Nozzle assembly and method for forming nozzle assembly

1. A nozzle assembly, comprising:

a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) nozzle shell, the CMC nozzle shell including:

a CMC composition; and

an interior cavity having interior dimensions;

a nozzle spar partially disposed within the interior cavity, including:

a metallic composition;

a cross-sectional conformation including cross-sectional dimensions less than the interior dimensions;

a plurality of spacers protruding from the cross-sectional conformation, the plurality of spacers contacting the CMC nozzle shell; and

a spar cap; and

an endwall including:

a first stanchion extending from the endwall;

a second stanchion extending from the endwall; and

at least one surface in lateral contact with the spar cap,

wherein:

the endwall maintains a lateral orientation of the CMC nozzle shell and the nozzle spar relative to the endwall;

the lateral orientation maintains a predetermined throat area of the nozzle assembly; and

the at least one surface in lateral contact with the spar cap includes a first surface of the first stanchion in lateral contact with the spar cap and a second surface of the second stanchion in lateral contact with the spar cap, the first surface and the second surface being oriented relative to one another at about 80° to about 100°.

2. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the first stanchion is in lateral contact with a first alignment feature of the spar cap and the second surface of the second stanchion is in lateral contact with a second alignment feature of the spar cap.

3. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the endwall is an outer diameter endwall.

4. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the endwall includes at least one aperture and the nozzle spar is partially disposed within the at least one aperture, the aperture being larger than the cross-sectional conformation of the nozzle spar within the aperture and defining a gap surrounding the nozzle spar within the aperture, the gap having sufficient size for the nozzle spar to rotate laterally within the aperture except for the presence of the at least one surface in lateral contact with the spar cap maintaining the lateral orientation.

5. The nozzle assembly of claim 3 , wherein the gap includes sufficient size for the nozzle spar to rotate through a 10° arc.

6. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the metallic composition is selected from the group consisting of titanium-aluminum alloys, superalloys, nickel-based superalloys, cobalt-based superalloys, iron-based superalloys, refractory alloys, and combinations thereof.

7. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the CMC composition is selected from the group consisting of an aluminum oxide-fiber-reinforced aluminum oxide (Ox/Ox), a carbon-fiber-reinforced carbon (C/C), a carbon-fiber-reinforced silicon carbide (C/SiC), a silicon-carbide-fiber-reinforced silicon carbide (SiC/SiC), a carbon-fiber-reinforced silicon nitride (C/Si 3 N 4 ), and combinations thereof.

8. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spacers includes a conformation selected from the group consisting of vertical ribs, horizontal ribs, diagonal ribs, circular protrusions, elliptical protrusions, semi spheroidal protrusions, rectangular protrusions, square protrusions, crowned protrusions, frustoconical protrusions, annular protrusions, and combinations thereof.

9. A nozzle assembly, comprising:

a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) nozzle shell, the CMC nozzle shell including:

a CMC composition; and

an interior cavity having interior dimensions;

a nozzle spar partially disposed within the interior cavity, including:

a metallic composition;

a cross-sectional conformation including cross-sectional dimensions less than the interior dimensions;

a plurality of spacers protruding from the cross-sectional conformation, the plurality of spacers contacting the CMC nozzle shell;

and

a spar cap on an end of the nozzle spar, the spar cap extending across at least the cross-sectional conformation of the nozzle spar to an outer peripheral surface of the spar cap; and

an endwall including at least one surface in lateral contact with the spar cap, the endwall maintaining a lateral orientation of the CMC nozzle shell and the nozzle spar relative to the endwall, the lateral orientation maintaining a predetermined throat area of the nozzle assembly,

wherein the endwall includes at least one aperture and the nozzle spar is partially disposed within the at least one aperture, the aperture being about the same size as the cross-sectional conformation of the nozzle spar within the aperture, the endwall further including a depression distal across the endwall from the CMC nozzle shell, the depression being defined by a wall projecting from the endwall in a direction oriented away from the nozzle shell, the spar cap being at least partially disposed within the wall defining the depression, the at least one surface being an interior surface of the wall defining the depression in lateral contact with and laterally surrounding an entire perimeter of the spar cap corresponding with the lateral orientation of the CMC nozzle shell,

wherein the spar cap is connected to the endwall via a weld between the wall and the outer peripheral surface of the spar cap.

10. The nozzle assembly of claim 9 , wherein the endwall is an outer diameter endwall.

11. The nozzle assembly of claim 9 , wherein the spar cap is entirely disposed within the depression.