Patent ID: 7740752

Claim:
A system for separating suspended and dissolved materials in a fluid comprising: a) at least one generally flat treatment bed each having a surface angled downward and comprising a plurality of treatment channels having ridges or ribs to trap the materials for receiving the fluid and causing it to flow over surface thereby reducing the velocity of the fluid thereby causing suspended materials to drop out of the fluid to create sludge on treatment bed surface; b) an inlet manifold at the upstream end of each treatment bed for providing fluid to the bed; c) isolation devices in the inlet manifold capable of restricting fluid flow on at least a portion of the treatment bed surface by selectively restricting flow to one or more of the channels from the inlet manifold; d) a sludge collection device for collecting the sludge on the treatment bed surface; e) a fluid outlet for allowing the fluid with less suspended and dissolved materials to exit the system.