Apparatus to control continuous casting, comprising a mold provided with at least one entrance end through which liquid metal is introduced. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the apparatus to control continuous casting comprises at least one electromagnetic brake associated with the mold, configured to induce in the liquid metal recirculation flows, and a control and command unit connected at least to the electromagnetic brake and configured to manage the functioning thereof.

A metal member according to this invention is composed of polycrystals of a metal made of ruthenium or an alloy containing ruthenium at a maximum ratio. The aspect ratio of a crystal grain of the polycrystalline metal member is 1.5 or more. A plurality of crystal grains forming the metal member are arranged with their major axes being pointed in the same direction, and the number of crystal grains in a section in the major axis direction of the crystal grains is 120 or less per 1 mm.sup.2.

A metal member according to this invention is composed of polycrystals of a metal made of ruthenium or an alloy containing ruthenium at a maximum ratio. The aspect ratio of a crystal grain of the polycrystalline metal member is 1.5 or more. A plurality of crystal grains forming the metal member are arranged with their major axes being pointed in the same direction, and the number of crystal grains in a section in the major axis direction of the crystal grains is 120 or less per 1 mm.sup.2.

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 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 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.

In the technical field of metal melting, a unisource high-strength ultrasound-assisted method for casting large-specification 2XXX series aluminum alloy round ingots applies in an ingot guiding process, a unisource high-strength ultrasonic vibration system to the center of a hot-top crystallizer, ultrasound directly acts on the center position of a crystallizer, and enough ultrasonic field energy is provided for a melt by controlling the power of the ultrasonic vibration system, so that an aluminum alloy solidification process is implemented under the effect of ultrasound, homogenization of microstructures and components of ingots is promoted, and the existing problems that microstructures are thick and crystal phases are enriched due to slow cooling of centers of large-specification round ingots are effectively solved, meanwhile, the problems of great operation difficulty and heavy workload during multisource ultrasonic coupling are avoided.

The invention relates to a gas purging device for installation in a metallurgical vessel, said device having the following features in a position installed in the bottom of the metallurgical vessel: a lower, largely gas-tight base part, a gas line runs in the base part from a first end in the region of a first outer face of the base part to a second end in the region of a second outer face of the base part, the second end of the gas line is formed as a first portion of a coupling, a second portion of a coupling is located in the region of an outer connection face of a functional part, by means of which the functional part rests against the base part, a gas distribution device runs in the functional part from the second portion of the coupling, through the functional part, to at least one free surface of the functional part formed as a gas outlet face, the base part and functional part are each made of a refractory ceramic material.

The invention relates to a gas purging device for installation in a metallurgical vessel, said device having the following features in a position installed in the bottom of the metallurgical vessel: a lower, largely gas-tight base part, a gas line runs in the base part from a first end in the region of a first outer face of the base part to a second end in the region of a second outer face of the base part, the second end of the gas line is formed as a first portion of a coupling, a second portion of a coupling is located in the region of an outer connection face of a functional part, by means of which the functional part rests against the base part, a gas distribution device runs in the functional part from the second portion of the coupling, through the functional part, to at least one free surface of the functional part formed as a gas outlet face, the base part and functional part are each made of a refractory ceramic material.

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.