Apparatus and methods for separating slurried material

A method for separating liquid from a slurry comprised of a mixture of at least one solid and at least one liquid which method comprises:

• (A) placing a filter within a container wherein the container has a removable cover sized and configured to substantially enclose an atmosphere within the container when the cover is attached to the container;
• (B) placing the slurry into the container;
• (C) creating a vacuum within the container by operation of a vacuum pump, which pump is configured to effectively vacuum material which comprises solid material, liquid material, gas or a combination of two or more of the foregoing while maintaining a substantially continuous level of vacuum, wherein the pump is in fluid communication with the enclosed atmosphere of the container;
• and wherein the pump functions at least by:
• (a) injecting a pressurized liquid into a nozzle assembly of the pump to produce a flow of pressurized liquid;
• (b) providing a gas to said nozzle assembly to surround the flow of pressurized liquid with the gas;
• and
• (c) directing the flow of pressurized liquid surrounded by the gas into a suction chamber in fluid communication with a first end of a suction pipe and an outlet pipe, the outlet pipe defining a venturi-like inner surface, and directing the flow of pressurized liquid surrounded by the gas toward the outlet pipe to produce a vacuum at a second end of the suction pipe, which second end of the suction pipe is in fluid communication with the enclosed atmosphere of the container;
• and
• (D) separating a filtrate from the slurry by drawing the filtrate through the filter by vacuum action of the pump.