Patent ID: 7472720

Claim:
A surge tank comprising: a tank body having an interior wall adapted to retain a volume of fluid therein, the fluid comprising both liquid and solid constituents and including a throat that extends outwardly from a tank bottom portion; a fluid inlet/outlet port adjoined to the tank body to allow fluid to enter and exit the tank body; an elastomeric bladder positioned within the tank body and adapted to separate a volume of fluid within the tank from a volume of gas; and a nozzle system disposed within the tank body and including a nozzle member comprising: a first plurality of perforations extending a predetermined axial length along the nozzle member from an open end of the nozzle member adjacent the fluid inlet/outlet port, wherein the first plurality of perforations have an axially elongate configuration sized to accommodate the passage of the solids therethrough, and wherein at least a partial length of the first plurality of perforations is disposed within the throat; and a second plurality of perforations extending from the first plurality of perforations a predetermined axial length along the nozzle member.