55FR3253

Federal Register / Vol. 55, No. 21 / Wednesday, January 31, 1990 / Notices 3253

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

Rheem Manufacturing Company (F019)

AGENCY: Conservation and Renewable

Energy Office, Department of Energy.

SUMMARY: Today's notice publishes a

letter granting an Interim Waiver to

Rheem Manufacturing Company

(Rheem) from the existing Department of

Energy (DOE) test procedures for

furnaces regarding blower time delay for

Rheem's GDE(-) up-flow models and

GLE(-) down-flow models of induced

draft furnaces.

Today's notice also publishes a

"Petition for Waiver" from Rheem.

Rheem's Petition for Waiver requests

DOE to grant relief from the DOE test

procedures relating to the blower time

delay specification. Rheem seeks to test

using a blower delay time of 30 seconds

instead of the specified 1.5 minute delay

between burner an-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 later than March 2,

1990.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and

statements shall be sent to: Department

of Energy, Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Case No. F-019, Mail

Stop CE-132, Forrestal Building, 1000

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cyrus H. Nasseri, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Mail Station CE132, Forrestal Building, 1000

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9127

Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department

of Energy, Office of General Counsel,

Mail Station GC-12, Forrestal

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55FR3253

3254 Federal Register / Vol. 55, No. 21 / Wednesday, January 31, 1990 / Notices

Building, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202)

586-9507

Background

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 has amended the prescribed test

procedures by adding 10 CFR 430.27 on

September 28, 1980, creating the waiver

process. 45 FR 64108. DOE further

amended the Department's 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

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 1988 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

at the petition for waiver will be

anted, and/or the Assistant Secretary

determined that it would be desirable

for public policy reasons to grant

immediate relief pending a

determination on the petition for waiver.

On September 29,1989, Rheem filed

an Application for an Interim Waiver

regarding blower time delay. Rheem'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,

Rheem requests the allowance to test

using a 30 second blower time delay

when testing its model GDE(-) and

GLE(-) induced draft furnaces. Rheem

states that the 30 second delay is

indicative of how these furnaces

actually operate. Such a delay results in

an energy savings of approximately 0.6

percent. Since current DOE test

procedures do not address this variable

blower time delay. Rheem 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, the Magic Chef Company, 50 FR

41553, October 11, 1985, the Rheem

Manufacturing Company, 53 FR 48574,

December 1, 1988, and the Trane

Company, 54 FR 19226, May 4, 1989.

Thus, it appears likely that the Petition

for Waiver will be granted for blower

time delay.

Because Rheem's Petition for Waiver

requesting relief from the DOE test

procedures concerning blower time

delay appears likely to be granted.

Rheem's Application for Interim Waiver

on these subjects is granted.

Pursuant to paragraph (b) of 10 CFR

430.27, DOE is hereby publishing the

"Petition for Waivers" 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 Rheem Manufacturing

Company.

Issued in Washington, DC, January 25,

1990.

J. Michael Davis,

Assistant Secretary, Conservation and

Renewable Energy.

January 25, 1990.

Mr. Daniel J. Canclini, Vice President, Rheem

Manufacturing Company, 5600 Old Green

Wood Road, P.O. Box 6444, Fort Smith,

AR 72906-0444

Dear Mr. Canclini: This is in response to

your September 29,1989, Application for

Interim Waiver and Petition for Waiver from

the Department of Energy (DOE) test

procedures for furnaces when testing the

company's GDE(-) and GLE(-) gas-fueled

forced-air induced draft furnaces regarding

blower time delay.

Pursuant to the Energy Policy and

Conservation Act, as amended, the

Department has prescribed test procedures to

measure the energy consumption of certain

major household appliances, including

furnaces. The intent of the test procedures is

to provide a comparable measure of energy

consumption that will assist consumers in

making purchase decisions. These test

procedures appear in the Code of Federal

Regulations at 10 CFR part 430 , subpart B.

DOE amended the test procedure

regulations on September 26, 1980 (45 FR

64108] and November 26, 1986, (51 FR 42823)

by adding paragraph 430.27. These provisions

allow the Assistant Secretary for

Conservation and Renewable Energy 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 of the basic model 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 characteristics

as to provide materially inadequate

comparative data. The 1986 amendments

added provisions allowing the Assistant

Secretary to grant an interim waiver for a

particular basic model when a petitioner

demonstrates the likely success of the

petition for waiver, it is determined that the

applicant will experience economic hardship

if the Application for Interim Waiver is

denied 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.

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, 1985,

Rheem Manufacturing Company, 53 FR 48574,

December 1, 1988, and the Trane Company,

54 FR 19226, May 4, 1989.

Rheem's Application for Interim Waiver

does not provide sufficient information for

the Department to evaluate what, if any,

economic impact or competitive disadvantage

Rheem will likely experience abasent a

favorable determination on the application

for interim waiver. Rheem feels that its

competitive position in the marketplace

would be compromised if this Application for

Interim Waiver is not granted. However, the

Department finds that it would be desirable

for public policy reasons to grant Rheem's

Application for Interim Waiver. Specifically,

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's interest to have the similar

products tested and rated for energy

consumption on a comparable basis.

Therefore, Rheem's Application for an

Interim Waiver requesting a change from the

DOE test procedures for its GDE(-) and

GLE(-) gas-fueled forced-air induced draft

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 34
55FR3253

Federal Register / Vol. 55, No. 21 1 Wednesday, January 31, 1' / Notices

furnaces regarding blower time delay is

granted.

Rheem shall be permitted to test its model

GDE(-) and GLE(-) induced draft furnaces on

the basis of the test procedures specified in

10 CFR part 430, with the modifications set

forth below.

(i) Section 9.3.1 of ANSI/ASHRAE

Standard 103-1982 is deleted and replaced

with the following paragraph:

Gas- and Oil-Fueled Central Furnaces.

After equilibrium conditions are achieved

following the cool-down test and the required

measurements performed, tarn 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 the time delay, ( t-), using a

stopwatch. 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

until the Department of Energy issues a

determination on Rheem's Petition for

Waiver.

Sincerely,

). Michael Davis,

Assistant Secretary, Conservation aad

Renewable Energy.

September 29, 1989.

Assistant Secretary, Conservation and

Renewable Energy,

United States Department of Energy, 1000

Independence Avenue SW., Washington,

DC 20585.

Gentlemen: This is a petition for waiver

and petition for interim waiver submitted

pursuant to 10 CFR 430.27. Waiver is

requested from the furnace test procedure

found at appendix N to subpart 8 of part 430.

The test procedure requires a 1.5 minute

delay between burner on and blower on.

Rheem is requesting authorization to use a 30

second delay instead of 1.5 minutes. Rheem is

manufacturing a series of induced draft

furnaces which include the (-)GDE npflow

models and (-)GLE downflow models.

Maximum energy efficiency is achieved by

fixed ,timing controls installed in these

models that activate the circulating air

blower 30 seconds after the burner is on.

Under the appendix N procedures, the stack

temperature is allowed to climb at a faster

rate than it would be with a 30 second blower

on time, allowing energy to be lost out the

vent system. This waste of energy would not

occur in actual operation. If this petition is

granted, the true blower on time delay would

be used in the calculations. Proposed

AS3-IRAE Standard 103-1982R of 9/25/87

paragraph 9.5.1.2.2 specifically addresses the

use of timed blower operation.

The current test procedures do not give

Rheem credit for the energy savings which

averages approximately .6 percent. This

improvement is an average reduction of 3

percent of the energy loss. Rheem is of the

opinion that a 3 percent reduction is a

worthwhile energy savings.

Current prescribed test procedures prohibit

Rheem from taking credit for the saved

energy, thus providing inaccurate

comparative data.

Rheem has been granted a waiver

permitting the 30 second blower at., time to be

used in the efficiency calculations for our (-)

GEB and (-)GKA series condensing furnaces.

These furnaces use the same blower time

control as the (-)GDE and (-)GLE series

furnaces.

Several'other manufacturers of condensing

furnaces have been granted a waiver to

permit calculations based on timed blower

operation.

Confidential comparative test data is

available to you upon your request,

confirming the above energy savings.

Manufacturers that domestically market

similar products are being sent a copy of this

petition for waiver and petition for interim

waiver.

Sincerely,

Daniel ). Canclini,

Vice-President, Product Development &

Research Engineering.

[FR Doc. 90--2159 Filed 1-30-90; 8:45 am]

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