Abstract: A spray nozzle which employs a locking and an alignment feature to facilitate the replacement of internal nozzle components. The spray nozzle includes a nozzle body, a swirl element and an orifice disc. The nozzle body defines a central bore which extends between a fluid receiving section and a fluid discharge section and delineates a central axis and delimits an interior locating surface for swirl element and the orifice disc. The orifice disc includes a protuberance associated with the downstream surface thereof which protrudes into the spray opening of the nozzle body.

Abstract: A spray nozzle (300) which employs a locking and an alignment feature (330) to facilitate the replacement of internal nozzle components. The spray nozzle includes a nozzle body (310), a swirl element (314) and an orifice disc (312). The nozzle body defines a central bore which extends between a fluid receiving section and a fluid discharge section and delineates a central axis and delimits an interior locating surface for swirl element and the orifice disc. The orifice disc includes a protuberance (374) associated with the downstream surface thereof which protrudes into the spray opening of the nozzle body.

Abstract: The invention includes a system, method and machine readable program for dynamically controlling the casting of a material. Generally, the systems and methods described herein include an active control feedback system or aspects thereof including a temperature sensing device that is well-suited for the harsh environment of the interior of a caster such as a caster for casting metal. Temperature measurement can be accomplished either directly or indirectly. The system is configured to compare the measured temperature with an ideal casting temperature. The temperature sensing device is operably coupled to a cooling device that modulates a flow of coolant to dynamically cool the material being cast. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the cooling device includes a plurality of nozzles for delivering one or more cooling fluids to the material being cast.