Vibrating slot sieve slurry processing apparatus and method

A separator for separating the solids and liquids from a slurry comprising:

• a housing defining a liquid channel and oriented at an acute angle such that a top end thereof is positioned higher than a lower end thereof;
• a plurality of spaced apart support tabs extending inwardly from the opposing side edges of the housing;
• a plurality of spaced apart lateral support beams extending across the liquid channel between the opposing edges of the housing, each lateral support beam extending completely between the opposing side edges of the housing;
• a slot sieve including a plurality of horizontally oriented members spaced apart to define slots therebetween, the slot sieve suspended above the liquid channel and extending between and resting on both the spaced apart support tabs at opposing side edges of the housing and on the plurality of spaced apart lateral support members;
• a slurry delivery apparatus for delivering the slurry to the slot sieve at a location proximate to the top of the liquid channel;
• a liquid removal conduit fluidly coupled to the liquid channel at a location proximate to the bottom end thereof;
• a mechanical vibrator assembly mechanically coupled to the slot sieve, and at a position on the slot sieve between a first adjacent pair of the plurality of lateral support beams to create a vibration zone between the first adjacent pair of the plurality of lateral support beams by directly imparting mechanical vibration to the slot sieve between the first adjacent pair of the plurality of lateral support beams and to couple the mechanical vibration to reaction zones defined between other adjacent pairs of the plurality of lateral support beams.