Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A slurry dispensing system comprising: 1) a slurry mixer comprising a mixer outlet and a mixer recirculation port; and 2) a slurry dispenser fluidly connectable with said slurry mixer and comprising:a slurry bypass channel fluidly connectable with each of said mixer outlet and said mixer recirculation port;a metering chamber;a metering chamber inlet valve between said slurry bypass channel and said metering chamber;a metering chamber outlet valve for said metering chamber;a slurry inlet channel extending from said slurry bypass channel to said metering chamber, wherein said metering chamber inlet valve controls a flow through said slurry inlet channel to said metering chamber;an injection needle in fluid communication with said metering chamber; anda controller configured to execute a container slurry-loading sequence comprising closing said metering chamber outlet valve, thereafter opening said metering chamber inlet valve, thereafter closing said metering chamber inlet valve, thereafter opening said metering chamber outlet valve, and initiating a fluid flow through said injection needle after said metering chamber inlet valve has been closed. 2. The slurry dispensing system of claim 1, further comprising:at least one feed source fluidly connectable with said slurry mixer, wherein a fluid and a plurality of particles are directed into said slurry mixer by said at least one feed source, and wherein a discharge out of said mixer outlet comprises a slurry. 3. The slurry dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said slurry mixer comprises a horizontal mixer. 4. The slurry dispensing system of claim 1, further comprising:a pump between said mixer outlet and said slurry dispenser. 5. The slurry dispensing system of claim 4, wherein said pump comprises a peristaltic pump. 6. The slurry dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said slurry bypass channel comprises a dispenser inlet port and a dispenser recirculation port, wherein said slurry dispensing system further comprises:an outlet line extending between said mixer outlet and said dispenser inlet port; anda recirculation line extending between said dispenser recirculation port and said mixer recirculation port. 7. The slurry dispensing system of claim 6, wherein said slurry inlet channel intersects said slurry bypass channel between said dispenser inlet port and said dispenser recirculation port. 8. The slurry dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said injection needle extends through said slurry bypass channel and at least into said slurry inlet channel. 9. The slurry dispensing system of claim 8, wherein said injection needle extends through said slurry inlet channel and at least to said metering chamber. 10. The slurry dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said injection needle is disposed within a flow through said slurry bypass channel and is also disposed within a flow through said slurry inlet channel. 11. The slurry dispensing system of claim 10, wherein said injection needle is disposed transversely to said flow through said slurry bypass channel and is disposed parallel to said flow through said slurry inlet channel. 12. The slurry dispensing system of claim 1, wherein an effective outer diameter of said injection needle is smaller than an effective diameter of each of said slurry bypass channel and said slurry inlet channel. 13. The slurry dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said metering chamber inlet valve seals against said injection needle to fluidly isolate said slurry bypass channel from said metering chamber. 14. The slurry dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said slurry dispenser further comprises a fluid injector fluidly connectable with said metering chamber. 15. The slurry dispensing system of claim 14, wherein said fluid injector is configured to deliver a fluid to said metering chamber when said metering chamber inlet valve is closed and when said metering chamber outlet valve is open to facilitate removal of slurry from said metering chamber. 16. The slurry dispensing system of claim 14, wherein said fluid injector is configured to deliver a fluid to said metering chamber when said metering chamber inlet valve is closed and when said metering chamber outlet valve is open to flush said metering chamber. 17. The slurry dispensing system of claim 15, wherein said fluid is selected from the group consisting of air, water, or solvents. 18. The slurry dispensing system of claim 1, further comprising a container fluidly connectable with said slurry dispenser. 19. A slurry dispensing system comprising: 1) a slurry mixer comprising a mixer outlet and a mixer recirculation port; and 2) a slurry dispenser fluidly connectable with said slurry mixer and comprising:a slurry bypass channel fluidly connectable with each of said mixer outlet and said mixer recirculation port;a metering chamber;a metering chamber inlet valve between said slurry bypass channel and said metering chamber;a metering chamber outlet valve for said metering chamber;a slurry inlet channel extending from said slurry bypass channel to said metering chamber, wherein said metering chamber inlet valve controls a flow through said slurry inlet channel to said metering chamber; andan injection needle in fluid communication with said metering chamber, wherein said injection needle extends through said slurry bypass channel and at least into said slurry inlet channel, and wherein said injection needle extends through said slurry inlet channel and at least to said metering chamber. 20. The slurry dispensing system of claim 19, wherein said slurry bypass channel comprises a dispenser inlet port and a dispenser recirculation port, wherein said slurry mixer comprises a horizontal mixer, and wherein said slurry dispensing system further comprises:at least one feed source fluidly connectable with said slurry mixer, wherein a fluid and a plurality of particles are directed into said slurry mixer by said at least one feed source, and wherein a discharge out of said mixer outlet comprises a slurry;a peristaltic pump between said mixer outlet and said slurry dispenser;an outlet line extending between said mixer outlet and said dispenser inlet port; anda recirculation line extending between said dispenser recirculation port and said mixer recirculation port. 21. The slurry dispensing system of claim 20, wherein said slurry inlet channel intersects said slurry bypass channel between said dispenser inlet port and said dispenser recirculation port. 22. The slurry dispensing system of claim 19, wherein said injection needle is disposed transversely to a flow through said slurry bypass channel and is disposed parallel to said flow through said slurry inlet channel. 23. The slurry dispensing system of claim 19, wherein an effective outer diameter of said injection needle is smaller than an effective diameter of each of said slurry bypass channel and said slurry inlet channel. 24. The slurry dispensing system of claim 19, wherein said metering chamber inlet valve seals against said injection needle to fluidly isolate said slurry bypass channel from said metering chamber. 25. The slurry dispensing system of claim 19, wherein said slurry dispenser further comprises a fluid injector fluidly connectable with said metering chamber. 26. The slurry dispensing system of claim 25, wherein said fluid injector is configured to deliver a fluid to said metering chamber when said metering chamber inlet valve is closed and when said metering chamber outlet valve is open to facilitate removal of slurry from said metering chamber. 27. The slurry dispensing system of claim 25, wherein said fluid injector is configured to deliver a fluid to said metering chamber when said metering chamber inlet valve is closed and when said metering chamber outlet valve is open to flush said metering chamber. 28. A slurry dispensing system comprising: 1) a slurry mixer comprising a mixer outlet and a mixer recirculation port; and 2) a slurry dispenser fluidly connectable with said slurry mixer and comprising:a slurry bypass channel fluidly connectable with each of said mixer outlet and said mixer recirculation port;a metering chamber;a metering chamber inlet valve between said slurry bypass channel and said metering chamber;a metering chamber outlet valve for said metering chamber;a slurry inlet channel extending from said slurry bypass channel to said metering chamber, wherein said metering chamber inlet valve controls a flow through said slurry inlet channel to said metering chamber; andan injection needle in fluid communication with said metering chamber, wherein said injection needle is disposed within a flow through said slurry bypass channel and is also disposed within a flow through said slurry inlet channel, and wherein said injection needle is disposed transversely to said flow through said slurry bypass channel and is disposed parallel to said flow through said slurry inlet channel. 29. A slurry dispensing system comprising: 1) a slurry mixer comprising a mixer outlet and a mixer recirculation port; and 2) a slurry dispenser fluidly connectable with said slurry mixer and comprising:a slurry bypass channel fluidly connectable with each of said mixer outlet and said mixer recirculation port;a metering chamber;a metering chamber inlet valve between said slurry bypass channel and said metering chamber;a metering chamber outlet valve for said metering chamber;a slurry inlet channel extending from said slurry bypass channel to said metering chamber, wherein said metering chamber inlet valve controls a flow through said slurry inlet channel to said metering chamber; andan injection needle in fluid communication with said metering chamber, wherein said metering chamber inlet valve seals against said injection needle to fluidly isolate said slurry bypass channel from said metering chamber.