My orchestra timpani

My orchestra performancec at 13-6-09

We invite an international singer for our performance

This is me while playing the super expensive timpani^^


This is what i am playing

I am a Chinese orchestra member. Last year, our Chinese orchestra bought a set of timpani for Malaysia Chinese orchestra competition. Fortunately, we won the second metal in Malaysia. (^^) The set of timpani we bought about RM50000, it is a huge amount. So to take care well for this set drum, we bought “Hippo” to ensure there is lesser humidity around the drum because the set of drum will spoil under a very humidity environment. “Hippo” is a brand for dehumidified product.

There are many types of drying agent been used. For example magnesium sulphate. It has a high capacity and complete drying in rapid. Whereas the capacity is refer to how much water per gram that the drying agent holds. The disadvantages of this drying agent is it normally will available in powder form and must filtered out, because magnesium is a very strong Lewis acid and not inert to all functional group. The other example of drying agent is sodium sulphate. This type of drying agent has the similar capacity of magnesium sulphate but in slower rate. It has an advantage is less reactive and in granular form which can remove from liquid easy. But commonly, granules calcium chloride (CaCl₂) are used to be as a drying agent.

Calcium chloride is a common salt which solid at room temperature. It behaves as a typical ionic halide. It can be produce directly from limestone, but large amount are also produced as a by-product of the Solvay process. So because of its hygroscopic nature, it must keep in a tightly-sealed container.

Bonding between calcium ions and chloride ions

Calcium chloride is a compound between chloride ions and calcium ions. It can serve as a source of calcium ions in solution. Furthermore, it will form precipitation because many calcium compounds are insoluble.

3 CaCl₂(aq)+ 2K₃PO₄(aq)→Ca₃(PO₄)₂ (s)+ 6KCl(aq)

Besides that, molten CaCl₂can be split into calcium metal and chlorine gas by electrolysed.

CaCl₂(l) →Ca(s) + Cl₂(g)

To prepare calcium chloride by Solvay process, sodium carbonate will be use to react with hydrochloride acid.

CaCO₂)(s) + 2HCl → CaCl₂(aq) + H₂O(l) + CO₂(g)

Calcium chloride anhydros powder

Based on the strongly hygroscopic properties, air and gases can be channelled to calcium chloride to remove moisture. But, it cannot be use to dry alkaline gases like ammonia gas because some additional product will form and that is dangerous. Moreover, calcium chloride can also add to liquid to remove suspended or dissolve water. The dissolving process is a highly exothermic and it will produce temperature around 60^˚C in rapidly. Therefore, it is known as drying agent or desiccant. It is converted to brine as it absorbs water or water vapour from substances to dry:

CaCl₂+2H₂→CaCl₂.2H₂

So, when place the dehumidified container which contains granules calcium chloride for few days, we can observe that the granules calcium chloride become lesser and liquid form substances are form.

To ensure the super expensive timpani are safe and never be disturb by naughty “humidity” in the air, many dehumidified container are placed around the timpani. (haha)^^

NO WATER!!!