System for cleaning contaminants from parts

A system for cleaning contaminants from unclean parts comprising:

• a wash tank adapted to be filled with hot aqueous solution up to a fill level, for cleaning contaminated articles, the tank having a rear wall, opposite side walls and a front wall;
• a manifold with spray nozzles secured in the wash tank below the fill level and near the rear wall, for spraying aqueous solution toward the front wall and for agitating the aqueous solution in the wash tank;
• retainer means engaged with the front wall of the wash tank and the manifold, for retaining the manifold in the tank near the rear wall of the tank;
• a trough arranged in the wash tank near the fill level and above the manifold for collecting a waste mixture of contaminated particles and agitated aqueous solution from near the fill level;
• a waste discharge for discharging the waste mixture collected on the trough from the wash tank;
• a separator for receiving the waste mixture from the waste discharge and for separating contaminated particles from aqueous solution discharged from the wash tank;
• and
• means for returning the separated aqueous solution from the separator to the manifold.