Stopper Rod, Ladle Shroud and SEN

A stopper rod is an isostatically produced one-piece alumina graphite rod. The rate of flow of the molten steel is defined by the relative position of the stopper nose to the seat of the tundish nozzle. Optimization of control is achieved through the complementary geometries of the stopper nose and the tundish nozzle or SEN seat. There is a wide variety of stopper nose profiles, each having different degrees of sensitivity and controllability of steel flow to meet the wide range of customer requirements.The Ladle Shroud is designed to protect the steel from reoxidation when teeming from the ladle to the tundish. The shape and design of the ladle shroud can vary depending on individual casting conditions and customer requirements. Designfeatures include the provision to introduce argon via gas ports in the collar of the ladle shroud, gaskets to improve the sealing between the ladle shroud and the collector nozzle, increased wall thickness at the slag line to improve slag line erosion, steel reinforced collar for added strengthen where mechanical conditions particularly severe and the use of high integrity impermeable glazes which protect the ladle shroud throughout its life. A recent addition to the range is a cold reusable ladle shroud.All SENs are custom designed to meet the needs of each steel plant. The complex shapes are formed by isostatic pressing, which ensures homogeneity of chemical and physical properties throughout the products. When required, SENs can be insulated with a highly insulating ceramic fiber free cladding to increase thermal shock resistance, the design of the insulation being configurable to specific customer requirements.There are no standard features for shrouds and nozzles, individual designs being dependent on casting machine parameters such as strand size and shape, steel grade and casting speed.