A castable refractory material for use in the manufacture of refractory products including fused silica, ceramic fiber, microsilica and a bonding material comprising colloidal silica.

In a steel ladle used for handling molten steel, a precast ladle barrel ring forms part of a refractory structure that covers the bottom wall and side wall of the steel ladle. The precast ladle barrel ring is comprised of a monolithic annular ring formed of a high-temperature, cast refractory. The annular ring further includes means for positioning the precast ladle barrel ring in a steel ladle.

In a steel ladle used for handling molten steel, a precast ladle barrel ring forms part of a refractory structure that covers the bottom wall and side wall of the steel ladle. The precast ladle barrel ring is comprised of a monolithic annular ring formed of a high-temperature, cast refractory. The annular ring further includes means for positioning the precast ladle barrel ring in a steel ladle.

In a steel ladle used for handling molten steel, a precast ladle barrel ring forms part of a refractory structure that covers the bottom wall and side wall of the steel ladle. The precast ladle barrel ring is comprised of a monolithic annular ring formed of a high-temperature, cast refractory. The annular ring further includes means for positioning the precast ladle barrel ring in a steel ladle.

In a steel ladle used for handling molten steel, a precast ladle barrel ring forms part of a refractory structure that covers the bottom wall and side wall of the steel ladle. The precast ladle barrel ring is comprised of a monolithic annular ring formed of a high-temperature, cast refractory. The annular ring further includes means for positioning the precast ladle barrel ring in a steel ladle.

Aspects of the invention relate to systems and devices for transferring molten metal. A powered device, such as a molten metal pump, which may be inside of a transfer chamber, includes a multi-stage rotor to move molten metal within a vessel. The molten metal may be moved out of the vessel and into another structure, which could be another vessel or a launder.

A lightweight polymer-based composite product may include a polymer material body and a lightweight filler material that is embedded in the polymer. The polymer material body may be an in-situ polymerized polymer formed via casting of a reactive resin in a mold. The polymer may have a density of at least 1.0 g/cm.sup.3. The lightweight filler material may be concentrated on at least a portion of a first surface of the polymer material body. The lightweight filler material may have a density of between 0.1 and 1.0 g/cm.sup.3. The lightweight polymer-based composite product may have a density that is less than a comparable product that consists mainly of the polymer.

A lightweight polymer-based composite product may include a polymer material body and a lightweight filler material that is embedded in the polymer. The polymer material body may be an in-situ polymerized polymer formed via casting of a reactive resin in a mold. The polymer may have a density of at least 1.0 g/cm.sup.3. The lightweight filler material may be concentrated on at least a portion of a first surface of the polymer material body. The lightweight filler material may have a density of between 0.1 and 1.0 g/cm.sup.3. The lightweight polymer-based composite product may have a density that is less than a comparable product that consists mainly of the polymer.

A dual-chambered molten metal holding furnace is for low pressure casting; producing cast products such as aluminum alloys using a low pressure casting method; and prevention of the gas release to the molten metal and the occurrence of air bubbles in the molten metal even when pressurized gas enters a material constituting the molten metal storage container. The part of a pressurizing chamber excluding a pressurizing pipe and a molten metal output pipe is opened to the atmosphere via an air passage gap positioned above a fixed molten metal surface level position L3. The air passage gap is positioned above the fixed molten metal surface level position L3. Even if pressurized gas is seeped into the material constituting a molten metal storage container via cracks or cracking subsequently occurred in the pressurizing pipe or minute gap originally present in the pressurizing pipe, the pressurized gas seeped from the air passage gap is released to the outside of the furnace.

A dual-chambered molten metal holding furnace is for low pressure casting; producing cast products such as aluminum alloys using a low pressure casting method; and prevention of the gas release to the molten metal and the occurrence of air bubbles in the molten metal even when pressurized gas enters a material constituting the molten metal storage container. The part of a pressurizing chamber excluding a pressurizing pipe and a molten metal output pipe is opened to the atmosphere via an air passage gap positioned above a fixed molten metal surface level position L3. The air passage gap is positioned above the fixed molten metal surface level position L3. Even if pressurized gas is seeped into the material constituting a molten metal storage container via cracks or cracking subsequently occurred in the pressurizing pipe or minute gap originally present in the pressurizing pipe, the pressurized gas seeped from the air passage gap is released to the outside of the furnace.