Apparatus and method for slurrying soda ash

In an improved nozzle for use in a soda ash slurrying system of the type in which soda ash particles are slurried with water or an aqueous sodium carbonate solution, and said slurry is thereafter injected into a slurry storage tank by means of said nozzle, said nozzle of the type which extends through an opening in said tank, said improvement comprising a nozzle which comprises a housing, having at least one liquid passage and at least one soda ash particle passage therethrough, one opening of each of said liquid and soda ash particle passages for communication with the interior of a tank, and the other opening of said liquid passage for liquid communication with a source of water and/or an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate, and the other opening of said soda ash particle passage for communication with a source of said particles, the interior openings of said liquid and soda ash particle passages being positioned substantially along an axis of said nozzle in concentric relation such that water or aqueous soda ash solution and soda ash particles exiting said interior openings contact, forming a soda ash slurry, and said nozzle further comprising separating means for preventing said soda ash and said water or aqueous sodium carbonate solution from contacting before they exit the interior opening of said passages or at said openings, said separating means comprising a partitioning structure positioned between said openings and projecting from said openings exterior of said nozzle.