diff --git a/src/lib/processing/workerPool.ts b/src/lib/processing/workerPool.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ca9cfa0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/processing/workerPool.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+// Worker pool for parallel image processing
+
+import type { Device, PipelineConfig } from '../types';
+
+type PendingJob = {
+	resolve: (result: { blob: Blob; dataUrl: string }) => void;
+	reject: (error: Error) => void;
+};
+
+type JobPayload = {
+	imageData: ArrayBuffer;
+	device: Device;
+	config: PipelineConfig;
+};
+
+class PhotonWorkerPool {
+	private workers: Worker[] = [];
+	private availableWorkers: Worker[] = [];
+	private pendingJobs: Map<string, PendingJob> = new Map();
+	private jobQueue: Array<{ id: string; payload: JobPayload }> = [];
+	private initialized = false;
+	private initPromise: Promise<void> | null = null;
+	private poolSize: number;
+
+	constructor(poolSize = navigator.hardwareConcurrency || 4) {
+		this.poolSize = Math.max(2, Math.min(poolSize, 6));
+	}
+
+	private async init(): Promise<void> {
+		if (this.initialized) return;
+		if (this.initPromise) return this.initPromise;
+
+		this.initPromise = (async () => {
+			const WorkerConstructor = (await import('./photonWorker?worker')).default;
+
+			for (let i = 0; i < this.poolSize; i++) {
+				const worker = new WorkerConstructor();
+				worker.onmessage = (e: MessageEvent) => this.handleMessage(e, worker);
+				worker.onerror = (e: ErrorEvent) => this.handleError(e, worker);
+				this.workers.push(worker);
+				this.availableWorkers.push(worker);
+			}
+
+			this.initialized = true;
+		})();
+
+		return this.initPromise;
+	}
+
+	private handleMessage(e: MessageEvent, worker: Worker): void {
+		const { id, success, result, error } = e.data;
+		const pending = this.pendingJobs.get(id);
+
+		if (pending) {
+			this.pendingJobs.delete(id);
+
+			if (success) {
+				const blob = new Blob([result.blobData], { type: result.blobType });
+				pending.resolve({ blob, dataUrl: result.dataUrl });
+			} else {
+				pending.reject(new Error(error));
+			}
+		}
+
+		this.availableWorkers.push(worker);
+		this.processQueue();
+	}
+
+	private handleError(e: ErrorEvent, worker: Worker): void {
+		console.error('Worker error:', e);
+		this.availableWorkers.push(worker);
+		this.processQueue();
+	}
+
+	private processQueue(): void {
+		while (this.jobQueue.length > 0 && this.availableWorkers.length > 0) {
+			const job = this.jobQueue.shift()!;
+			const worker = this.availableWorkers.pop()!;
+			worker.postMessage({ id: job.id, type: 'process', payload: job.payload }, [
+				job.payload.imageData
+			]);
+		}
+	}
+
+	async process(
+		file: File,
+		device: Device,
+		config: PipelineConfig
+	): Promise<{ blob: Blob; dataUrl: string }> {
+		await this.init();
+
+		const id = crypto.randomUUID();
+		const imageData = await file.arrayBuffer();
+
+		// Strip Svelte proxies before sending to worker
+		const plainDevice = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(device));
+		const plainConfig = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(config));
+
+		return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+			this.pendingJobs.set(id, { resolve, reject });
+
+			const payload: JobPayload = {
+				imageData,
+				device: plainDevice,
+				config: plainConfig
+			};
+
+			if (this.availableWorkers.length > 0) {
+				const worker = this.availableWorkers.pop()!;
+				worker.postMessage({ id, type: 'process', payload }, [imageData]);
+			} else {
+				this.jobQueue.push({ id, payload });
+			}
+		});
+	}
+
+	terminate(): void {
+		for (const worker of this.workers) {
+			worker.terminate();
+		}
+		this.workers = [];
+		this.availableWorkers = [];
+		this.initialized = false;
+		this.initPromise = null;
+	}
+}
+
+export const workerPool = new PhotonWorkerPool();