A nozzle for casting steel contains an inlet portion, an elongated portion extending along a first longitudinal axis, an outlet portion and a pouring bore having a front port inlet. A planar cut of the nozzle outlet portion normal to the first longitudinal axis passing through the front port inlet contains the outline of the bore, the outline of the outer peripheral wall of the outlet portion of the nozzle, and a first transverse axis. In the planar cut, the bore centroid and wall centroid are distinct and separated by a distance, d?0; and the segment extending along the first transverse axis, from the bore centroid, to the wall perimeter is longer than the segment extending from the wall centroid to the intersecting point between the first transverse axis and the wall perimeter.

A nozzle for casting steel contains an inlet portion, an elongated portion extending along a first longitudinal axis, an outlet portion and a pouring bore having a front port inlet. A planar cut of the nozzle outlet portion normal to the first longitudinal axis passing through the front port inlet contains the outline of the bore, the outline of the outer peripheral wall of the outlet portion of the nozzle, and a first transverse axis. In the planar cut, the bore centroid and wall centroid are distinct and separated by a distance, d?0; and the segment extending along the first transverse axis, from the bore centroid, to the wall perimeter is longer than the segment extending from the wall centroid to the intersecting point between the first transverse axis and the wall perimeter.

A nozzle assembly, for a metal casting apparatus selected from a sliding gate and a tube exchange device, comprises a first refractory element comprising a first coupling surface which includes a first bore aperture, and a second refractory element comprising a second coupling surface, which includes a second bore aperture, the first and second elements being coupled to one another in a sliding translation relationship through their respective first and second coupling surfaces such that the first and second bore apertures can be brought into and out of registry to define, when in registry, a continuous bore for discharging molten metal from a molten metal inlet to a molten metal outlet of said nozzle assembly. A sealing member is provided between the first and second coupling surfaces of the first and second elements. The sealing member comprises a thermally intumescent material.

A nozzle assembly, for a metal casting apparatus selected from a sliding gate and a tube exchange device, comprises a first refractory element comprising a first coupling surface which includes a first bore aperture, and a second refractory element comprising a second coupling surface, which includes a second bore aperture, the first and second elements being coupled to one another in a sliding translation relationship through their respective first and second coupling surfaces such that the first and second bore apertures can be brought into and out of registry to define, when in registry, a continuous bore for discharging molten metal from a molten metal inlet to a molten metal outlet of said nozzle assembly. A sealing member is provided between the first and second coupling surfaces of the first and second elements. The sealing member comprises a thermally intumescent material.

A refractory block configured to surround an outlet modifies, within a refractory vessel, the flow of molten metal passing through the outlet. The block takes the form of a base through which a main orifice passes, and a wall extending upwards around the periphery of the base. Structural features that may be included in the block include a circumferential lip around the exterior of the wall, an interior volume in which the radius decreases downwardly towards the main orifice in a plurality of steps, and flow openings in the wall that are configured to induce swirling in the flow pattern in the interior volume of the block.

A molten metal holding and pouring box with a rectangular-shaped upper section and a pyramidal-shaped lower section provides a relatively constant flow of molten metal being poured from the box through each of two bottom nozzles into two separate foundry molds at the same time. The two bottom nozzles are contained in a unitary dual nozzle assembly that facilitates replacement as required by wear, or a change in location of the sprue cups in the two separate foundry molds being filled with molten metal.

A molten metal holding and pouring box with a rectangular-shaped upper section and a pyramidal-shaped lower section provides a relatively constant flow of molten metal being poured from the box through each of two bottom nozzles into two separate foundry molds at the same time. The two bottom nozzles are contained in a unitary dual nozzle assembly that facilitates replacement as required by wear, or a change in location of the sprue cups in the two separate foundry molds being filled with molten metal.

A method for pouring a melt using a bottom-pouring-type ladle comprising a melt-pouring nozzle and a stopper rod, comprises an opening step, in which the stopper rod is separate from the nozzle; a first closing step, in which the stopper rod moves downward, such that a lower end portion of the stopper rod comes into contact with a tapered surface of the nozzle when the horizontal distance between their center axes becomes 2 mm or more; and a second closing step, in which a lower end portion of the stopper rod further moves downward along the tapered surface of the nozzle to close the nozzle.

A method for pouring a melt using a bottom-pouring-type ladle comprising a melt-pouring nozzle and a stopper rod, comprises an opening step, in which the stopper rod is separate from the nozzle; a first closing step, in which the stopper rod moves downward, such that a lower end portion of the stopper rod comes into contact with a tapered surface of the nozzle when the horizontal distance between their center axes becomes 2 mm or more; and a second closing step, in which a lower end portion of the stopper rod further moves downward along the tapered surface of the nozzle to close the nozzle.

An exemplary embodiment relates to a fireproof ceramic bottom in the connection region to at least one wall of a vessel for handling high-temperature melts.