55FR41589

Federal Register I Vol. 55, No. 198 / Friday, October 12, 1990 / Notices 41589

Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products; Application for

Interim Waiver and Petition for Waiver

of Furnace Test Procedures from

Trane Company (F-026)

AGENCY: Conservation and Renewable

Energy Office, Department of Energy.

SUMMARY: Today's notice publishes a

letter granting an Interim Waiver to

Trane Company (Trane) from the

existing Department of Energy (DOE)

test procedures for furnaces regarding

blower time delay for its TUN(-) upflow

models and TDNi) downflow models of

atmospheric furnaces.

Today's notice also publishes a

"Petition for Waiver" from Trane.

Trane's Petition for Waiver requests

DOE to grant relief from the

Department's test procedures relating to

the blower time delay specification.

Trane seeks to test using a blower delay

time of 45 seconds for TUN(-) TDN(-)

atmospheric furnaces instead of the

specified 1.5 minute delay between

burner on-time and blower on-time.

DOE is soliciting comments, data, and

information respecting the Petition for

Waiver.

DATES: DOE will accept comments, data,

and information not later than

November 13, 1990.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and

statements shall be sent to: Department

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 41
41590 Federal Register / Vol. 55, No 5$-^r$d9y, October 12, 1990 / Notices

of Energy, Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Case No. F--026, Mail

Stop CE-43, Forrestal Building, 1000

Independence Avenue SW.,

Washington, DC 20585.

FOR Ft1RTER INFORM ATION CONTACT:

Cyrus H. Nasseri, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Mail Station CE-43,

Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence

Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585

(202) 586-9127 or Eugene Margolis, Esq.,

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of

General Counsel, Mail Station GC-12,

Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence

Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585

(202) 586-9507.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 f'la Tonal

Appliance Energy Conservation

Amendments of 1988 (NAECA 1938),

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 decisons. These

test procedures appear at 10 CFR part

430, subpart B.

DOE has amended the prescribed test

procedures by adding 10 CFR 430.27 on

September 26, 1980, creating the waiver

process. 45 FR 64108. DOE further

amended its appliance test procedure

waiver process to allow the Assistant

Secretary for Conservation and

Renewable Energy (Assistant Secretary)

to grant an interim waiver from test

procedures 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

particular basic 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 manner so

unrepresentative of its true 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 a 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, 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,

and may be extended for an additional

180 days if necessary.

On July 5, 1990, Trane filed an

Application for an Interim Waiver

regarding blower time delay. Trane'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,

Trane requests the allowance to test

using a 45-second blower time delay

when testing its TUN(-) and TDN(-)

atmospheric furnaces. Trane states that

the 45-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, Trane asks

that the interim waiver be granted.

Previous waivers for this type of

timed blower delay control have been

granted by the Department to the

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, and 55 FR 3253,

January 31, 1990; Trane Company, 54 FR

19226, May 4, 1989; DIM Industries, 55

FR 4004, February 6, 1990; Heil-Quaker

Corporation, 55 ER 13184, April 9, 1990;

Carrier Corporation, 55 FR 13182, April

9, 1990; and Inter-City Products

Corporation, 55 FR 31100, July 31, 1990.

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 Trane an Interim Waiver for its

TUN(-) upfiow models and TDN(-)

dcwnflow models of atmospheric

furnaces.

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.

In addition, pursuant to paragraph (e)

of § 430.27 of the Code of Federal

Regulations, the following letter granting

the Application for Interim Waiver was

issued to Trane Company.

Issued in Washington, DC, October 3, 1990.

J. Michael Davis,

Assistant Secretary, Conservation and

Renewable Energy.

October 3, 1990.

Mr. James T. Vershaw,

Manager, Furnace System Technology,

Dealer Products Group,

The Trane Company,

Troup Highway,

Tyler, TX 75711.

Dear Mr. Vershaw; This is in response to

your July 5, 1990, Application for Interim

Waiver and Petition for Waiver from the

Department of Energy (DOE) test procedures

for furnaces regarding blower time delay

when tasting Trane Company's TUN(-) and

TDN(-) atmospheric furnaces.

Previous waivers for timed blower delay

control have been granted to the Coleman

Company, 50 FR 2710, January 18, 1985; Magic

Chef Company, 50 FR 41553, October 11,1965;

Rheem Manufacturing Company, 53 FR 48574,

December 1, 1968, and 55 FR 3253, January 31,

1990; Trane Company, 54 FR 19226, May 4.

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; and Inter-City Products

Corporation, 55 FR 31100, July 31, 1990.

Trane's Application for Interim Waiver

does not provide sufficient information to

evaluate what, if any, economic impact or

competitive disadvantage Trane will likely

experience absent a favorable determination

on the application for interim waiver.

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, Trane's Application for an

Interim Waiver from the DOE test procedures

for its TUN(-) and TDN(-) series

atmospheric furnaces regarding blower time

delay is granted.

Trane shall be permitted to test its line of

TUN(-) and TDN(-) atmospheric furnaces

on the basis of the test procedures specified

in 10 CFR part 430, with the modification set

forth below.

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 41
55FR41589

Federal Register % VoL 55, No. 198 / Friday, October 12, 1990 / Notices

(i) Section 9.3.1 of ANSI/ASHRAE

Standard 103-1982 is deleted and replaced

with the following paragraphGas- 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, (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 oilfueled furnaces, maintain the draft in the flue

pipe with ±0.01 inch of water gauge 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 after issuance or until

DOE issues its determination, and may be

extended for an additional 180-day period if

necessary.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Davis,

Assistant Secretary, Conservation and

Renewable Energy.

July 5, 1990.

Assistant Secretary, Conservation and

Renewable Energy,

United States Department of Energy, 1000

Independence Avenue SW, Washington,

DC 20585..

Gentlemen; This petition for waiver and

interim waiver is submitted pursuant to 10

CFR 430.27. Waiver is requested from the

furnace test procedure found at appendix N

to subpart B of part 430. The Heat-Up Test

procedure requires a 1.5 minute time delay

between burner and blower-startup.

Significant energy is lost during the delay

period. Starting in August 1990, Trane will

manufacture atmospheric furnaces having

fixed timing controls which will activate the

blower 0.75 minutes after burner start-up.

These furnaces will include the TUN (-)

upflow and TDN (-) downflow model

families. These controls reduce energy losses

by an average of 1 percent. The current

procedures do not recognize such controls

causing energy losses to be overstated. This

petition requests that the true delay be used

for more accurate representation of

efficiency. Confidential supporting test data

is available upon request.

An interim waiver is requested because it

seems likely that our waiver will be granted.

Similar waivers have been granted to Evcon.

Rheem. Carrier, and Lennox. All central

furnace manufacturers known to Trane have

been notified by letter of our application. A

copy of the letter and a list of the

manufacturers is attached.

Sincerely,

James T. Ver Shaw,

Manager, Furnace System Technology.

July 6, 199o.

Mr. J.P. Norton,

Director of Engineering, The Williamson

Company, 3500 Madison Road,

Cincinnati, Ohio 45209.

Dear Mr. Norton: Attached is a copy of The

Trane Company's Application for Waiver and

Interim Waiver from DOE test procedures for

central furnaces. The Assistant Secretary for

Conservation and Renewable Energy will

receive and consider timely written

comments on the Application for Interim

Waiver. A copy of the comments sent to DOE

must also be sent to the applicant.

Sincerely,

James T, Ver Shaw,

Manager, Furnace System Technology.

List of Manufacturers

Mr. J.P. Norton. Director of Engineering, The

Williamson Company, 3500 Madison Road,

Cincinnati, Ohio 45209

Mr. Allen Kessler, Chief Engineer

Environmental Products, Amana

Refrigeration, Inc., Amana, Iowa 52204

Mr. Edward A. Bally, Director of Government

and Industrial Relations, Carrier Corp., P.O.

Box 4808, Syracuse, New York 13221

Mr. Richard O. Bard, President, Bard

Manufacturing Company, P.O. Box 807,

Bryan, Ohio 43508

Mr. Allan Zimmerman, Vice President of

Canadian Operations and Customer

Service, EVCON Industries, Inc., Heating

and Air Conditioning Group, 3110 N. Mead,

P.O. Box 19014, Wichita, Kansas 67204-

9014

Mr. John M. Wiese, Vice President of

Engineering. Comforimaker, SnyderGeneral

Corporation. 401 Randolph Street, Red Bud.

Illinois 82278

Mr. Richard H. Weber III, President.

Consolidated Industries Corp., A

Subsidiary of Welbilt Corporation, 800

South Sagamore Parkway, P,O. Box 7800,

Lafayette, Indiana 47903

Mr. David B. Schumacher, Engineering

Manager, Arcoaire. SnyderGeneral

Corporation, 401 Randolph Street, Red Bud,

Illinois 62278.

Mr. Ronald Leffler, Manager, Product

Engineering, The Dometic Corporation, 509

South Poplar Street, LaGrange. Indiana

46761

Mr. John Ducate, Jr., Ducane Heating

Division, The Ducane Company, suite 200,

Dutch Plaza, 800 Dutch Square Boulevard,

Columbia, South Carolina 29210

Mr. Michael E. Bryant, National Sales

Manager, DMO Industries, 56 Squirrel

Road. Pontiac, Michigan 48057-1942

41591

Mr. Charles L. Green. President, Ford

Products Corporation, Valley Cottage, New

York 10989

Mr. John V. McFadden, President, Glowcore

Corporation. P.O. Box 8971, Cleveland,

Ohio 44136

Mr. Peter H. Alexander, Vice President,

Engineering, Goodman Manufacturing

Corporation, 1501 Seamist, Houston, Texas

77008

Mr. Charles H. Findley, Vice Chairman, 1136

Heil-Quaker Boulevard, P.O. Box, 3005,

LaVergne. Tennessee 37086

Mr. Donald W. Munson, Executive Vice

President of Division Operations, Lennox

Industries, Inc., P.O. Box 809000, Dallas,

Texas 75380-9000

Mr. Robert E. G. Ractliffe, President,

Nordyne, Inc., A Nortek Company, 10820

Sunset Office Drive, St. Louis, MO 63127

Mr. Edward E. Schott, President, Reznor, A

Division of FL Industries, Inc., McKinley I

Avenue, Mercer, PA 16137

Mr. Donald F. Foster, President, Rheem Air

Conditioning Division, 5600 Old

Greenwood Road P.O. Box 6444, Ft. Smith,

Arkansas 72906

Mr. Paul H. McGinnes, Product Manager,

Gas-Fired Products, Sterling Gas-Fired

Heating Equipment, Division of Reed

National Corp., 260 North Elm St.,

Westfield, Mass 01085

Mr. Bobby D. Vincent, Vice PresidentEngineering, Suburban Manufacturing

Company, P.O. Box 399, Dayton, TN 37321

Mr. Everett E. James, Director of Engineering,

Thermo-Products, Inc., P.O. Box 217, North

Judson, Indiana 46366

Mr. Edward H. Ytsma, Chairman, XXth

Century Heating & Ventilating Co., 203 Erie

Street, P.O. Box 117, Wellington, Ohio

44090.

Mr. Theron C. Stroke, President, Victa

Hytemp Industries, Inc., 35 Neoga Street

Depew, New York 14043

Mr. Clem J. Luebke, Vice President, Welbilt

Corporation, 125 Northshore Drive,

Burlington. Vermont 05401

Mr. Richard C. Barnett. President, York

International Corporation. Central

Environmental Systems Division, P,O. Box

1592, York, PA 17405

[FR Doc. 90-24133 Filed 10-110; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-Y

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 41