Paul Baskis is an American biochemist based in Illinois, recognized for his work in the field of waste-to-energy conversion. He is best known for developing a thermal depolymerization process that converts organic and inorganic waste materials into usable products such as synthetic oil, gas, and solids.
Background and Education
Baskis graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale with a graduate degree in Plant and Soil Science, with a focus on Soil Microbiology.
Thermal Depolymerization Process
In the 1980s, Baskis developed a method for synthetically producing oil from industrial and household wastes without expending more energy than is produced. This process, known as the thermal depolymerizing reforming process, was patented as U.S. Patent 5,269,947, granted on December 14, 1993. The patent describes a processor that mixes a process material with a liquid (such as water) to form a slurry, which is then pressurized and heated. A rapid drop in pressure combined with a sharp increase in temperature causes volatile components to separate into gas, which is subsequently condensed into various grades of oil and other products. The rights to this patent were acquired by Changing World Technologies.
Patents and Commercial Activity
Baskis holds more than 60 national and international patents related to waste-to-energy conversion, waste treatment, and waste minimization. His inventions have been applied in the agriculture and food processing industries. He is the founder of Synfuels Assets Management LLC, a research and development firm, and has been associated with Baswood Corporation, which deploys wastewater treatment systems, and Draconis Extraction Technologies, which focuses on extraction and distillation technologies. His work has been featured in publications including Scientific American, Discovery, National Geographic, and Money magazine.
Additional Patents
Baskis has also been granted other related patents, including U.S. Patent 5,360,553 ("Process for reforming materials into useful products and apparatus") and U.S. Patent 5,543,061 ("Reforming process and apparatus"), both related to his thermal depolymerization technology. A later patent, U.S. Patent 8,968,557, covers a method and apparatus for converting coal to petroleum products.
