56FR45958

Federat Register / Vol. 56,, No. 1.4 / Marrday, September 9, 2991 / Notice

Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy

Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products; Application for

Interim Waiver and Petition for Waiver

of Furnace Test Procedures From The

Duran Company, Inc. (Case No. FF

IN-L

AGENCY: Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Department of

Energy.

SUMMARY: Today's notice publishes a

letter granting an Interim Waiver to The

Ducane•Company, Inc. (Ducane) from

the existing Department of Energy

(DOSE) test procedures for furnaces

regarding btwwer time delay for the

company's FPAA series of gas furnaces.

Today's notice also publishes a

"Petition for Waiver" from Docane.

Ducane 's Petition for Waiver requests

DOE to grant relief from the DOE test

procedures relating to the blower time

delay specification. Ducane seeks to test

using a blower delay time of 30 seconds

for its FPAA series of gas fiumaces

instead of the specified 1.5-minute delay

between -burner on-time and blower ontime. DOE is soliciting comments, data,

and information respecting, the Petition

for Waiver.

DATES: DOE will accept comments, data,

and information not bates than October

9, 1981.

ADDRESSES Written can=en+s and'

statements shall be sent to: Department

ofEnergy, O€fcce of Conservation and

Renewable . Einergy, Case No. F-4138, Mail

Stop CE-S0, Room 68-0¢5, Forrestal

Building, loft Independence Avenue,

SW., Washingtrsa, DC. 29685 (2M) 586-

3012.

FOR RTH NKORMATPON CO iTAC-T`.

Cyrus H. Nasseri, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Conservation and

Renewable Eamergy , Mail Station} CE43. Forrestal Building, TWO

Independence Avenue. SW.,

Waal tom,;, DC 20585, (2 IZ15 -9t27.

Eugene Margolis, Esq:, U.S. Depart sent

of Energy, Office of General Counsel,

Mail Station GC-41. Forrestal

Building, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW., Washington, DC 20585, (2021

586-950?.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFOROtAT1OM:-The

Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products (other than

automobiles) was 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. 3266, the

National Appliance Energy

Conservation Act of 1987 (NAECA),

Public Law 100-12, and the National

Appliance Energy Conservation

Amendments of 1988 (NAECA 1988),

Public Law 100-357, which requires DOE

to prescribe standardized test

procedures to measure the energy

consumption of certain consumer

products, including furnaces. The intent

of the test procedures is to provide a

comparable measure of energy

consumption that will assist consumers

in making purchasing decisions. These

test procedures appear at 10 CFR part

430, Subpart B.

DOE amended the prescribed test

procedures by adding 10 CFR 430.27 an

September 26, 1980, creating the waiver

process. 45 FR 6410& Thereafter DOE

further amended the appliance test

procedure waiver process to allow the

Assistant Secretary for Conservation

and Renewable Energy (Assistant

Secretary) to grant an Interim Waiver

from test procedure requirements to

manufacturers that have petitioned DOE

for a waiver of such prescribed test

procedures. 51 FR 42823, November 26,

1986.

The waiver process allows the

Assistant Secretary to waive

temporarily test procedures for a

paaticnlarbesic model when a petitioner

shows that the basic model contains one

or more design characteristics which

prevent testing according to the

prescribed test procedures or when the

prescribed test procedures may evaluate

the basic model in a wanner so

unrelweseatative of its trine energy

consumption as to provide materially

inaccurate comparative data. Waivers

generally remain in effect until final test

procedure amendments become

effective, resolving the problem that is

the subject of the waiver.

The interim waiver provisions, added

by the 1986 amendment, allow the

Assistant Secretary to grant an Interim

Waiver when it is determined that the

applicant will experience economic

hardship if the Application for Interim

Waiver is denied.. R it appears likely

that the Petition for Waiver will be

granted, and/or the Assistant Secretary

determines that it would be desirable for

pubfic policy reasons to grant immediate

relief pending a determination on the

Petition for Waiver. An hrterinr Waiver

remains in effect for a period of 180 days

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 61
56FR45958

Federal Register / Vol. 56, No. 174 / Monday, September 9, 1991 / Notices

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.

On July 1. 1991, Ducane filed an

Application for an Interim Waiver

regarding blower time delay. Ducane's,

Application seeks an Interim Waiver

from the DOE test provisions that

require a 1.5-minute time delay between

the ignition of the burner and starting of

the circulating air blower. Instead,

Ducane requests the allowance to test

using a 30-second blower time delay

when testing its FPAA series of gas

furnaces. Ducane states that the 30-

second delay is indicative of how these

furnaces actually operate. Such a delay

results in an energy savings of

approximately 1.0 percent. Since current

DOE test procedures do not address this

variable blower time delay , Ducane asks

that the interim waiver be granted.

Previous waivers for this type of

timed blower delay control have been

granted by DOE to Coleman Company,

50 FR 2710. January 18, 1985; Magic Chef

Company, 50 FR 41553, October 11, 1985;

Rheem Manufacturing Company, 53 FR

48574, December 1, 1988, 55 FR 3253,

January 31. 1990, and 55 FR 37521,

September 12,1990; Trane Company, 54

FR 19226, May 4, 1989, and 55 FR 41589,

October 12,1990; Lennox Industries, 54

FR 50525, December 7, 1989; DMO

Industries, 55 FR 4004, February 6, 1990;

Heil-Quaker Corporation , 55 FR 13184,

April 9, 1990: Carrier Corporation, 55 FR

13182, April 9, 1990; Inter-City Products

Corporation, 55 FR 31099. July 31, 1990,

and 56 FR 27959, June 18, 1991; Amana

Refrigeration Inc., 56 FR 853 , January 9,

1991. and 56 FR 29957 , July 1, 1991;

Armstrong Air Conditioning , Inc., 56 FR

10553, March 13, 1991, and 56 FR 34200,

July 26, 1991; Snyder General

Corporation, 56 FR 14511 , April 10. 1991;

Goodman Manufacturing Corporation,

56 FR 20421, May 3 , 1991 ; and Thermo

Products, Inc., 56 FR 32205, July 15, 1991.

Thus, it appears likely that the Petition

for Waiver will be granted for blower

time delay.

In those instances where the likely

success of the Petition for Waiver has

been demonstrated based upon DOE

.having granted a waiver for a similar

product design, it is in the public interest

to have similar products tested and

rated for energy consumption on a

comparable basis.

Therefore, based on the above, DOE is

granting Ducane an Interim Waiver for

its FPAA series of gas furnaces.

Pursuant to paragraph (e) of § 430.27 of

the Code of Federal Regulations, the

following letter granting the Application

for Interim Waiver to the Ducane

Company, Inc. was issued.

Pursuant to paragraph (b) of 10 CFR

430.27, DOE is hereby publishing the

"Petition for Waiver" in its entirety. The

petition contains no confidential

information. DOE solicits comments,

data, and information respecting the

petition.

Issued in Washington, DC, August 28, 1991.

Michael Davis,

Assistant Secretary, Conservation and

Renewable Energy.

Department of Energy

Washington, DC 20585

August 28, 1991.

Mr. Charles W. Adams,

V. P. Research and Development

The Ducane Company, Inc., 118 West Main

Street. Blackville. South Carolina 29817-

1199

Dear Mr. Adams: This is in response to

your July 1.1991. Application for Interim

Waiver and Petition for Waiver from the

Department of Energy (DOE) test procedures

for furnaces regarding blower time delay for

The Ducane Company, Inc. (Ducane) FPAA

series of gas furnaces.

Previous waivers for this type of timed

blower delay control have been granted by

DOE to Coleman Company, 50 FR 2710,

January 18,1985; Magic Chef Company, 5o FR

41553, October 11,1985; Rheem

Manufacturing Company, 53 FR 48574,

December 1,1988, 55 FR 3253, January 31.

1990, and 55 FR 37521. September 12, 1990;

Trane Company, 54 FR 19226, May 4. 1989,

and 55 FR 41589, October 12. 1990; Lennox

Industries. 54 FR 50525, December 7,1989;

DMO Industries, 55 FR 4004, February 6,1990;

Heil-Quaker Corporation, 55 FR 13184, April

9, 1990; Carrier Corporation, 55 FR 13182,

April 9.1990; Inter-City Products Corporation,

55 FR 31099, July 31, 1990, and 56 FR 27959.

June 18, 1991; Amana Refrigeration Inc., 56 FR

853. January 9, 1991, and 56 FR 29957, July 1.

1991; Armstrong Air Conditioning, Inc., 56 FR

10553, March 13, 1991, and 56 FR 34200. July

26.1991; Snyder General Corporation, 56 FR

14511, April 10, 1991; Goodman

Manufacturing Corporation, 56 FR 20421, May

3, 1991: and Thermo Products, Inc., 56 FR

32205, July 15, 1991.

Ducane's Application for Interim Waiver

does not provide sufficient tnformation to

evaluate what, if any, economic impact or

competitive disadvantage Ducane will likely

experience absent a favorable determination

on its application. However, in those

instances where the likely success of the

Petition for Waiver has been demonstrated.

based upon DOE having granted a waiver for

a similar product design, it is in the public

interest to have similar products tested and

rated for energy consumption on a

comparable basis.

Therefore, Ducane's Application for an

Interim Waiver from the DOE test procedures

for its FPAA series of gas furnaces regarding

blower time delay is granted.

Ducane shall be permitted to test its line of

FPAA series of gas furnaces on the basis of

the test procedures specified in 10 CFR part

430, subpart B, Appendix N, with the

modification set forth below.

45959

(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/ASI-IRAE 103-82 with the

exception of sections 9.2.2, 9 .3.1, and 9.3.2,

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. After equilibrium conditions are

achieved following the cool-down test and

the required measurements performed, turn

on the furnace 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 circulation 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 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,

maintan the draft in the flue pipe within 0.01

inch of water column of the manufacturer's

recommended on-period draft.

This Interim Waiver is based upon the

presumed validity of statements and all

allegations submitted by the company. This

Interim Waiver may be revoked or modified

at any time upon a determination that the

factual basis underlying the application is

incorrect.

The Interim Waiver shall remain in effect

for a period of 180 days or until DOE acts on

the Petition for Waiver, whichever is sooner,

and may be extended for an additional 180

day period. if necessary.

Sincerely.

j. Michael Davis, P.E.,

Assistant Secretary. Conservation and

Renewable Energy.

Ducane

DUCANE HEATING DIVISION

July 1, 1991.

Assistant Secretary, Conservation and

Renewable Energy,

United States Department of Energy, 1000

Independence Ave., Washington. DC

20585.

Gentlemen: Please consider this Petition for

Waiver and Application for Interim Waiver

pursuant to Title 10 CFR 430.27.

Waiver is requested from the test

procedures covering gas furnaces found at

appendix N to subpart B of 10 CFR Part 430.

The current Heat-Up Test procedure requires

a 1.5 minute time delay between burner and

blower startup. The Ducane Company is

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 61
45960 Federal Register

requesting to use 30 seconds instead of 1.5

minutes for Series "FPAA" Cas• Furnaces.

These models will employ an electronic

blower time control dart starts the blower in

approximately Sit seconds Our testing

indicates an iacsease of one percent imAFUE

using the 30 secaad time delay.

The Ducane Company seeks an interim

waiver because it is likely that oar waiver

will be granted. Similar waivers have been

granted to other manufacturers in the past.

A copy of this Petition Jar Waiver and

Application far Interim Waiver will be seat to

other manufacturers of similar type products.

RespectfuBg yours,

THE DUCAR£ COlld AKY. 941C.

Charles W. Adams.

U.P. Researci: and Devetopmen4

Ducane Heating Division.

[FR Doc 91-21527 Filed 9-&-91; 8:45 am].

BIWNG coos 645e44-M

56FR45958

Vol. 56,. No. 174 / Monday, September 9, 1991 / Notices

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 61