The origin of the EPG SurePump™ began during the early 1980's. The vertical sump drainer was originally developed for the remediation market to pump hydrocarbons. The innovative design allowed the vertical sump drainer to
pump down farther than other pumps in the market.
EPG was approached by an engineer from Wisconsin in
the late 1980's to find or develop a pump for a new
landfill design that utilized side slope riser pipes in
Indiana. This was in anticipation of more stringent
regulations expected to take effect soon (Subtitle D).
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| Early Sump Drainer Design |
After analyzing the problem, EPG designed a pump with skids, so either horizontal or inclined operation was possible. By ensuring that the leachate was drawn past the motor, EPG prevented the pump from overheating.
The design was used but complaints from the field said installing the
pump was akin to "pushing a chain down the street". The design
was rethought and four wheels were put at each end (90° spacing). This allowed the pump to roll easily down the riser pipe and into the sump.
These innovations led EPG to apply for and receive US Patents #4,966,534 and #4,992,030. These patents cover the level sensor mounted along the central axis of the sump drainer and the sump drainer supplied as a sealed unit.
The sump drainer design is simple, yet effective. Since the unit is sealed, all the leachate is drawn through the bottom intake screen, past the motor and into the pump's intake. The pump is controlled by a submersible level sensor that will turn the pump on and off by sensing the liquid level above the sensor. The sump drainer is equipped with a "vent valve" to vent any air present in the sump drainer and to prevent air lock.
EPG has always been sensitive to comments from the people who use the equipment. These comments have led to several improvements in the
design. The first improvement was to replace the retainer clips with retainer
pins to better hold the wheels on the axles. The next improvement added
durability to the vent valve hose barb by changing it from nylon to stainless
steel. Another improvement was to reinforce the wheel assemblies to better
support the weight of larger pumps. We then increased the sump drainer
wheel diameter for better clearance at HDPE welds in riser pipes. A small
diameter Sump Drainer was developed for 6" PVC pipe applications. Finally
new impellers were designed for better efficiency.
The addition of a level sensor mount permitted removal and replacement of the sensor without dismantling the sump drainer. Recently, a center-mounted level sensor became available on vertical models as well.
EPG continues to improve upon design and manufacturing processes to bring you the highest quality, longest lasting equipment available.
