Casting plates constructed for facing the casting orifice of a metallurgical vessel are provided with a metallic casing. The casting plates and metallic casing are provided with a protrusion configured to interact with a detector. The casing has a main surface with an opening, and two substantially longitudinal bearing surfaces. The protrusion extends from the casing in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal bearing surfaces. The protrusion is formed by a ramp having an inclined portion.

A tube exchange device for holding and replacing refractory nozzle comprises a frame with a casting opening. The frame is configured to be fixed to the lower side of a metal casting vessel. The frame is has an upper portion and a lower portion joining at a middle section plane in which an inner nozzle and an exchangeable pouring nozzle form a sliding contact. The lower portion of the frame contains a displacing element and a guiding element disposed for displacing and guiding the nozzle from a standby position to a casting position, and a pressing element pressing the nozzle at the casting position towards the upper portion of the frame. In a combination of the tube exchange device and a nozzle, the nozzle comprises bearing elements mating with the clamping elements of the tube exchange device.

A tube exchange device for holding and replacing refractory nozzle comprises a frame with a casting opening. The frame is configured to be fixed to the lower side of a metal casting vessel. The frame is has an upper portion and a lower portion joining at a middle section plane in which an inner nozzle and an exchangeable pouring nozzle form a sliding contact. The lower portion of the frame contains a displacing element and a guiding element disposed for displacing and guiding the nozzle from a standby position to a casting position, and a pressing element pressing the nozzle at the casting position towards the upper portion of the frame. In a combination of the tube exchange device and a nozzle, the nozzle comprises bearing elements mating with the clamping elements of the tube exchange device.

A robotized system for fixing a sliding gate valve plate to a sliding gate valve or removing a sliding gate valve plate from a sliding gate valve comprises a sliding gate valve plate, a metallurgic vessel provided with a sliding gate valve comprising a plate support frame comprising a receiving cradle suitable for receiving and locking the sliding gate valve plate, and a robot comprising a handling interface provided with gripping clamps for gripping the sliding gate valve plate. The sliding gate valve plate comprises gripping holds mating the gripping clamps of the robot, such that the robot can securely hold and handle the sliding gate valve plate.

A robotized system for fixing a sliding gate valve plate to a sliding gate valve or removing a sliding gate valve plate from a sliding gate valve comprises a sliding gate valve plate, a metallurgic vessel provided with a sliding gate valve comprising a plate support frame comprising a receiving cradle suitable for receiving and locking the sliding gate valve plate, and a robot comprising a handling interface provided with gripping clamps for gripping the sliding gate valve plate. The sliding gate valve plate comprises gripping holds mating the gripping clamps of the robot, such that the robot can securely hold and handle the sliding gate valve plate.

A steel ladle drainage method, is achieved by using a steel ladle structure. Vacuum interlayers are provided within an upper nozzle, an upper fixed plate, alower fixed plate and a sliding plate of the steel ladle structure respectively. In the steel ladle drainage method provided by the present invention, a metal drainage agent is used to replace the drainage sand in the prior art, the metal drainage agent is melted by the liquid steel and deposited in the upper nozzle, the sliding plate with the vacuum interlayer and the upper nozzle with the vacuum interlayer have the insulation effect on the melted metal drainage agent, agent falling. Moreover, through moving the sliding plate, the two pouring holes of the upper and lower fixed plates are connectedwith each other, the metal drainage agent enters the tundish through the pouring holes and the lower nozzle under the action of gravity.

A steel ladle drainage method, is achieved by using a steel ladle structure. Vacuum interlayers are provided within an upper nozzle, an upper fixed plate, alower fixed plate and a sliding plate of the steel ladle structure respectively. In the steel ladle drainage method provided by the present invention, a metal drainage agent is used to replace the drainage sand in the prior art, the metal drainage agent is melted by the liquid steel and deposited in the upper nozzle, the sliding plate with the vacuum interlayer and the upper nozzle with the vacuum interlayer have the insulation effect on the melted metal drainage agent, agent falling. Moreover, through moving the sliding plate, the two pouring holes of the upper and lower fixed plates are connectedwith each other, the metal drainage agent enters the tundish through the pouring holes and the lower nozzle under the action of gravity.

A collector nozzle for continuous casting may include: a nozzle body extended toward a shroud nozzle, and having an internal movement path through which molten steel is moved; a first case covering a side surface of the nozzle body; and a second case including a second metal component, connected to the first case, and covering an exit surface of the nozzle body facing the shroud nozzle. The first case can include a first metal component, and the first and second cases may be connected through welding or formed as one body.

A self-locking inner nozzle system locks an inner nozzle in operating position at an outlet of a metallurgic vessel for a time sufficient for a sealing material to set, said self-locking inner nozzle system comprising: (A) an inner nozzle, provided with N≥2 protrusions, distributed around a perimeter of the lateral surface, (B) an upper frame rigidly fixed to a bottom surface of a metallurgic vessel, (C) a locking ring, rigidly fixed to the upper frame
wherein, an inner surface of the locking ring is provided with N L-shaped channels, such that the inner nozzle can be inserted along a longitudinal axis, Z, through an opening of the locking ring, with the N protrusions being engaged in corresponding first channel portion until they abut against corresponding first channel ends, at which point the inner nozzle can be rotated about the longitudinal axis to engage the protrusions along corresponding second channel portions to self-lock the inner nozzle in its operating position.

A self-locking inner nozzle system locks an inner nozzle in operating position at an outlet of a metallurgic vessel for a time sufficient for a sealing material to set, said self-locking inner nozzle system comprising: (A) an inner nozzle, provided with N≥2 protrusions, distributed around a perimeter of the lateral surface, (B) an upper frame rigidly fixed to a bottom surface of a metallurgic vessel, (C) a locking ring, rigidly fixed to the upper frame
wherein, an inner surface of the locking ring is provided with N L-shaped channels, such that the inner nozzle can be inserted along a longitudinal axis, Z, through an opening of the locking ring, with the N protrusions being engaged in corresponding first channel portion until they abut against corresponding first channel ends, at which point the inner nozzle can be rotated about the longitudinal axis to engage the protrusions along corresponding second channel portions to self-lock the inner nozzle in its operating position.