Patent ID: 9010462
Filing Date: 2015-04-21
Classification: B28D,E21B,F24T,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method of installing a geoexchange borehole in an interior space of a building, comprising: installing a borehole access chamber in a floor slab of said building at a desired borehole location; positioning a low headroom floor supported rotary drilling apparatus comprising a drill rod string over the borehole access chamber at the desired borehole location; providing a pressurized drilling fluid to said drill rod string of said drilling apparatus with a drilling fluid supply system and powering a rotary downhole drilling device attached to said drill rod string to advance said borehole to a desired depth; recovering a drilling fluid and drill cuttings returned from said borehole during drilling and removing said drilling fluid and drill cuttings from at least one of: removing at least a substantial portion of said drill cuttings from said recovered drilling fluid and drill cuttings using said drilling fluid recycling apparatus; and returning a recycled drilling fluid substantially cleaned of said drill cuttings to said drilling apparatus using said drilling fluid supply system; wherein said drilling fluid collection system comprises at least one drilling fluid collection tank, and at least one sludge lift pump fluidly connected to said drilling fluid recycling system.