Retort

The retort (from the Latin vas retortum " back turned vessel ") is a used in the Middle Ages simple distillation vessel. Retorts are closely related to the alembic and were among the main vessels of the alchemists and apothecaries.

Installation and use

A retort is composed of a piston, which serves as a reboiler. In the flask, which is filled substance to be distilled mixture. It is fastened on a heat source, for example a furnace or a burner. The piston goes into a long, curved downward, toward the end tapered tube. In this pipe condenses the evaporated substance and flowing or dripping into a template. It serves as an air cooler. Some retorts do not have a short extension tube, through the simple filled the be distilled into the flask and after completion of the distillation can be removed again at the top of the piston. During the distillation, this tube must be securely closed. A retort is usually made ​​of glass, metal or ceramic.

Retorts are no longer used in its original application as a laboratory device today. The reasons for this are the very low cooling capacity in the distillation compared to modern laboratory coolers, the low separation efficiency compared to the rectification and the advent of more versatile standard ground vessels. One advantage of using a retort in the laboratory was that the apparatus contained no hose connections and plugs that can be attacked in the distillation of low-volatile substance by this.

As industrial production vessels there retorts as so-called retort furnaces today. Examples of their application, the production of charcoal and pyrolytic fractionation of oil shale or lignite. The coke ovens modern coking plants are typical retorts. Such retorts are internally lined with refractory materials such as steel containers, which are usually arranged as a series.

Symbolic meaning

The retort is often used as a symbol for the chemical industry in general, for a chemical laboratory chemical processes or chemical technology. For example, the cap badge of the NBC defense troops of the Bundeswehr shows two stylized retorts, surrounded by oak leaves. The Swiss army used this character in the NBC defense.

If colloquially something comes out of the retort, artificial or planned production of a thing is meant, which normally has a natural origin or unplanned. Examples of this are the test-tube baby, the planned city and the retort band.