Sliding Gate valve Refractories are used to control the flow of moten steel. With the technical development of continuous casting and various de-gas refining treatments, it has become difficult to prolong the amount of time a Sliding Valve can stay in a ladle of molten steel at high-temperatures, using the stopper method. Thersfore, the stopper method is being replaced with the sliding gate valve method which effectively controls the precise speed pouring.