An electromagnetic brake system for a metal-making process. The electromagnetic brake system includes a two-level magnetic structure, in particular an upper magnetic core structure configured to be mounted to an upper portion of a mold and a lower magnetic core structure configured to be mounted to a lower portion of a mold. Lateral coils on the upper magnetic structure are configured to be controlled to generate a first magnetic field in a first field direction and inner coils are configured to be controlled to generate a second magnetic field in a second field direction, simultaneously with the first magnetic field. The lower magnetic core structure has lower coils which are configured to be controlled to generate a third magnetic field in the first direction simultaneously as the lateral coils and the inner coils generate their fields.

A continuous casting method includes discharging a molten steel from discharge ports of a submerged nozzle under conditions (A) and (B); and performing electro-magnetic stirrer (EMS) to cause flows in directions inverse to each other in the long edge direction on both long edge sides in the molten steel in a region having a depth providing a thickness of a solidification shell of from 5 to 10 mm at least at a center position in the long edge direction. (A) a discharge extended line from the discharge port of the submerged nozzle intersects a molten steel surface in the mold at a point P, and the position of the point P satisfies 0.15M/W0.45; and (B) a condition satisfying 0L0.17Vi350, wherein the unit for L is mm, and Vi represents a discharge velocity (mm/s) of the molten steel at the outlet opening.

A slab nozzle for use in a continuous slab casting installation is characterized by a specific geometry of the outer wall of a downstream portion thereof which is inserted in a slab mould cavity. The specific geometry promotes a round-about effect whereby converging opposite streams of molten metal flowing towards two opposite flanks of the slab nozzle are each preferentially deviated towards one side of the slab nozzle where they can freely flow through the narrow channels formed between the slab nozzle and the slab mould cavity wall without impinging with one another. This prolongs the service life of the slab nozzle by substantially reducing the erosion rate of the outer wall thereof.

A slab nozzle for use in a continuous slab casting installation is characterized by a specific geometry of the outer wall of a downstream portion thereof which is inserted in a slab mould cavity. The specific geometry promotes a round-about effect whereby converging opposite streams of molten metal flowing towards two opposite flanks of the slab nozzle are each preferentially deviated towards one side of the slab nozzle where they can freely flow through the narrow channels formed between the slab nozzle and the slab mould cavity wall without impinging with one another. This prolongs the service life of the slab nozzle by substantially reducing the erosion rate of the outer wall thereof.

A flat immersion nozzle stabilizes the discharging flow of molten steel thereby stabilizing the molten steel surface in a mold, namely, decreasing the fluctuation thereof. In the immersion nozzle having a flat shape in which a width Wn of an inner hole is greater than a thickness Tn of the inner hole, a central protrusion portion (1) is disposed in a center section of a wall surface in a width direction of a flat section. Wp/Wn, a ratio of a length Wp of the central protrusion portion in the width direction to Wn, is 0.2 or more and 0.7 or less. The central protrusion portion (1) is disposed symmetrically as a pair; and a total length Tp in the thickness direction of the pair of the central protrusion portions is 0.15 or more and 0.75 or less of Tn.

In the method for replacing an immersion nozzle while pushing out a used immersion nozzle by a new immersion nozzle, in order to minimize leakage of molten steel during the replacement, to enable the use of a shaped joint sealer in a joint interface, and to ensure high sealability, a concave portion is formed on the new immersion nozzle's upper plane so as to include a nozzle hole, and the shaped joint sealer is mounted in this concave portion. The immersion nozzle's upper plane is caused to slide while being pressed to the upper nozzle's lower plane.

A continuous casting nozzle includes a deflector at a bottom portion of the nozzle having a bore extending through the deflector from an open end to a closed end along a longitudinal axis and a pair of ports extending through the deflector from the bore to an outer surface of the deflector. A diameter of the bore substantially rapidly decreases along the longitudinal axis above the pair of ports such that a portion of a flow of fluid through the deflector becomes detached from a surface of the bore to thereby redirect the flow of fluid toward the longitudinal axis prior to exiting through the pair of ports.

A continuous casting nozzle includes a deflector at a bottom portion of the nozzle having a bore extending through the deflector from an open end to a closed end along a longitudinal axis and a pair of ports extending through the deflector from the bore to an outer surface of the deflector. A diameter of the bore substantially rapidly decreases along the longitudinal axis above the pair of ports such that a portion of a flow of fluid through the deflector becomes detached from a surface of the bore to thereby redirect the flow of fluid toward the longitudinal axis prior to exiting through the pair of ports.

An electromagnetic brake system for a metal-making process. The electromagnetic brake system includes a two-level magnetic structure, in particular an upper magnetic core structure configured to be mounted to an upper portion of a mold and a lower magnetic core structure configured to be mounted to a lower portion of a mold. Lateral coils on the upper magnetic structure are configured to be controlled to generate a first magnetic field in a first field direction and inner coils are configured to be controlled to generate a second magnetic field in a second field direction, simultaneously with the first magnetic field. The lower magnetic core structure has lower coils which are configured to be controlled to generate a third magnetic field in the first direction simultaneously as the lateral coils and the inner coils generate their fields.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention provides a method of preparing a reinforced refractory joint between refractory sections of a vessel used for containing or conveying molten metal, e.g. a metal-contacting trough. The method involves introducing a mesh body made of metal wires into a gap between metal-contacting surfaces of adjacent refractory sections of a vessel so that the mesh body is positioned beneath the metal conveying surfaces, and covering the mesh body with a layer of moldable refractory material to seal the gap between the metal-contacting surfaces. Other embodiments relate to a vessel formed by the method and a vessel section with a pre-positioned mesh body suitable for preparing a sealed joint with other such sections.