US Patent 7179386 Discharging sand from a vessel at elevated pressure

Sand is discharged from a vessel at an elevated pressure and is delivered at a lower pressure. The sand is subjected to the following steps before delivery: I) dilution with a dilution fluid, ii) passage through at least one pressure reducing cyclone, the dilution being such that flashing is reduced, and iii) delivery as a slurry at the delivery pressure. This results in less wear of the components.