An immersion-nozzle replacement apparatus includes a guide, and a pressing keyboard row. The guide supports two immersion nozzles, a foremost immersion nozzle and a rear immersion nozzle. The guide includes two rows supporting the immersion nozzles via the lower face in the flange. The pressing keyboard row, which is provided in the rows of the guide, includes first keyboards pressing the foremost immersion nozzle via the lower face in the flange. The immersion-nozzle replacement apparatus pushes out the foremost immersion nozzle horizontally with the rear immersion nozzle, and puts the rear immersion nozzle on the pressing keyboard rows. The guide further includes an additionally-pressing keyboard row following a rear end of the pressing keyboard rows, and including a second keyboard pressing the rear immersion nozzle via the lower face in the flange before pushing out the foremost immersion nozzle.

A device for continuously removing impurities from molten metal includes a molten metal flow path body, an inlet-side closed end plate and an outlet-side closed end plate are provided in the molten metal flow path body so as to form an impurity removal space, an electrode device composed of an inlet-side electrode and an outlet-side electrode that face each other in a longitudinal direction of the molten metal flow path body, a magnetic field device composed of a pair of permanent magnets that face each other in a width direction, sandwich the impurity removal space, and an urging device composed of the electrode device and the magnetic field device applies a Lorentz force downward to molten metal in the impurity removal space so as to increase a density of the molten metal and cause impurities in the molten metal to rise up to a surface of the molten metal.

A device for continuously removing impurities from molten metal includes a molten metal flow path body, an inlet-side closed end plate and an outlet-side closed end plate are provided in the molten metal flow path body so as to form an impurity removal space, an electrode device composed of an inlet-side electrode and an outlet-side electrode that face each other in a longitudinal direction of the molten metal flow path body, a magnetic field device composed of a pair of permanent magnets that face each other in a width direction, sandwich the impurity removal space, and an urging device composed of the electrode device and the magnetic field device applies a Lorentz force downward to molten metal in the impurity removal space so as to increase a density of the molten metal and cause impurities in the molten metal to rise up to a surface of the molten metal.

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.

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.

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 plate, a plate-holding apparatus, and a holding method for the plate for facilitating work to attach the plate to a plate-receiving metal frame of a sliding nozzle device. A gap is ensured between a to-be-held portion of the plate and an inner wall surface of an engagement groove such that, when the plate is held by engaging the to-be-held portion of the plate with the engagement groove of a holding portion of the plate-holding apparatus, the plate is movable in the longitudinal direction, the width direction, and the thickness direction of the plate.

A continuous casting machine is provided that includes a refractory tundish funnel. The tundish funnel has a tapered shape and is designed to sit on a tundish lid in order to channel steel from the ladle to the tundish bath. A collector can also be provided to channel the steel from the ladle. The collector has an opening with a cross-section that transitions from a cylindrical shape to a cross-shape.

A continuous casting machine is provided that includes a refractory tundish funnel. The tundish funnel has a tapered shape and is designed to sit on a tundish lid in order to channel steel from the ladle to the tundish bath. A collector can also be provided to channel the steel from the ladle. The collector has an opening with a cross-section that transitions from a cylindrical shape to a cross-shape.

A metal casting installation is provided that includes a loading platform, a tundish, a first ladle and a second ladle, each of the first and second ladle has a floor provided with an opening, a collector nozzle and a ladle shroud. The installation also includes a ladle sliding gate configured for moving the collector nozzle and the ladle shroud between a sealed position, a casting position, and an unclogging position. A turret is provided for holding the first and second ladles, configured for moving and holding in place the first and second ladles between a loading station and a casting station over the tundish. A robot is also provided and configured for loading a new ladle shroud onto the ladle slide gate, and coupling a driving device to the ladle slide gate.