"These brick retorts are 9 feet long and with diameters of 22 and 13.5 inches, set four in an oven to one unarched furnace. Each retort will, it is affirmed, carbonize 500 tons cannel coal, or 2000 tons per oven of four, without any repairs whatever. Decayed bricks may be removed from these retorts and new ones inserted, and when thoroughly repaired they are again equal to new." — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

Brick Retort

"These brick retorts are 9 feet long and with diameters of 22 and 13.5 inches, set four in an oven to…

"Every retort is furnished with a seperate mouthpiece, usually of cast iron, with a socket b for receiving the stand-pipe or ascension-pipe, and there is a movable lid attached to the mouth, together with an ear-box cast on each side of the retort for receiving the ears which support the lid." — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

Gas Cover

"Every retort is furnished with a seperate mouthpiece, usually of cast iron, with a socket b for receiving…

"Elevation of Hislop's Gas Retort Furnace." — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

Gas Retort

"Elevation of Hislop's Gas Retort Furnace." — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

"Wood is heated in cylindrical iron retorts. the volatile materials are cooled, and while a portion remains gaseous and is used as fuel, a large part is condensed to a dark, tarry liquid." -Brownlee 1907

Cylindrical Iron Retort and Condenser

"Wood is heated in cylindrical iron retorts. the volatile materials are cooled, and while a portion…

"...crude petroleum is distilled in iron retorts connected with condensers and receiving tanks." -Brownlee 1907

Iron Retorts

"...crude petroleum is distilled in iron retorts connected with condensers and receiving tanks." -Brownlee…

Picture represents clay retorts used in the distillation of phosphorus at high temperatures, with phosphorus, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide being produced.

Phosphorus Distillation

Picture represents clay retorts used in the distillation of phosphorus at high temperatures, with phosphorus,…

"A Retort is a vessel in whose chamber an object is subjected to distillation or decomposition by heat, a neck conducting off the volatile products. The retort of the chemical laboratory is a vessel of glass, platinum, porcelain, or other material. It is bottle-shaped, having a long neck attached, in which the products of the distillation are condensed, and from which they pass into the receiver. The retort of the gas works is a cylinder or segment of a cylinder, formed of clay or iron."—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Retort

"A Retort is a vessel in whose chamber an object is subjected to distillation or decomposition by heat,…

A retort is a primitive device used for distillation or dry distillation of substances. In the latter case in many cases where the absence of air is required.

Retort

A retort is a primitive device used for distillation or dry distillation of substances. In the latter…

"A peculiar-shaped vessel called a retort is half filled with a volatile liquid and heated; the steam, as it forms, passes through the neck of the retort into a glass receiver contained in a vessel filled with cold water, and is then condensed." —Wells, 1857

Retort

"A peculiar-shaped vessel called a retort is half filled with a volatile liquid and heated; the steam,…

"Retort setting in Hislop's furnace." — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

Retort Setting

"Retort setting in Hislop's furnace." — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

"Figure 5 shows a form of the apparatus for separating a liquid from another of different boiling point, such as alcohol and water. The mixture is poured into retort B, and then heated to about 90 degrees C, which is above the boiling point of alcohol but below that of water. The vaporized alcohol escapes through A to the worm D. This is a simple helical coil of pipe surrounded by cold water, and serving to condense the vapor, which runs out as a liquid at the bottom. The cooling water is constantly changed by the supplying fresh cold water at the bottom and drawing off the heated water from the top." Louis Derr, 1911

A Still Showing the Separation of a Liquid from a Solid

"Figure 5 shows a form of the apparatus for separating a liquid from another of different boiling point,…

"The sulphur is then further purified by heating it in iron vessels (retorts) without access of air, until it is vaporized. the vapor is led into brick-lined rooms. A part of the gas is suddenly cooled and is deposited as a fine powder on the sides of the room. The form is known as flowers of sulphur. Most of the sulphur vapor condenses in the liquid form, and flows down to the outlet of the condensing chamber." -Brownlee 1907

Sulfur Purification

"The sulphur is then further purified by heating it in iron vessels (retorts) without access of air,…