Immersion nozzle

An immersion nozzle comprising:

• a nozzle body made of a refractory material and having an inner bore oriented in a vertical direction;
• and
• a flange portion made of a refractory material and formed in a flat plate shape, the flange portion being joined to an outer periphery of an upper end section of the nozzle body, directly or through an adhesive, in such a manner as to surround the outer periphery of the upper end section of the nozzle body and protrude in a horizontal direction,
• wherein respective outer peripheries of the flange portion and a portion of a lower section of the nozzle body below the flange portion are surrounded by a metal case, and respective upper edge faces of the nozzle body and the flange portion are in a same horizontal plane,
• wherein the immersion nozzle is installed such that both the upper edge faces of the nozzle body and the flange portion are joined to a lower edge face of an upper nozzle member located above the immersion nozzle through an operation of sliding the immersion nozzle in the horizontal direction with an underside of the flange portion supported by a support device;
• and
• wherein the immersion nozzle comprises a bridging member which bridges an inner peripheral surface of a portion of the metal case surrounding the flange portion and an outer peripheral surface of the nozzle body, the bridging member having one end fixed to the portion of the metal case and the other end engaged with a recess provided in the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle body,
• wherein in an area above an action point of an upward support force by the support device, the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle body extends in the vertical direction without dimensional change with respect to a central axis of the inner bore, except for the recess.