We make use of a kind of distributed semi-quantum computing models to study phase estimation. The basic idea is to use distributed micro quantum computers to process respectively a small quantity of quantum states and then communicate with a given classical computer via classical channel to transport the results. We study the phase estimation algorithm basing on this idea and provide a distributed semi-quantum algorithm for phase estimation. Its time complexity in the first stage will not be worse than the existing quantum algorithm of phase estimation, and particularly, has an exponential acceleration in the second stage of phase estimation. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.