# 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

## 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.

## 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 replacedwith 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 measuredtemperatures. 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 01085Mr. 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