Patent ID: 8547692

Claim:
A modular processing module allowing in-situ maintenance comprising: a set of processing module sides, wherein each processing module side comprises: a circuit board; a plurality of connectors coupled to the circuit board; and a plurality of processing nodes coupled to the circuit hoard, wherein each processing module side in the set of processing module sides couples to another processing module side using at least one connector in the plurality of connectors such that when all of the set of processing module sides are coupled together the modular processing module is formed, and wherein the modular processing module comprises: an exterior connection to a power source and a communication system; and at least one heatsink that couples to at least a portion of the plurality of processing nodes on one of the processing module sides, wherein the at least one heatsink is designed such that, when a set of heatsinks in the modular processing module are installed, an empty space is left in a center of the modular processing module, wherein the empty space in the center of the processing module is filled with a core that fills an air gap left by the set of heatsinks in the modular processing module, wherein the core is comprised of a plurality of core sections, wherein the plurality of core sections are coupled together using retention mechanisms, and wherein the plurality of core sections are coupled together using expansion mechanisms, and wherein upon release of a set of retention fasteners, the expansion mechanisms causing the plurality of core sections to move such that the outside edge of each core section contacts one heatsink in the set of heatsinks in the modular processing module.