WD Builds High-Capacity, Helium-Filled HDDs

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WD Builds High-Capacity, Helium-Filled HDDs

Posted by timothy on Thursday September 13, 2012 @09:26AM from the it-slices-it-dices-it-sings-in-falsetto dept.

Lucas123 writes "Western Digital subsidiary HGST today announced that after 10 years of development it is preparing to release 3.5-in data center-class HDDs that are hermetically sealed with helium inside. The helium reduces drag and wind turbulence created by the spinning platters, all but eliminating track misregistration that has become a major issue to increasing drive density in recent years. Because of that, HGST will be able to add two more platters along with increasing the tracks per inch, which results in a 40% capacity increase. The drives will also use 23% less power because of the reduction of friction on the spindle. HGST said the new seven-platter helium drives will weigh 29% less per terabyte of capacity that today's five-platter drives. In other words, a seven-platter helium disk will weigh 690 grams, the same as today's five-platter drives."

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But the cost? by sandytaru · 2012-09-13 09:32 · Score: 4, Interesting

Is this going to be cheaper than SSD? The price point for solid state finally reached where platter drives were about ten years ago (a dollar or less a gig) and I installed one on my system just last week as my OS drive. Also, are these going to be significantly faster than the standard five platter density drives? Frankly, weight only matters in tablets, phones, and laptops. I'm not aware of any crushing weight problems in the steel server racks...

--
Occasionally living proof of the Ballmer peak.
Done 40 years ago by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-13 09:34 · Score: 5, Interesting

Helium was used as a lubricant in fixed head disk drives in the late 60's.
They had to keep a tank of it attached since it is very difficult to keep it from leaking out.
How, exactly, are they going to keep the Helium from leaking out?
1. Re:Done 40 years ago by wierd_w · 2012-09-13 11:00 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Pressure in a sealed container is not constant, and gas does not pressurize uniformly.
  This means localized pressure fronts caused by the rotating platters will push molecules out, as will thermal expansion from drive activity.
  Over time, the pressure inside the drive will drop below that of ambient pressure. This will cause "air bearing" failure, and drive failure.
  (To better imagine this, imagine the spinning platter as a slingshot, pushing on the helium, and shoving it against the walls of the sealed enclosure. If this local pressure is greater than outside pressure, then the helium will be forced outside the enclosure. The energy of the plater displaces the equilibrium.)
Re:Why not a vacuum by Pepebuho · 2012-09-13 09:45 · Score: 4, Interesting

Well, this means that NOW I can submerge reliably the whole PC into Mineral Oil without fear of oil getting into the only moving part, the hard drive. Can't wait to try this out!
Re:Why not a vacuum by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-13 09:48 · Score: 3, Interesting

Not only that, but after the helium migrates through the pores in the metal housing, the heads will crash! Physically programmed disk death!
Re:This explains it! by glueball · 2012-09-13 10:15 · Score: 4, Interesting

Liquid Helium sell for $8.00/L on the wholesale quantity market.
It is still very, very cheap.
Last fill on my MRI machine was 800L due to cold head failure. Lucky me I have a service policy, but still, that's a big use of Helium. I would not worry about your Helium balloon.
Bill