Patent ID: 8679335

Claim:
A vacuum system mounted on a vehicle for dewatering a sludge mixture within a container, removing dewatered solid matter from within the container and then returning liquid matter removed from the sludge mixture back inside the container, the system including: a vacuum tank dewatered solid matter compartment, the solid matter compartment having an upper portion and a bottom portion; a vacuum tank liquid matter compartment, the liquid matter compartment having an upper portion and a bottom portion, the upper portion of the liquid matter compartment being in direct fluid communication with the upper portion of the solid matter compartment to equalize pressure under vacuum conditions created by a vacuum pump arrangement mounted on the vehicle; a main flexible hose having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being selectively made in fluid communication with the solid matter compartment or the liquid matter compartment; an immersible suction head connected to the distal end of the main flexible hose, the suction head including a static dewatering screen filter; and a screen-washing arrangement having liquid outlets mounted on the suction head to spray liquid jets onto the screen filter, the screen-washing arrangement being in fluid communication with the liquid matter compartment through a pressurized liquid circuit and using the liquid matter from the liquid matter compartment as a washing fluid.