Rod B. Vera, Chief Technology Officer

Mr. Vera is a pioneer in the field of plasma waste gasification applications, and the inventor of the PWR plasma gasification process. In addition to plasma experience, his background in engineering, marketing and installing municipal solid waste handling systems uniquely qualifies him for the multidisciplinary tasks required for establishing the PWR system as the industry leader. In authoring a study for the Department of Defense addressing the plasma industry, Rod, through his background research became one of the world’s foremost experts on the application of plasma energy for gasification of Municipal Solid Waste.

He has twenty-one years experience in solid waste process and equipment design and nineteen years experience in process applications for high temperature AC and DC plasma. He has accomplished multiple detailed process designs for plasma systems, including infectious waste destruction, contraband destruction and hazardous waste destruction. Success in these applications has led Mr. Vera to address gasification of municipal solid waste.

In 1995 he formed Waste Equipment Co. to consult in process applications for high temperature and DC plasmas and arc discharges in fluids and hazardous wastes. Over the next ten years, work done includes re-design and conversion of plasma plant for destruction of contraband to a PCB solvent destruction unit installed in Taiwan. He performed detail process designs for plasma systems for infectious waste destruction and metal recoveries from ores. His work on arc discharge includes water disinfection, sludge dewatering and digester enhancement.

From 1986 to 1995, he was owner and president of Overseas Corporation/ OVRC Environmental, Inc., a supplier of solid waste handling and compacting equipment, including transfer stations, many of which were provided on a turnkey basis including engineering, procurement and construction. For many years he designed and sold specialty waste extruders and feeders for a variety of applications worldwide including municipal solid waste, wet paperboard recycling, and restaurant waste .

Among the companies he has consulted for are many leaders in plasma, including Scientific Utilization, Inc., Plasma Energy Applied Technologies, Inc., a division of Mason and Hanger (now PEAT International), MelTran, Inc., and Plasco, Inc. (formerly RCL).

His published works include “Survey of Plasma Investigations and Applications” for the U.S. Army Armament Research Development and Engineering Center (1999), and “Electrical Co-Generation Using Plasma Generated Syngas from MSW and Other Hydrocarbon Wastes” paper for Environmental Conference in Manila, Philippines (1997).

BS Chemistry/Biology & History/Political Science, Samford University