HDD Helium Alternatives

Cluster discusses gases like helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, and argon used in hard disk drives, debating safety, flammability, scarcity of helium, and viability of alternatives.

πŸ“‰ Falling 0.3x Hardware
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20
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5
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#7337
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Keywords

e.g H2 sodastream.com CO GWP CO2 CAPEX MSDS SodaStream N2 hydrogen nitrogen oxygen gas air helium inert co2 pure atmosphere

Sample Comments

pjc50 β€’ Nov 5, 2013 β€’ View on HN

You are mistaking helium (inert,fire suppresant) for hydrogen (flammable).

venomsnake β€’ Nov 4, 2013 β€’ View on HN

Why not hydrogen? We are running out of helium. And it is in such minuscule amounts the fire safety should not be a concern, and for most of the stuff inside the drive hydrogen is chemically inert enough.

jstsch β€’ Jun 6, 2024 β€’ View on HN

It's methane, so not a big deal (like hydrazine)

concede_pluto β€’ Sep 14, 2017 β€’ View on HN

Why nitrogen? Is air too corrosive?

fortran77 β€’ Jul 10, 2024 β€’ View on HN

Since it's a relatively small volume, why not hydrogen? Is it too reactive?

jessaustin β€’ Dec 4, 2015 β€’ View on HN

For instance if the gas were poisonous?

moistbar β€’ Mar 13, 2021 β€’ View on HN

Do you think pure nitrogen would work in this situation?

fsh β€’ Jul 22, 2023 β€’ View on HN

More like having a medical oxygen or welding gas tank in your attic (except with a much less reactive gas).

bloak β€’ May 10, 2019 β€’ View on HN

Just use hydrogen. It's not that dangerous.

brokencode β€’ Nov 10, 2023 β€’ View on HN

Just fill it with Hydrogen then. What’s the worst that can happen?