Patent ID: 6946069

Claim:
A system for separating particles from a particle-laden liquid effluent drawn from a suctioning device, comprising; (a) a surge tank for receiving said effluent, said surge tank having a surge tank inlet in fluid communication with said auctioning device, a surge tank liquid effluent outlet and a surge tank air outlet; (b) a sedimentary deposit tank, said sedimentary deposit tank acting primarily under the influence of gravity to cause settlement of said particles, and having a sedimentary deposit tank inlet connected to said surge tank liquid effluent outlet; (c) a vacuum pump having a vacuum pump inlet; (d) a by-pass conduit establishing fluid communication between said surge tank air outlet and said vacuum pump inlet and said sedimentary deposit tank outlet being connected to said by-pass conduit such that when said vacuum pump is operating, the vacuum pump arts to draw said liquid effluent from said surge tank through said sedimentary deposit tank and said by-pass conduit and to draw air from said surge tank air outlet through said by-pass conduit.