The Versacook is a novel improved cookstove built from the ground up to be highly efficient and user friendly. Virtually all "advanced" cookstoves on the market sacrifice user experience and flexibility in the name of maximizing efficiency; a persistent ignorance of local cooking practices and basic usability has resulted in a long history of designs which perform well in controlled laboratory settings but fail to gain traction in their intended markets. The Versacook takes a different approach, focusing on the needs and health of the user as the number 1 priority.
To achieve this, the design adopts a novel Linear Updraft Gasification concept. Like traditional radial gasifiers, this method allows for virtually complete combustion of the wood gases, resulting in high efficiency operation. Unlike these designs, the linear geometry allows for the integration of a door at the front of the combustion chamber, a small change with enormous usability benefits in every stage of operation, from startup to fuel removal. The elongated combustion chamber is also better suited to long pieces of fuel, reducing the need for users to chop wood. The updraft layout achieves slightly lower efficiencies than a downdraft scheme, but also eliminates the requirement for forced airflow, resulting in a simple, reliable, and cost effective design.
The innovative linear combustion chamber is married to a griddle cooktop common to the target market of Central America. Many regional foods are prepared directly on these versatile cooktops, while a removable pot circle in the center allows for more direct heating of other common dishes. The sealed top combined with the integrated chimney, when properly fitted to the home, reduces the already low indoor emissions to virtually zero.
A key advantage of gasifiers is their ability to produce large quantities of charcoal, which can be used as an effective natural fertilizer while sequestering carbon. However, during fuel shortages this can also be a significant downside. Many gasifiers on the market also require processed pellet fuels to function properly, further restricting end users. The inherently stable updraft operation, combined with an adjustable airflow plate at the base of the Versacook, allows for the use of a wide variety of fuels, including charcoal when necessary.
More information:
