Vacuum-assisted-pumping system and method

A system for removing a volume of liquid from a horizontal-surface, the system comprising:

• a pressure-sealed-pump-vessel including, in functional combination,
• at least one liquid-aperture,
• a liquid-level-control-valve,
• a liquid-discharge, and
• a sump-pump within said pressure-sealed-pump-vessel and including a pump-inlet and a pump-outlet, said pump-inlet being fluidly coupled to said liquid-aperture, said pump-outlet being fluidly coupled to said liquid-discharge, said sump-pump being configured to pump said volume of liquid from said pressure-sealed-pump-vessel and from said system via said liquid-discharge,
• a pressure-sealed-suction-vessel including a vacuum-pump configured to provide a low-pressure condition within said pressure-sealed-suction-vessel and within said pressure-sealed-pump-vessel, such that said volume of liquid is drawn from said horizontal-surface into said pressure-sealed-pump-vessel through said at least one liquid-aperture and to said liquid-inlet of said sump-pump;
• and
• one or more vessel-connections configured to fluidly couple said pressure-sealed-pump-vessel and said pressure-sealed-suction-vessel;
• wherein said liquid-level-control-valve is configured to control a liquid-level of said volume of liquid within said pressure-sealed-suction-vessel by interrupting said low-pressure condition created by said vacuum-pump;
• wherein said system is structured and arranged to sit upon said horizontal-surface;
• wherein said volume of liquid has a viscosity substantially similar to water;
• wherein said pressure-sealed-pump-vessel further includes a plurality of standoffs configured to set said pressure-sealed-pump-vessel at a distance immediately above said horizontal-surface;
• wherein said vacuum-pump is removably affixed to a top of said pressure-sealed-suction-vessel;
• wherein said sump-pump is removably installed within said pressure-sealed-pump-vessel;
• and
• wherein liquid-level-control-valve is manually operable by a user;
• and
• wherein said sump-pump, and said vacuum-pump are each electrically driven.

A method of using a vacuum-assisted-pumping system, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a vacuum-assisted-pumping system;
• placing said vacuum-assisted-pumping system upon a horizontal-surface;
• operating said vacuum-assisted-pumping system to remove a volume of water from said horizontal-surface;
• and
• ceasing operation of said vacuum-assisted-pumping system.