A diffusion component for impregnating molten steel with a gas includes a barrier having a first side and a second side, a through-hole formed within the barrier, the through-hole connecting the first side to the second side, and a porous element arranged within the through-hole such that the flow of molten steel passes over the porous element. At least one flow disrupter is arranged relative to the porous element and configured to promote non-laminar flow of molten steel passing through the through-hole.

A method of manufacturing semi-solidified molten metal includes a step of keeping discharging inert gas from a probe in a continuous manner, and inserting the probe into molten metal held at a temperature that is higher than a temperature of the probe and that is equal to or higher than a liquidus-line temperature, a step of extracting the inserted probe from the molten metal such that at least part of a region of a surface of the inserted probe that is in contact with the molten metal is exposed from the molten metal, and a step of inserting the extracted probe again into the molten metal.

A socket installation structure of a refractory article is designed to prevent gas leakage therein. A first flange is provided between an outward end and an inward end of a socket, and a face of the first flange on the side of an inward end thereof is bonded to an article body of the refractory article through a sealing material. Further, a face of the first flange on the side of an outward end thereof faces a metal plate disposed around the outward end or a second flange provided on the side of the outward end, through a low thermally-conductive material layer made of a low thermally-conductive material having a thermal conductivity at room temperature of 40 (W/(m.Math.K)) or less.

Various embodiments provide for a gas purging plug (10) with a ceramic refractory body (10k) with a first end (10u) and a second end (10o); the second end (10o) is in the mounted position of the gas purging plug (10) in contact with a metal melt (41); the first end (10u) is at least partially covered with a metal cover (12.1), the metal cover (12.1) comprises an opening (16) to which optionally a gas supply adapter (20) is connected; the gas purging plug (10) is designed in such a way, that a purging gas which is supplied via the gas supply pipe (30) to the opening (16) flows through the body (10k) and exits the body (10k) at the second end (10o); and wherein at least one electronic sensor (70, 70.1, 70.2, 70.3, 70.4) is in contact with the gas purging plug (10), to detect a mechanical vibration (81).

A diffusion component for impregnating molten steel with a gas includes a barrier having a first side and a second side, a through-hole formed within the barrier, the through-hole connecting the first side to the second side, and a porous element arranged within the through-hole such that the flow of molten steel passes over the porous element. At least one flow disrupter is arranged relative to the porous element and configured to promote non-laminar flow of molten steel passing through the through-hole.

A stirring device includes a stirring unit, a gas supplying unit, and a feeding unit. The stirring unit includes a drive mechanism and a shaft member. The shaft member includes a hollow rotary shaft coupled to be driven by the drive mechanism to rotate, and a stirring head coupled to rotate with the hollow rotary shaft. The gas supplying unit includes a gas supply, and a piping member fluidly communicating with the gas supply and the shaft member. The feeding unit includes a storage tank and a feeding tube fluidly communicating with the storage tank and the shaft member.

A tuyere comprising an inner tube including a lower section having a first diameter, an upper section having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, and a converging transition section having a converging angle Θ from 30° to 60° connecting the lower section to the upper section, the inner tube terminating in an inner nozzle at a downstream end of the upper section; and an outer tube surrounding the inner tube so as to create an annulus there between, the outer tube including a lower section having a third diameter larger than the first diameter, an upper section having a fourth diameter smaller than the third diameter but larger than the second diameter, and a converging transition section having connecting the lower section to the upper section, the outer tube terminating in an outer nozzle at a downstream end of the upper section.

A tundish, wherein a steel passing hole (43) is provided at a lower portion of a gas-curtain weir refractory body (42); an argon duct (46), a gas chamber (45) and a gas-permeable brick (44) are connected to form a gas-curtain generating device, and the gas-curtain generating device is installed at the lower portion of the gas-curtain weir refractory body (42); the gas-permeable brick (44) is provided in association with the position of the steel passing hole (43), and a length of the gas-permeable brick is designed larger than a width of the steel passing hole (43); and a gas-curtain weir plate (4) is provided in a tundish container, the gas-curtain weir refractory body (42) crosses the tundish container horizontally, and divides the tundish container into a first region and a second region.

A method of manufacturing semi-solidified molten metal includes a step of keeping discharging inert gas from a probe in a continuous manner, and inserting the probe into molten metal held at a temperature that is higher than a temperature of the probe and that is equal to or higher than a liquidus-line temperature, a step of extracting the inserted probe from the molten metal such that at least part of a region of a surface of the inserted probe that is in contact with the molten metal is exposed from the molten metal, and a step of inserting the extracted probe again into the molten metal.

A slurrying device includes a slurrying tank and a rotor stirrer. The rotor stirrer includes a stirring drum, a transmission gear arranged at an end face of the stirring drum configured to face the slurrying tank, and a rotor stirring rod configured to extend from the stirring drum and into the slurrying tank to stir a slurrying liquid in the slurrying tank. The rotor stirring rod is meshed with the transmission gear and configured to revolve along a planar trajectory of the transmission gear while simultaneously rotating. The rotor stirrer further includes a driving device provided at the stirring drum and configured to drive the rotor stirring rod to rotate via the transmission gear.