Plates without a reflux condenser?

[Thatguy1307]

I was scrolling yesterday and came across someone running 4 plates in a 2 inch glass column. I was surprised someone would use plates in a 2 inch column, but then even more surprised because there did not seem to be a reflux condenser above the plates. Despite the lack of a RC, all four plates were loaded and bubbling away. This got me thinking, do the plates work because the opportunity for increased passive reflux or because of the higher vapor speed or what? Everything ive ever read says you have to have a reflux condenser for plates to work but my eyeballs seem to be telling me differently. How are the plates working with no RC?