56FR6018

6018 Federal Register / VoL 56, No. 31 / Thursday, February 14, 1991 / Notices

in determining the Annual Fuel

Utilization Efficiency (AFUE).

Issued in Washington, DC, February B,

1991.

1. Michael Davis,

Assistant Secretary, Conservation and

Renewable Ene gy.

Decision and Order

Background

The Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products (other than

automobiles) established pursuant to the

Energy Policy and Conservation Act

(EPCA), Public Law 94-163,89 Stat. 917,

as amended by the National Energy

Conservation Policy Act (NECPA),

Public Law 95-619, 92 Stat. 3268, the

National Appliance Energy

[Case No. F-0221 Conservation Act of 1987 (NAECAJ,

Public Law 100-12, and the National

Energy Conservation Program for Appliance Energy Conservation

Consumer Products; Decision and Amendments of 1988 (NAECA 1988),

Order Granting Waiver From Furnace Public Law 100-357, requires DOE to

Test Procedures to Carrier prescribe standardized test procedures

Corporation to measure the energy consumption of

AGENCY: Office of Conservation and certain consumer products, including

Renewable Energy, Department of furnaces. The intent of the test

procedures is to provide a comparable

fie'' ` measure of energy consumption that will

ACTION: Decision and order. assist consumers in making purchasing

SUMMARY: Notice is given of the decisions. These test procedures appear

Decision and Order (Case No. F-022) at 10 CFR part 430, subpart B.

granting Carrier Corporation (Carrier) a DOE amended the prescribed test

waiver for its 58SSC/395C, 58PAV/383K. procedures by adding 10 CFR 430.27 to

58DHC/376C, 5BRAV/373L induced create a waiver process. 45 FR 64108.

draft gas furnaces and 58SXA/398A, September 26, 1980. Thereafter, DOE

58DX/399A induced draft condensing further amended its appliance test

gas furnaces from existing Department procedure waiver process to allow the

of Energy (DOE) test procedures Assistant Secretary for Conservation

regarding blower time delay for and Renewable Energy (Assistant

determining the model's energy Secretary) to grant an interim waiver

efficiency. from test procedure requirements to

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: manufacturers that have petitioned DOE

Cyrus H. Nasser!, U.S. Department of for a waiver of such prescribed test

Energy, Office of Conservation and procedures. 51 FR 42823, November 28,

Renewable Energy, Mail Station CE- 1986.

43, Forrestal Building, 1000 The waiver process allows the

Independence Avenue, SW, Assistant Secretary to waive

Washington. DC 20585 (202) 588-9127, temporarily test procedures for a

Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department particular basic model when a petitioner

of Energy, Office of General Counsel, shows that the basic model contains one

Mail Station GC-41, Forrestal or more design characteristics which

Building. 1000 Independence Avenue, prevent testing according to the

SW., Washington, DC 20585 (202) 588- prescribed test procedures or when the

9507. prescribed test procedures may evaluate

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the basic model in a manner so

accordance with 10 CFR 430.27(g), notice unrepresentative of its true energy

is hereby given of the issuance of the consumption as to provide materially

Decision and Order as set out below. In inaccurate comparative data. Waivers

the Decision and Order, Carrier has generally remain in effect until final test

been granted a waiver for its 58SSC/ procedure amendments become

395C, 58PAV/383K, 58DHC/376C, effective, resolving the problem that is

58RAV/373L induced draft furnaces and the subject of the waiver.

58SXA/398A, 58DX/399A induced draft The interim waiver provisions, added

condensing furnaces, permitting the by the 1986 amendment. allow the

company to use an alternate test method Assistant Secretary to grant an interim

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 48
56FR6018

Federal Register / VoL 58, No. 31 / Thursday, February 14, 1991 / Notices

waiver when it is determined that the

applicant will experience economic

hardship if the Application for Interim

Waiver is denied. if It appears likely

that the Petition for Waiver will be

granted, and/or the Assistant Secretary

determines that it would be desirable for

public policy reasons to grant immediate

relief pending a determination on the

Petition for Waiver. An interim waiver

remains in effect for a period of 180 days

or until DOE issues its determination on

the Petition for Waiver, whichever is

sooner, and may be extended for an

additional 180 days, if necessary.

Carrier filed a "Petition for Waiver"

dated January 29, 1990, in accordance

with § 430.27 of 10 CFR part 430. DOE

published in the Federal Register on

April 9, 19M Carrier's petition and

solicited comments, data and

information respecting the petition. 55

FR 13182. Carrier also filed an

"Application for Interim Waiver" under

§ 430.27(g) which DOE granted on

March 29, 1990. 55 FR 13182, April 9,

1990.

No comments were received

concerning either the "Petition for

Waiver" or the "Interim Waiver." DOE

consulted with the Federal Trade

Commission (FTC) concerning the

Carrier petition. The FTC did not have

any objections to the Issuance of a

waiver to Carrier.

Assertions and Determinations

Carrier's Petition seeks a waiver from

the DOE test provisions that require a

1.5-minutes time delay between the

ignition of the burner and the starting of

the circulating air blower. Carrier

requests the allowance to test using a

66-seconds blower time delay when

testing its 58SSC/395C, 58PAV1383K,

58DHC/376C, 58 RAV/373L induced

draft furnaces and 60-seconds when

testing its 58SXA/398A, 58DX/399A

induced draft condensing furnaces.

Carrier states that since the 66-seconds

and 60-seconds delay, respectively, are

indicative of how these models actually'

operate and since such a delay results in

an improvement in efficiency of

approximately 0.4 and 0.7 percent,

respectively, the waiver should be

granted.

Under specific circumstances, the

DOE test procedures contain exceptions

which allow testing with blower delay

times of less than the prescribed 1.5-

minutes delay. Carrier indicates that it

is unable to take advantage of any of

these exceptions for the 58SSC/395C,

58PAV/383K, 58DHC/376C, 58 RAV/

373L induced draft furnaces and 58SXA/

39aA, 58DX/399A induced draft

condensing furnaces.

Since the blower controls

incorporated on the Carrier furnaces are

designed to impose a 66-seconds and 60-

seconds blower delay, respectively, in

every instance ofstart up, and since the

current provisions do not specifically

address this type of control, DOE agrees

that a waiver should be granted to allow

the 86 and 60-seconds blower time

delay, respectively, when testing the

Carrier 58SSC/395C, 58PAV/383K,

58DHC/376C, 58 RAV/373L induced

draft furnaces and 58SXA/398A, 58DX/

399A induced draft condensing furnaces.

Accordingly, with regard to testing the

above series furnaces only, today's

Decision and Order exempts Carrier

from the existing provisions regarding

blower controls and allows testing with

the 66 and 60-seconds delay,

respectively.

It is therefore, ordered that.

(1) The "Petition for Waiver" filed by

the Carrier Corporation (Case No. F022) is hereby granted as set forth in

paragraph (2) below, subject to the

provisions of paragraphs (3), (4) and (5).

(2) Notwithstanding any contrary

provisions of appendix N of 10 CFR part

430, subpart B, the Carrier Corporation

shall be permitted to test its 58SSC/

395C, 58PAV/383K, 58DHC/376C, 58

RAV/373L induced draft furnaces and

58SXA/398A, 58DX/399A induced draft

condensing furnaces on the basis of the

test procedure specified in 10 CFR part

430, with modifications set forth below:

(i) Section 3.0 in appendix N is deleted

and replaced with the following

paragraph:

3.0 Test Procedure. Testing and

measurements shall be as specified in

section 9 in ANSI/ASHRAE 103-82 with

the exception of sections 92.4 9.3.1, and

9.32, and the inclusion of the following

additional procedures:

(ii) Add a new paragraph 3.10 in

appendix N as follows:

3.10 Gas-and-Oil-Fueled Central

Furnaces. The following paragraph is in

lieu of the requirement specified in

section 9.3.1 in ANSI/ASHRAE 103-82.

After equilibrium conditions are

achieved following the cool-down test

and the required measurements

performed turn on the furnaces and

measure the flue gas temperature, using

the thermocouple grid described above,

at 0.5 and 2.5-minutes after the main

burner(s) comes on. After the burner

start-up, delay the blower start-up by

1.5-minutes (t-), unless: (1) The furnace

employs a single motor to drive the

power burner and the indoor air

circulating blower, in which case the

burner and blower shall be started

together; or (2) the furnace is designed to

operate using an unvarying delay time

6019

that is other than 1.5-minutes. In which

case the fan control shall be permitted

to start the blower, or (3) the delay time

results in the activation of a temperature

safety device which shuts off the burner,

in which case the fan control shall be

permitted to start the blower. In the

latter case, if the fan control is

adjustable, set it to start the blower at

the highest temperature. If the fan

control is permitted to start the blower,

measure time delay, (t-), using a stop

watch. Record the measured

temperatures. During the heat-up test for

oil-fueled furnaces, maintain the draft in

the flue pipe within 4-0.01 in. of water

gauge of the manufacturer's

recommended on-period draft.

(iii) With the exception of the

modifications set forth above. Carrier

Corporation shall comply in all respects

with the test procedures specified in

appendix N of 10 CFR part 430, subpart

B.

(3) The waiver shall remain in effect

from the date of issuance of this Order

until DOE prescribes final test

procedures appropriate to the 58SSC/

395C, 58PAV/383K, 58DHC/3760, 58

RAV/373L induced draft furnaces and

58SXA/398A, 58DX/399A induced draft

condensing furnaces manufactured by

Carrier Corporation.

(4) This waiver is based upon the

presumed validity of statements,

allegations, and documentary materials

submitted by the petitioner. This waiver

may be revoked or modified at any time

upon a determination that the factual

basis underlying the petition is

incorrect.

(5) Effective February 8,1991, this

Waiver supersedes the interim Waiver

granted Carrier Corporation on March

29, 55 FR 13182, April 9, 1990. (Case

No. F-022).

Issued In Washington. DC, February 6,

1991.

J. Michael Davis,

Assistant Secretary, Conservation and

Renewable Energy.

[FR Doc. 91-3635 Filed 2-13--91; 8:45 am]

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CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 48