Steam Still: a Horizontal Still with Steam Coils and Scrubbing Tower (Bell, 1923)

A refinery still heated only by steam: a horizontal riveted shell with closed steam coils and open steam sprays in the bottom, and a tower of broken stone or tile on top where rising vapour meets the incoming feed. Used to re-run naphtha and kerosene and to strip naphtha from lubricating stocks without a fire. Variable: batch, semi-continuous, or continuous with four baffled compartments. Bell's Fig. 39 still is 10 x 30 ft. Source: H. S. Bell, American Petroleum Refining (1923), pp. 105-109. Unknown: plate thickness. Picture: Fig. 39 of the book.