Surge vacuum releaser

[steamvalleyFarms]

I recently acquired this surge releaser (which I attached a picture of still installed in a barn), I am new to vacuum and was wondering if anybody could explain all the parts in the picture (mainly the Tall plastic cylindrical container, and little plastic piece in front of pump) and whether I need them all to make this releaser work for sap. Also this releaser has an electric pump, but was wondering if I could set this up somehow to be a mechanical releaser? Any thoughts and ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Rob

[Ewetopia]

that is not a vacuum release, it is a transfer pump on a vacuum system, the vacuum is never released, the system is under constant vacuum. the motor on the bottom transfers the milk to the bulk tank when the sensor (steel rods) in the glass jar is touched by the milk.