A system includes a slurry depressurizing system that includes a liquid expansion system configured to continuously receive a slurry at a first pressure and continuously discharge the slurry at a second pressure. For example, the slurry depressurizing system may include an expansion turbine to expand the slurry from the first pressure to the second pressure.

1,1 Applications of Slurry Transport Vast tonnages are pumped every year in the form of solid-liquid mixtures, known as slurries. The application which involves the largest quantities is the dredging industry, continually maintaining navigation in harbours and rivers, altering coastlines and winning material for landfill and construction purposes. As a single dredge may be required to maintain a throughput of 7000 tonnes of slurry per hour or more, very large centrifugal pumps are used. Figures 1-1 and 1-2 show, respectively, an exterior view of this type of pump, and a view of a large dredge-pump impeller (Addie & Helmley, 1989). The manufacture of fertiliser is another process involving massive slur- transport operations. Li Florida, phosphate matrix is recovered by huge draglines in open-pit mining operations. It is then slurried, and pumped to the wash plants through pipelines with a typical length of about 10 kilometres. Each year some 34 million tonnes of matrix are transported in this manner. This industry employs centrifugal pumps that are generally smaller than those used in large dredges, but impeller diameters up to 1. 4 m are common, and drive capacity is often in excess of 1000 kW. The transport distance is typically longer than for dredging applications, and Chapter 1 Figure LI. Testing a dredge pump at the GIW Hydraulic Laboratory Figure 1. 2. Impeller for large dredge pump 1. Introduction 3 hence a series of pumping stations is often used. Figure 1-3 shows a boost- pump installation in a phosphate pipeline.

An authoritative, systematic, and comprehensive description of current CMP technology Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) provides the greatest degree of planarization of any known technique. The current standard for integrated circuit (IC) planarization, CMP is playing an increasingly important role in other related applications such as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and computer hard drive manufacturing. This reference focuses on the chemical aspects of the technology and includes contributions from the foremost experts on specific applications. After a detailed overview of the fundamentals and basic science of CMP, Microelectronic Applications of Chemical Mechanical Planarization: * Provides in-depth coverage of a wide range of state-of-the-art technologies and applications * Presents information on new designs, capabilities, and emerging technologies, including topics like CMP with nanomaterials and 3D chips * Discusses different types of CMP tools, pads for IC CMP, modeling, and the applicability of tribometrology to various aspects of CMP * Covers nanotopography, CMP performance and defect profiles, CMP waste treatment, and the chemistry and colloidal properties of the slurries used in CMP * Provides a perspective on the opportunities and challenges of the next fifteen years Complete with case studies, this is a valuable, hands-on resource for professionals, including process engineers, equipment engineers, formulation chemists, IC manufacturers, and others. With systematic organization and questions at the end of each chapter to facilitate learning, it is an ideal introduction to CMP and an excellent text for students in advanced graduate courses that cover CMP or related semiconductor manufacturing processes.