example using bolts or pegs into the typically foam insulation of the tank. Mounting the computer within the frame may comprise attaching the computer to the thermal interface plate, for example by bolting the computer to the plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects of the invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

Figure 1 shows an example of domestic heating apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 shows an example block diagram of heater computing device for the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a water heating system;

Figure 4 shows a flow diagram for code executing on a heater computing device;

Figure 5 shows a heater computing device mounted on a hot water tank;

Figures 6a and 6b show, respectively, a close-up view from beneath, and a close-up perspective view, of the heater computing device of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a heater computing device including a liquid-coupled heat exchanger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows an example of domestic heating apparatus 100 comprising a heater computing device 110 in thermal contact with a domestic hot water tank 102. In implementations the heater computing device is thermally coupled to the domestic hot water tank via a thermal interface plate 116.

The heater computing device receives mains power via, in this example, a junction box 104 which also provides power to an immersion heater for the hot water tank. The heater computing device 110 has an antenna 112 for a broadband WiFi™ connection, and/or other communications (not shown in Figure 1). In implementations heater computing device 110 lacks a local user interface device such as a keyboard, mouse or display but may instead be controlled remotely, typically from outside the premises where the hot water tank is located. In some implementations the heater computing device may also control operation of the boiler and/or immersion heater, for example to inhibit operation of the boiler/immersion heater.

Figure 2 shows an example block diagram of heater computing device 110 which, in embodiments, comprises a mains power supply 110a to provide internal power for the device and a bus 110b to which are coupled a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 110c, optionally one or more GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) and/or TPUs (Tensor Processing Units) 110d, non-volatile memory 110e, working memory 11 Of, and or more communications devices/interfaces 110g such as a wired and/or wireless WiFi™ connection.

The heater computing device 110 may also include one or more temperature sensors 11 Oh to sense a temperature of the heater computing device and/or devices such as the CPU and GPU; and/or to sense a temperature the water temperature in the hot water tank 102. One way to sense the water temperature in the hot water tank is to sense a temperature of the thermal interface plate 116 either directly, or indirectly, for example by sensing the temperature of a heat transfer fluid (described later). Thus sensing the water temperature may involve sensing a proxy for the water temperature.

The non-volatile memory 110e stores operating system code for communicating with a remote server to receive and execute tasks, in particular of a distributed computing task, and to reply to the or another server with results of the tasks. The non-volatile memory 110e may thus also receive and store code and or data for local execution of a task on the CPU and/or GPU(s)/TPU(s).

The heater computing device 110 may also include a relay control interface 110i for wired and/or wireless control of a relay or similar controllable switch. The relay may be used to control a boiler and/or immersion heater, for example to interrupt a call for hot water from the existing tank thermostat, or to control the boiler and/or immersion heater in any other suitable manner, for example using an analogue or digital communications to the boiler/immersion heater.

In use heater computing device 110 receives and executes tasks under remote control. This generates heat from the PCU and/or GPU(s)/TPU(s) which is used to heat the water in the tank. Optionally execution of the tasks may generate income which may be used to offset a cost of the heater computing device. A typical heater computing device may generate a few hundred watts; preferably the heater computing device is kept occupied on one or more heat-generating tasks substantially continuously, that is for more than 90% of the time. A heat generating task may be a task which runs on the GPU(s)/TPU(s) and/or a task which uses at least 50W or 100W of power (which is converted to heat).

Examples of heat generating tasks include a rendering task (e.g. for animation), a modelling task (e.g. financial modelling, climate change modelling, chemical modelling e.g. for drug discovery, biochemical modelling e.g. protein folding), a machine learning task, and a bitcoin mining task.

When the heater computing device is not performing a remotely instructed task it may execute a background task which runs on the GPU(s) and/or which uses at least 50W or 100W of power, for example any of the volunteer distributed computing tasks such as one or more of the “@home” tasks typically based on BOINC (the Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing)

Execution of the task(s) on the heater computing device 110, in particular on the GPU(s)/TPU(s), may be controlled to control a temperature of the heater computing device and/or of the water in the hot water tank. The water may be additionally heated by another system, such as an immersion heater and/or gas, and the execution of the task(s) on the heater computing device may be responsive to the water temperature produced by this additional heating. In some implementations the temperature sensor(s) 11 Oh may sense the water temperature and the operating system may control task execution to maintain the water temperature within a range, for example above a minimum temperature to reduce bacterial growth and below a maximum temperature to reduce scalding risk. Task execution may be controlled by controlling whether a task operates on the CPU and or on one or more GPUs/TPUs, and/or by controlling a manner of execution on a CPU or GPU/TPU (e.g. a number of cores employed or a clock speed used) or in some other way controlling the speed of execution or distribution of a task or tasks. The task execution may be controlled to control the water temperature whilst maintaining execution of a task for most/all of the time, for example by controlling clock speed(s).

The control of the temperature of the heater computing device and/or water temperature may be performed locally and/or remotely. For example in some implementations the heater computing device may report a water temperature (or proxy water temperature) to a remote server which may then control task allocation and/or execution to control the temperature. Additionally or alternatively local temperature control may be employed as previously described.

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a water heating system 150, the system comprising a central (system) controller 160, i.e. a server, with an associated data store 162, and multiple heater computing devices 110 each as previously described. The central controller 160 and each heater computing device 110 is connected to the Internet 152 via a respective router 120.

The central controller 160 receives job requests from one or more external entities and provides results from the jobs, for example back to the respective entities. In the context of this specification a job is any item of computing work which can be broken down into multiple tasks such that the tasks can be distributed to and executed by multiple different computing devices, either in serial, or in parallel, or both. A job may have a defined end point or output or it may have an indeterminate end point; it may be continuous. Examples of such jobs include: a computer graphics rendering, for example for multiple frames of a computer animation; modelling the folding of a protein; astrophysical modelling; financial modelling; drug discovery; machine learning; bitcoin mining; mathematical or physical problem solving; neuroscience modelling; data analysis; stock market prediction; optimization tasks such as optimizing a network, route or location of a resource; medical/organ modelling; cryptography; running genetic/evolutionary algorithms; computer aided design; bioinformatics data processing; and so forth.

Such jobs may be broken down into tasks by the central controller 160 and distributed to the heater computing devices 110, and the results of the tasks received back and, if necessary, synthesised into a result for the job, for example using data store 162. The heater computing devices 110 may implement any form of distributed computing including, but not limited to, grid computing. The heater computing devices may comprise nodes of a distributed system which work together to solve a computing problem. In practice the central controller 160 may comprise multiple servers, whicn may be co-located or decentralized.

Figure 4 shows a flow diagram for code executing on a heater computing device 110. Thus when first powered up the device initializes (S400), and then informs the controller 160 that the device is online (identifies itself to the server), and reports its capacity (processing power; memory). In operation the system accepts a computing task (S402) from the controller 160 and runs the task (S404). The task may be a foreground task, that is an instructed task rather than a background task which is a task that the device may run when it would otherwise be idle.

Whilst the task is running the device measures and reports one or more temperatures, for example the water temperature (S406), and may, under local and/or remote control, adjust the execution of the task and/or allocation of one or more tasks to the device, to control the temperature(s). The device reports the results (S410), for example output data, at the end of the task and or during execution of the task. The device may run one or more foreground tasks and/or may use one or more background tasks (S402aS410a) for load balancing or power consumption control.

Figure 5 shows a heater computing device 110 mounted on a hot water tank 102. The device may be mounted towards a lower end of the tank to facilitate circulation of the heated water within the tank. The device may be mounted on a metal e.g. copper skin 102a of the tank, in a recess in the tank’s insulation 102b.

Figure 6a shows a close-up view from beneath of the heater computing device 110 of Figure 5; Figure 6b shows a close-up perspective view of the device. The computing device may be provided with a thermal interface plate 116, which may be curved to fit flush against the skin 102a of the tank. The thermal interface plate 116 may be fastened to the foam by anchors, for example screws 118 or other fastening means, for example springs or other elastic means, which may be fastened to the tank or which may be attached to a belt or the like around the tank. Additionally or alternatively In some implementations the thermal interface plate 116 may be glued to the surface f the tank, for example with thermally conductive epoxy. In general urging the thermal interface plate against the skin of the tank helps to ensure a good thermal contact. A illustrated in Figure 6a and 6b the mount for the computer may also include a frame 117 with a flange. The frame defines a recess into which the computer can be fitted; the flange, which fits over the insulation 102b, may define a depth to which the frame is inserted.

Although designed for heating water in the tank the heater computing device 110 may need cooling. It may therefore include passive cooling means (a fan is undesirable as the computing device may be located in a dusty airing cupboard). Thus the computing device may have a heat sink 114 on an opposite face to that on which the thermal interface plate 116 is mounted.

Internally the CPU and/or GPU(s)/TPU(s) may be arranged so that they are in thermal proximity to the side of the device against the hot water tank, for example in thermal proximity to the thermal interface plate 116. In some implementations the heater computing device 110 may be filled with dielectric oil to facilitate heat flow to the thermal interface plate. Additionally or alternatively however heater computing device 110 may include one or more internal or external heat exchangers.

Figure 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a heater computing device which includes a liquid-coupled heat exchanger 700. Thus the thermal interface plate 116 may be provided with one or more passageways 703 for circulating water 710a,b driven by a pump 712. The water may also circulate through one or more passageways 701 in an internal heat exchanger plate 702 in close thermal proximity to the CPU and/or GPU(s). In this example the thermal interface plate 116 may comprise a central portion 704 and mounts 706; it may be attached to the skin of the water tank by thermally-conducting adhesive 708.

Figures 8a and 8b further illustrate mounting of the computing device 110 to the tank 102. Thus Figure 8a shows a perspective view of the thermal interface plate 116 and the angled screws 118 with recessed heads securing this to the foam insulation 102b disposed around the perimeter of the plate.

Figure 8b shows the computing device 110 with a side panel removed, illustrating access to bolts 802 with spring washers used to secure the computing device 110 to the thermal interface plate 116. Figure 8b also illustrates phase change material 802 which may be provided as a layer between the thermal interface surface 800 of the computer and the thermal interface plate 116 and/or which may be integrated within the thermal interface surface 800 of the computing device 110. Suitable PCM materials are commercially available. The spring washers, or other resilient means, facilitate maintaining compression of the computing device against the thermal interface plate even after thinning of the PCM material.

Figure 9 shows a flow diagram of an example procedure for mounting a computing device (computer) to an insulated hot water tank. Thus at step S900 the frame is pushed into the foam, for example until the flange is flush with the surface of the foam. The installer then cuts around the inside of the frame (S902) and removes the foam from inside (S903), for example by cutting a cross and levering it out. The surface 102a of the tank is then cleaned, for example by scouring (S904).

At step S906 one or both of the thermal interface plate and tank are painted with epoxy, and then the plate is pushed onto the tank cylinder (S908) and fastened in place, for example with peg fasteners and or screws/bolts 118. The computing device is then attached to the thermal interface plate (S910), for example it may be bolted to the plate. In some implementations where PCM material is used a backing paper may need to be removed from the PCM material. Access holes for the bolts (Figure 8b) may then be covered (S912), and optionally the device may be further fastened to the tank, for example using one or more straps or the like. The computing device may then be connected to a source of mains electricity, for example an I EC lock connector wired into a junction box of the immersion heater.

A procedure of the type illustrated in Figure 9 is suitable for many installations and facilitates rapid and reliable installation of the computing device.

No doubt many other effective alternatives will occur to the skilled person. For example although in implementations the system is used to heat or provide supplementary heat for a domestic hot water tank, the system may also be used to heat a hot water tank in other premises. For example in implementations the system may be used to heat or provide supplementary heat for a public swimming pool. In commercial applications multiple heating apparatus units, or a smaller number of larger units, may be employed. Although references have been made to mains electricity the system may also be used off-grid.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the described embodiments and encompasses modifications apparent to those skilled in the art lying within the spirit and scope of the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. Heating apparatus comprising:

a computer configured to be attached to a hot water tank, in particular a domestic hot water tank, the computer having an enclosure including a heat transfer system to take heat from operation of the computer to a thermal interface plate on a thermal interface surface of the computer, wherein the thermal interface plate is configured, in particular curved, for conformal mounting on the hot water tank;

wherein the computer comprises:

a communications interface to receive a computing task and report results of the task;

a power supply unit to receive a mains power supply and output power for powering a CPU and or GPU and or TPU of the computer;

a processor coupled to memory including non-volatile memory;

a temperature sensor to sense the temperature of water in the tank;

wherein the non-volatile memory stores processor control code to: accept a computing task via the communications interface; run the computing task;

report the results of the task via the communications interface; and one or both of i) report the water temperature of water in the tank and ii) control execution of the task to control the water temperature.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the thermal interface surface of the computer comprises a PCM (phase change material) material.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the enclosure comprises a passive heat sink in addition to the thermal interface surface, wherein the passive heat sink is configured to dissipate excess heat to air in the local environment of the computer.

4. A system comprising a system controller and a plurality of heating apparatuses each as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the system controller is configured to receive a computing job, divide the job into multiple computing tasks, and control distribution of the computing tasks among the computers of the heating apparatuses.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the system controller is configured to monitor the water temperature of water in the tanks of the heating apparatuses.

6. A system as claimed in claim 4 or 5 wherein the system controller is configured to distribute the tasks to maintain a minimum threshold electrical power consumption from the mains power supply.

7. Apparatus or a system as recited in any preceding claim configured to control the water temperature of water in the tank to greater than a first threshold and/or less than a second threshold.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim including the hot water tank, wherein the computer is attached to the hot water tank.

9. A method of heating a hot water tank, the method comprising:

attaching a computer to the hot water tank, the computer including a CPU and/or GPU and/or TPU, a communications interface to receive a computing task and report results of the task, a power supply unit to receive a mains power supply and output power for powering the CPU and/or GPU and/or TPU, memory, and a temperature sensor to sense, directly or indirectly, the temperature of water in the tank;

accepting a computing task for the computer via the communications interface;

running the computing task to generate heat for heating the hot water tank; and preferably reporting the results of the task via the communications interface; and one or both of i) reporting the water temperature of water in the tank and ii) controlling execution of the task to control the water temperature.

10. A system for heating water in hot water tanks, the system comprising:

a plurality of computers each attached to a respective hot water tank, the computer including a CPU and/or GPU and/or TPU, a communications interface to receive a computing task, a power supply unit to receive a mains power supply and output power for powering the CPU and/or GPU and/or TPU, memory, and a temperature sensor;

a system controller to distribute tasks to the computers such the execution of the tasks heats the hot water in the tanks.

11. A method of mounting a computer to an insulated hot water tank, the method 5 comprising:

pushing a frame through the insulation to cut an aperture in the insulation; removing the insulation from the aperture and exposing a surface of the tank; attaching a thermal interface plate to the surface of the tank; and mounting the computer within the frame such that a surface of the computer is 10 in thermal contact with the thermal interface plate.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein attaching the thermal interface plate to the surface of the tank comprises gluing the thermal interface plate to the surface of the tank, the method further comprising holding the thermal interface plate to the

15 surface during the gluing, and wherein mounting the computer within the frame comprises attaching the computer to the thermal interface plate.