On Mon, 17 Sep 2012, Gus Correa wrote: > Tangentially related to the recent discussion > of server/data center cooling with Helium [and Helium depletion]:
Thanks. Actually, very interesting. Lower drag (lower viscosity) makes sense. Helium should also be a substantially better conductor of heat from the platter to the outer disk casing and eventual loss mechanisms in the case. The other issue they refer to -- sealing the space -- is nontrivial. Helium is small enough that even metals are subject to diffusion, especially if you have hotter helium on the inside -- and very likely to embrittlement as time passes and more helium diffuses into (and through) the metal, creating lattice defects. I'm curious as to whether they wrap the sealed volume in e.g. lead foil or some other comparatively dense metal. rgb > > https://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9231220/Helium_filled_WD_drives_promise_huge_boost_in_capacity?taxonomyId=19&pageNumber=1 > > http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/09/helium-filled-hard-disks-will-lead-to-higher-capacities/ > _______________________________________________ > Beowulf mailing list, Beowulf@beowulf.org sponsored by Penguin Computing > To change your subscription (digest mode or unsubscribe) visit > http://www.beowulf.org/mailman/listinfo/beowulf > Robert G. Brown http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/ Duke University Dept. of Physics, Box 90305 Durham, N.C. 27708-0305 Phone: 1-919-660-2567 Fax: 919-660-2525 email:r...@phy.duke.edu _______________________________________________ Beowulf mailing list, Beowulf@beowulf.org sponsored by Penguin Computing To change your subscription (digest mode or unsubscribe) visit http://www.beowulf.org/mailman/listinfo/beowulf