A metal casting installation is provided that includes a robot configured for carrying out the operations of handing a new ladle shroud to a manipulator of the ladle located at the loading station, and coupling a driving device to the ladle slide gate each manipulator is fixed relative to the corresponding first or second ladle such as to move together with the corresponding first or second ladle between the loading station and the casting station.

Apparatus for the production of metal including a furnace for melting metal provided with a crucible inside which a metal charge is melted. The furnace provides for tapping a liquid metal disposed on the bottom of the crucible and includes a tapping channel for the transfer of the liquid metal from the furnace. The apparatus also includes a delivery unit for delivering inert material (S) having a delivery device for the selective delivery of the inert material (S) into the tapping channel.

With a method for detecting variables in an outlet of a metallurgical vessel, different variables in the outlet are detected or measured by at least one coil surrounding the outlet channel and/or an induction coil of an induction heater as a monitoring system, wherein the variables relate to the slag portion when pouring out the metal melt, wear condition of refractory parts in the outlet channel, the solidified metal melt, flow rate and/or plugging mass in the outlet channel. After evaluation, a closure element for the outlet is actuated, heating of the metal in the outlet channel is activated and/or renewal of the outlet channel is triggered. In this way, optimum operation in the pouring of metal melt out of a vessel is simply achieved, wherein occurrence of irregularities are detected during the entire pouring, and pouring out of slag can be successfully prevented at the end of the pouring.

Apparatus for the production of metal including a furnace for melting metal provided with a crucible inside which a metal charge is melted. The furnace provides for tapping a liquid metal disposed on the bottom of the crucible and includes a tapping channel for the transfer of the liquid metal from the furnace. The apparatus also includes a delivery unit for delivering inert material (S) having a delivery device for the selective delivery of the inert material (S) into the tapping channel.

With a method for detecting variables in an outlet of a metallurgical vessel, different variables in the outlet are detected or measured by at least one coil surrounding the outlet channel and/or an induction coil of an induction heater as a monitoring system, wherein the variables relate to the slag portion when pouring out the metal melt, wear condition of refractory parts in the outlet channel, the solidified metal melt, flow rate and/or plugging mass in the outlet channel. After evaluation, a closure element for the outlet is actuated, heating of the metal in the outlet channel is activated and/or renewal of the outlet channel is triggered. In this way, optimum operation in the pouring of metal melt out of a vessel is simply achieved, wherein occurrence of irregularities are detected during the entire pouring, and pouring out of slag can be successfully prevented at the end of the pouring.

A metal casting installation is provided that includes a robot configured for carrying out the operations of handing a new ladle shroud to a manipulator of the ladle located at the loading station, and coupling a driving device to the ladle slide gate each manipulator is fixed relative to the corresponding first or second ladle such as to move together with the corresponding first or second ladle between the loading station and the casting station.

A metal casting installation is provided that includes a robot configured for carrying out the operations of handing a new ladle shroud to a manipulator of the ladle located at the loading station, and coupling a driving device to the ladle slide gate each manipulator is fixed relative to the corresponding first or second ladle such as to move together with the corresponding first or second ladle between the loading station and the casting station.

An alumina-based filling sand for sliding nozzle comprising at least 50 wt % of mixed sand including 20 to 90 vol % of alumina sand and 80 to 10 vol % of silica sand, wherein the alumina sand has surface irregularities of 1.3 or less and comprises 50 wt % or more of an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 component.

An alumina-based filling sand for sliding nozzle comprising at least 50 wt % of mixed sand including 20 to 90 vol % of alumina sand and 80 to 10 vol % of silica sand, wherein the alumina sand has surface irregularities of 1.3 or less and comprises 50 wt % or more of an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 component.

A nozzle sand and method of use and operation, utilizes as a constituent component a granulated material that will break down to lose structural integrity and strength when subjected to temperatures and weight of molten ferrous materials, to compact to form at least a partial barrier to penetration of the molten ferrous material while remaining at least substantially in a granulated state. When the nozzle is opened, the loose nozzle sand will freely flow from the nozzle and the barrier will break under the weight of the ferrous material, such that the ferrous material will flow from the vessel through the nozzle. As a representative formulation, the nozzle sand can include between about 50 percent and about 60 percent by weight raw dolomitic lime; between about 20 percent and about 30 percent by weight forsterite; and between about 15 percent and about 20 percent by weight tabular alumina.