Patents by Inventor Dirk Diehl

Dirk Diehl has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20140301017
    Abstract: The embodiments relate to a capacitor device for a conductor loop in a device for the in-situ production of heavy oil and bitumen from oil-sand deposits, characterized by a housing and a capacitor unit arranged therein to compensate for the inductive voltage drop along the conductor loop, wherein there are two connection interfaces, wherein each connection interface is designed for mechanical and electrically conductive connection between the capacitor unit and a conductor element of the conductor loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Dirk Diehl, Andreas Koch
  • Patent number: 8813835
    Abstract: A method for the “in situ” extraction of bitumen or very heavy oil is provided. An electric/electromagnetic heater to reduce the viscosity of bitumen or very heavy oil with at least two linearly expanded conductors are configured in a horizontal alignment at a predetermined depth of the reservoir. The conductors are connected to each other in an electrically conducting manner inside or outside of the reservoir, and together form a conductor loop, and are connected to an external alternating current generator outside of the reservoir for electric power. The heating of the reservoir is predetermined in a chronologically and/or locally variable manner in accordance with the electric parameters, and may be changed outside of the reservoir for optimizing the feed volume during the conveying of the bitumen. At least one generator is present in the related device, wherein the parameters thereof are variable for the electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Dirk Diehl
  • Patent number: 8766146
    Abstract: An apparatus for the inductive heating of oil sand and heavy oil deposits by way of current-carrying conductors is provided. The conductors include individual conductor groups, wherein the conductor groups are designed in periodically repeating sections of defined length defining a resonance length, and wherein two or more of the conductor groups are capacitively coupled. In this way, each conductor can be advantageously insulated and may include a single wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellscaft
    Inventor: Dirk Diehl
  • Patent number: 8607862
    Abstract: A method is for conveying bitumen or heavy oil in a deposit is provided. The bitumen or very heavy oil is liquefied by way of an inductive conductor loop as a heater and is led away using an extraction pipe, wherein the conductor loop and the extraction pipe are disposed relative to one another such that the heating and thus extraction of bitumen or very heavy oil is maximized. To this end, one of the conductors of the conductor loop is disposed substantially vertically above the extraction pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk Diehl, Norbert Huber
  • Publication number: 20130192831
    Abstract: A device is provided for extracting a hydrocarbon-containing substance from a reservoir. Thermal energy can be applied to the reservoir in order to reduce the viscosity of the substance. The device includes at least one conductor loop for inductively supplying electric current, to provide electric and/or electromagnetic heating, and a fluid conducting device for transporting and introducing a solvent fluid into the reservoir, to further reduce the viscosity of the substance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventors: Dirk Diehl, Norbert Huber, Muris Torlak, Bernd Wacker
  • Publication number: 20130192820
    Abstract: The device has at least one electrical conductor loop formed of a feed conductor, a return conductor and an inductor connected therebetween. At least the inductor is at least partially or completely disposed in the oil sand deposit. The device further has an alternating current generator that is electrically connected to the at least one conductor loop by at least two electrical contact points. The alternating current generator has a transformer with at least one primary and at least one secondary winding. The at least one secondary winding comprises a center tap to which a ground potential Ue is electrically connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventor: Dirk Diehl
  • Patent number: 8461838
    Abstract: In a method and a device for specific absorption rate monitoring in a magnetic resonance system wherein multiple transmit coils are independently charged with respective currents, a primary model point voxel and at least one auxiliary model point voxel are automatically selected from among multiple voxels that model a modeled examination subject. The primary model point voxel is that voxel in which an absolute maximum of a total field variable occurs that is produced by the respective electrical fields emitted by the transmit coils. The at least one auxiliary model point voxel is that voxel in which a relative maximum of the variable occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gerhard Brinker, Dirk Diehl, Matthias Gebhardt, Juergen Nistler, Volker Schnetter
  • Publication number: 20130090896
    Abstract: A method determines an optimal structure of a high-frequency shield of a high-frequency antenna of a magnetic resonance arrangement. The high-frequency shield shields the high-frequency antenna from a gradient-coil arrangement. A three-dimensional initial structure of the high-frequency shield is defined in accordance with structural parameters and jointly with the high-frequency antenna, the gradient-coil arrangement, or both the high-frequency antenna and the gradient-coil arrangement. The structural parameters are optimized via an optimization method with respect to at least one optimization criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Inventors: Dirk Diehl, Sebastian Martius, Volker Matschl, Jürgen Nistler
  • Publication number: 20130062064
    Abstract: A technique is provided for extracting a substance containing hydrocarbon from a reservoir, wherein the reservoir is applied with thermal energy in order to reduce the viscosity of the substance. As per the technique, at least two conductor loops for the inductive energization are provided as electric/electromagnetic heating elements. Each of the at least two conductor loops has at least two extended conductors, which are guided horizontally inside the reservoir. At least two alternating current generators are provided for electric power, each being connected to a respective conductor loop. The technique involves operating a first of the at least two alternating current generators and at least a second of the at least two alternating current generators synchronously with respect to their frequency and with a fixed phase position in relation to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: Dirk Diehl, Bernd Wacker
  • Patent number: 8371371
    Abstract: An apparatus for the in situ extraction of bitumen or very heavy oil from oil sand deposits, and applying heat energy to the deposit to reduce the viscosity of the bitumen is provided. A high-frequency generator feeds electric power to a linearly extended conductor loop at a predefined depth of an oil sand deposit, the inductance of the conductor loop is compensated in some sections or continuously. Advantageously, one of the conductors of the conductor loop may be disposed substantially in a vertical direction above the extraction pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk Diehl, Norbert Huber, Bernd Wacker, Jan Weigel
  • Patent number: 8360962
    Abstract: A system measures a change in position of a medical appliance, such as an endoscopy capsule. A device uses this measurement in order to influence the position of the medical appliance. The medical appliance sends a signal that is received by a multiplicity of spatially separate receiving devices. The time profile of the phase differences between the received signals and a reference signal provides an indication of whether the medical appliance has moved. In the event of a movement being detected, a maneuvering device can be regulated by a regulating means in such a way that the maneuvering device generates forces and/or torques and applies them to the medical appliance to counteract the detected movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk Diehl, Ralph Oppelt, Johannes Reinschke
  • Patent number: 8354845
    Abstract: In a method for examination subject-specific determination of parameters for activating gradient coils and radio-frequency of a coil array of a magnetic resonance device to generate a radio-frequency pulse with which nuclear spins in an examination region of an examination subject are moved out of a rest state by an arbitrary angle, a control unit activates phases and amplitudes of currents in the radio-frequency coils and respective currents in the gradient coils in a time-dependent manner in discrete steps to generate gradient fields. In a processor in communication with the control unit, parameters for the activation are automatically calculated dependent on measured sensitivity maps of the radio-frequency coils at the examination subject. The processor optimizes a non-linear equation system within the numerical calculation of the parameters involving a desired magnetization and a theoretical calculated real magnetization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk Diehl, Rene Gumbrecht
  • Publication number: 20120286778
    Abstract: A method for determining a magnetic resonance system control sequence that includes a multichannel pulse with a plurality of individual RF pulses to be transmitted in parallel by a magnetic resonance system via different independent RF transmit channels is provided. Using a predefined target magnetization, a multichannel pulse is determined in an RF pulse optimization method. Pulse shapes of the RF pulses for the different RF transmit channels are each described by a linear combination of trial functions. Coefficients of the linear combinations of trial functions are determined in the RF pulse optimization method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Inventors: Dirk Diehl, Gabriele Eichfelder, Matthias Gebhardt, Jochen Gierling, Johannes Jahn, Dieter Ritter
  • Patent number: 8120359
    Abstract: In a magnetic resonance apparatus having an RF radiating coil and gradient coils, and in a method for operating such a magnetic resonance apparatus, a pulse sequence, composed of multiple time steps, is specified for operating the gradient coils to time-dependently select regions of a selected slice of a selected volume of a subject. A non-linear equation system is then solved to obtain feed parameters for individual channels of the transmit coil for each time step, with specification of a desired target magnetization, and dependent on the pulse sequence specified for the gradient coils. The non-linear equation system is based on discrete values for time and space variable and, in addition to equations resulting from the Bloch equation, which are non-linear in their feed parameters, includes at least one additional equation that describes boundary conditions for the examination of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk Diehl, Rene Gumbrecht, Juergen Nistler, Wolfgang Renz, Markus Vester, Sebastian Wolf
  • Patent number: 8113281
    Abstract: A method to extract bitumen or very heavy oil in situ from oil sand seams close to the Earth's surface is provided. Energy is introduced via at least two pipes at a given, repeatable distance from the seam, a predefined geometry is maintained in relation to the well pair. The associated apparatus includes at least one additional pipe which is alternatively designed as an electrode or also for feeding vapor and is placed above the injection pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk Diehl, Norbert Huber, Hans-Peter Krämer
  • Patent number: 8091632
    Abstract: A device for the in-situ extraction of a hydrocarbon-containing substance, while reducing the viscosity thereof, from an underground deposit, has at least one injection pipeline extending in the deposit and at least one production pipeline leading out of the deposit, which together form a so-called well pair. The injection and production pipelines each have a starting region extending above ground in some areas, and an active region connecting to the starting region inside the deposit. With the method, during a heating phase hot steam is applied to the injection and production pipelines, while during a production phase hot steam is applied only to the injection pipeline. Furthermore, the active region of the injection pipeline is additionally configured as an induction heater regarding the surrounding area in the deposit. In the associated device, for example, the well pair formed by the injection pipeline and production pipeline can be configured as electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk Diehl, Norbert Huber, Hans-Peter Krämer
  • Publication number: 20110146968
    Abstract: An installation for the in-situ extraction of a substance including hydrocarbons from an underground deposit is provided. The conductor and return conductor of the inductor lines are guided essentially vertically in the capping to the bottom of the deposit, at a small maximum lateral distance of 10 m compared to the length of the lines, but especially less than 5 m. Preferably, the inductor lines are guided horizontally in the deposit and are at different distances in certain areas. Furthermore, the electrical conductors and return conductors perpendicularly extending in the capping preferably combine to form a conductor pair. In this way, the conductor pair can be introduced into a single borehole which reaches into the reservoir and splits only once it has arrived in the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventor: Dirk Diehl
  • Publication number: 20110146981
    Abstract: A method for the “in situ” extraction of bitumen or very heavy oil is provided. An electric/electromagnetic heater to reduce the viscosity of bitumen or very heavy oil with at least two linearly expanded conductors are configured in a horizontal alignment at a predetermined depth of the reservoir. The conductors are connected to each other in an electrically conducting manner inside or outside of the reservoir, and together form a conductor loop, and are connected to an external alternating current generator outside of the reservoir for electric power. The heating of the reservoir is predetermined in a chronologically and/or locally variable manner in accordance with the electric parameters, and may be changed outside of the reservoir for optimizing the feed volume during the conveying of the bitumen. At least one generator is present in the related device, wherein the parameters thereof are variable for the electric power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventor: Dirk Diehl
  • Publication number: 20110048717
    Abstract: A method is for conveying bitumen or heavy oil in a deposit is provided. The bitumen or very heavy oil is liquefied by way of an inductive conductor loop as a heater and is led away using an extraction pipe, wherein the conductor loop and the extraction pipe are disposed relative to one another such that the heating and thus extraction of bitumen or very heavy oil is maximized. To this end, one of the conductors of the conductor loop is disposed substantially vertically above the extraction pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Dirk Diehl, Norbert Huber
  • Publication number: 20110042085
    Abstract: A method to extract bitumen or very heavy oil in situ from oil sand seams close to the Earth's surface is provided. Energy is introduced via at least two pipes at a given, repeatable distance from the seam, a predefined geometry is maintained in relation to the well pair. The associated apparatus includes at least one additional pipe which is alternatively designed as an electrode or also for feeding vapor and is placed above the injection pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Inventors: Dirk Diehl, Norbert Huber, Hans-Peter Krämer