PPT on Helium Hard Drive Disks

1. Helium Drives
G. Shiva ram
19K81A0578

2. HDD Problems
• Air filled hard drive problems
• Memory space
• Energy usage

3. Introduction
• Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (HGST)
• HGST designed helium filled hard drives
• Addresses these persistent problems

4. Helium
• 2nd lightest element
• Behind hydrogen (Lightest element)
• Very good choice for hard drive
• 23% of mass of universe
• 2nd most abundant element in universe

5. More helium
• However, not as abundant on earth in pure form
• Gravity cannot keep helium in atmosphere
• Found as component in natural gases in America
• Compose up to 7.6% of these gases
• Abundant enough for HGST to use in hard drives

6. Some Numbers
• Increases hard drive storage capacity by 40%
• Reduces power consumption by 23%

7. benefits
• Helium results in “less drag on the head arms and the
spinning disk track”
• http://www.gizmag.com/hgst-helium-filled-sealed-hard-
drive/24190/
• Less power is used to perform tasks like these
• Moving and positioning heads over tracks

8. Benefits leading to benefits
• Less power and movement leads to something else
• Results in data tracks and disks being placed closer
together
• All this means that they can store more data in the
hard drives

9. More numbers
• Increases density within each disk with infusion of
helium
• Means each disk can store more data
• Number of disks increases from
5 to 7
• All within the 3.5 inch enclosure of
hard drive

10. security
• Helium hard drive is hermetically sealed to keep
helium in
• Also keeps out contaminants
• Dust, humidity, water etc.

11. shhhhhhh
• Helium hard drive run with more efficient thermal
conduction
• 4°C cooler than regular air
• Means that helium hard drive runs much quieter than
air filled hard drives

12. Comparision table
Hard Drive Aspect Improvement by Helium
Storage Capacity 40% more storage room
Power Consumption 23% less power used
Density 1/7 less dense
Number of Disks Increases from 5 to 7
Individual Disk Capacity Increases individual disk storage
Protection Enclosure blocks out harmful contaminants
Thermal Conduction 4°C cooler
Hard Drive Noise Much quieter

13. HGST Figures it out
• Three things needed to be solved in order to design
helium filled hard drive:
• “How to build a drive structure stiff enough not to flex with
pressure changes
• How to seal in helium, a gas known for its remarkable
diffusion properties
• How to manufacture such drives in high volume at a
competitive price”
• http://www.zdnet.com/helium-filled-drives-announced-
7000004222/

14. Interesting aspect
• Gives us more capacity in our hard drives which will
become more important in our lives
• More energy efficient, which our generation needs to
address
• Becoming more “green”
• Shows how advanced all aspects of technology are
becoming

15. The Past future
• Helium filled hard drives released in 2013
• HGST hopes to revolutionize hard drive industry
• Also wants to compete with main developers of hard
drives

16. references
• "ArsTechnica." Ars Technica. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.
<http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/09/helium-filled-hard-
disks-will-lead-to-higher-capacities/>.
• "Helium (He) (chemical Element)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia
Britannica, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/260101/helium-He>.
• "Helium-filled Drives Announced." ZDNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.zdnet.com/helium-filled-drives-announced-7000004222/>.
• "Helium-filled Hard Drives Promise Capacity Boost." Helium-filled Hard Drives Promise
Capacity Boost. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://www.gizmag.com/hgst-helium-
filled-sealed-hard-drive/24190/>.
• "HGST Announces New Helium-Filled Hard Disk Drive Platform." Tom's Hardware.
N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Helium-Filled-
Hard_Disk-hdd-western-digital,17573.html>.