Author(s)

Eddie Yin-Kwee Ng, Qing Ren Teo, Ning Yu Liu

Data Storage Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.
School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

This paper studies the flow structural interaction (FSI) within a hard disk drive (HDD) through the use of a novel coupling method. The interaction studied was the fluid induced vibration in the HDD. A two step coupling approach was used, where the fluid and structural components were solved sequentially. The result obtained was a ratio of 0.65 between the vibration amplitudes of a fixed head stack assembly (HSA) and a moving HSA. The ratio was next applied on a real 3.5 inch HDD, to allow the parameter to be further improved upon. A new benchmark index of 0.69 was developed from this. This parameter may allow future researchers to model the out of plane vibrations of a HSA easily, saving precious time. A 31% more accurate simulation of FSI within 3.5 inch HDD at 15000 rpm is achieved by the use of this new coupling method and benchmark index.

Hard Disk Drives; Coupling Method; Modeling; Simulation and Optimization; FSI

E. Ng, Q. Teo and N. Liu, "Numerical Investigation of Flow Structure Interaction Coupling Effects in Hard Disk Drives," World Journal of Mechanics, Vol. 2 No. 1, 2012, pp. 9-18. doi: 10.4236/wjm.2012.21002.