An immersion nozzle (2) for metallurgical recipients, in particular for a reservoir arranged upstream of a continuous casting ingot mould, has an interchangeable discharge pipe (2) which can be attached in a leakproof manner on or in a perforated brick (1). To improve the flow conditions and hence the efficiency of the casting, the inlet side of the nozzle comprises an upper elongated section (12) in the form of a tubular shaft (11) which expands conically downward to a given plane and which is narrow in a plane perpendicular to the given plane. A second elongate section (13) ends in an elongated transverse flow section of given dimensions.

A pour tube for use in the continuous casting of a stream of molten metal has a bore comprising a plurality of fluidly connected sections that improve the flow of molten metal through the bore. The sections reduce asymmetric flow of the molten metal stream and the likelihood of precipitates clogging the bore. Each section comprises a converging portion and a diverging portion. The converging portion deflects the stream toward the center of the bore, while the diverging portion diffuses the stream. The sections may comprise a plurality of frusto-conical sections. The cross-sectional areas of the sections may increase, decrease, or remain the same size from an upstream to a downstream position.

The tube for introducing a metal melt into a continuous casting mold having broad side walls and narrow side or end walls includes a tube section provided with lateral openings for the metal melt whose central axes substantially are oriented towards the narrow sides of the strand being formed in the mold and a bottom portion provided with a bottom opening for the metal melt. In order to ensure, at high casting rates, both a slight vertical depth of penetration of the metal melt supplied through the casting tube into a liquid core of the strand and a slight whirl formation on the meniscus, the bottom portion includes at least two bottom openings oriented obliquely towards the narrow sides of the strand so as to form at least two casting jets whose flow directions cross each other in a viewing direction extending perpendicular to the wide sides of the strand.

An apparatus and method related to a start-up phase for continuous casting of a molten metal. The molten metal flows into a continuous casting mold through at least one lateral opening of a submerged nozzle and through at least one bottom opening of the submerged nozzle. The at least one lateral opening may be directed toward a respective at least one wall of the continuous casting mold and the at least one bottom opening may be directed in a casting direction. During a start-up phase of the continuous casting process, a higher ratio of flow rates of molten metal through the at least one lateral opening to the molten metal flowing through the at least one bottom opening may be maintained than the ratio of the flow rates during a subsequent normal operation phase of the submerged nozzle.

A method related to a start-up phase for continuous casting of a molten metal. The molten metal flows into a continuous casting mold through at least one lateral opening of a submerged nozzle and through at least one bottom opening of the submerged nozzle. The at least one lateral opening may be directed toward a respective at least one wall of the continuous casting mold and the at least one bottom opening may be directed in a casting direction. During a start-up phase of the continuous casting process, a higher ratio of flow rates of molten metal through the at least one lateral opening to the molten metal flowing through the at least one bottom opening may be maintained than the ratio of the flow rates during a subsequent normal operation phase of the submerged nozzle.