56FR6016

'6016 Federal Register VoL 56, No. 31 / Thursday,- February 14. 1991 / Notices

Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy

[Case No. F-0281

Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products; Petition for

Waiver of Vented Home Heating

Equipment Test Procedures From

Appalachian Stove & Fabricators, Inc.

AGENCY: Office of Conservation and.

Renewable Energy. Department of

Energy.

SUMMARY: Today's notice publishes a

"Petition for Waiver" from Appalachian

Stove & Fabricators, Inc. (Appalachian).

requesting a waiver from the existing

Department of Energy (DOE) test

procedures for vented home heating

equipment. Appalachian requests that

DOE grant relief from the DOE test

procedures relating to the use of pilot

light energy consumption in the

calculation of Annual Fuel Utilization

Efficiency (AFUE), and the calculation

of steady state efficiency of its ACS-44

model vented heater. Appalachian

claims that while the AGS-44 is capable

of being tested in accordance with the

DOE vented home heating equipment

test procedure, the test procedure does

not give a true representation of the

AGS-44 vented heater's efficiency. DOE

is soliciting comments, data, and

Information respecting the Petition for

Waiver.

DATES` DOE will accept comments, data,

and information no later than March 18,

1991.

ADDRESSES: Written comments (8

copies) shall be sent to: Department of

Energy, Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Case No. DH-001,

Mail Stop CE-90, Forrestal Building,

room 6b-025,1000 Independence

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585,

(202) 588-3012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cyrus H. Nasseri, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Mail Stop CE-43,

Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence

Avenue, SW., Washington. DC 20585,

(202) 586-9127.

Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department

of Energy, Office of General Counsel,

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 47
56FR6016

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

Mail Stop 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 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 vented home heating

equipment. 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 on

September 26, 1980, creating the waiver

process. 45 FR 64108.

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.recedures may evaluate

the basic model in a manner so

unrepresentative of its true energy

consumption as to provide materially

inaccurate comparative data. The

waiver generally remains in effect until

final test procedure amendments

become effective, resolving the problem

that is the subject of the waiver.

On September 21, 1990, Appalachian

filed a petition for Waiver requesting

waiver from the DOE test procedure for

vented home heating equipment which

is found at appendix 0 to subpart B of

10 CFR part 430. Appalachian seeks a

waiver regarding: (a) Pilot light energy

consumption, and (b) steady state

efficiency.

Appalachian seeks a waiver from the

provision in the DOE test procedure that

requires measurement of energy input

rate of the pilot light (Qp) and the use of

this data in calculation of AFUE, where:

AFUE=4400gss71pQin max/(44o0gssQin

max + 2.5(4600)7lμ QP)

Instead, Appalachian requests the

allowance to delete Qp and accordingly

delete the 2.5 (4600)71LQp term in

calculation of AFUE. Appalachian states

that its instructions direct the consumer

to turn off the pilot light. Therefore, the

unit should not be penalized for the pilot

light energy consumption. Since the

current test procedure does not address

this issue, Appalachian asks that the

waiver be granted.

Appalachian also seeks a Waiver

from the DOE test procedure regarding

the calculation of this unit's steady state

efficiency. Appalachian seeks a waiver

from the provision in section 3.1.1 that

requires calculation of steady state

efficiency for manually controlled

vented heaters with various input rates,

be determined at a fuel input rate that is

within 5 percent of 50 percent of the

maximum fuel input rate. Appalachian

states that since the manual control on

its heater has three fixed gas rates and

is not infinitely variable, it is not

possible to obtain a rate of 50 percent of

the maximum fuel rate specified in the

regulations. Since the current DOE test

procedure does not address this issue,

Appalachian requests an alternative test

procedure for calculation of steady

efficiency based on weighted average of

the three different gas settings.

Pursuant to paragraph (b) of 10 CFR

403.27, 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, February 6,

1991.

1. Michael Davis,

Assistant Secretary, Conservation and

Renewable Energy.

September 21,1990

Mr. J.M. Davis, P.E.,

Assistant Secretary for Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Forrestal) Building,

1000 Independence Avenue SW.,

Washington, DC20585

Your Reference: Sires Nasseri

Reference: Request for Waivers

Dear Mr. Davis: I am enclosing our formal

application for two waivers in respect to our

gas fired wood stove , Model Number AGS44.

This application is the result of a similar

letter from Mr. L Thow at Yale & NuTone

dated July 26, 1990, and subsequent

discussions between Mr. Nasseri and Mr.

Thow which indicated that we would require

to make the formal application as

manufacturer.

We hope that this application will now

enable you to process our application without

difficulty.

If any difficulties arise, please let us know

immediately.

6017

Yours sincerely,

James Rice,

Vice President.

September 21,1990

Mr. J.M. Davis, P.E.,

Assistant Secretary for Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Forrestal) Building,

1000 Independence Avenue SW.,

Washington, DC 20585

RE: Request for Waivers

Dear Mr. Davis: We wish to apply for

acceptance of two waivers are requested is:

Model AGS44

Gas Fired Wood Stove for Natural Gas

Waiver Request No. I

This refers to: CFR Energy 10 parts 400 to

499, part 430 subpart B, appendix C, section

3.1.1---Gas fueled vented home heating

equipment, section 4.2.4-Weighted average

steady state efficiency.

Introduction

We have designed a gas fired heating

appliance which has a visual flame effect

very similar to that of a real wood burning

stove and relatively high thermal efficiency

for this tye of product. The appliance has

recently been Certified by the American Gas

Association to ANSI Standard Z21.11.1a1989,

Description

The visual effect of the stove is achieved

using a manually operated gas control (tap)

supply three fixed gas settings. The reduced

individual gas rates are achieved by fixed

orifice holes in the control plug of a

Sourdillion control which are set by the

consumer by turning the control which are set

by the consumer by turning the control knob

to the required position.

The positions obtainable on the control are:

OFF

1. Ignition-Pilot ignition only.

2. Low Rate-(Main burner only)-24,500

BTU's/hr.

3. Main burner & Middle Decorative

Flames-28,000 BTU's/hr.

4. Main Burner & All Decorative Flames37,500 BTU's/br.

Settings 2, 3 and 4 are considered

comerically desirable to compare with the

moods of a real wood burning fire and make

the product attractive as a replacement for

wood burning appliances.

Requirements Sought To Be Waived

In endeavoring to apply the current "Code

of Federal Regulations," we find that section

3.1.1 "Gas Fuel Vented Home Heating

Equipment" refers to manually controlled

heaters (last paragraph of Page 147).

This paragraph states:

.,For manually controlled gas fueled vented

heaters, with various Input rates determine

the steady state efficiency at a fuel input rate

that Is within 5% of 50% of the maximum fuel

input rate."

The manual control on our heater gives

three fixed gas rates previously detailed and

is not infinitely variable down to a zero gas

rate. It is therefore not possible to obtain a

rate of 50% of the maximum fuel input rate by

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 47
56FR6016

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

operating the heater normally in accordance

with the Manufacturer's Users Instructions.

The low rate is 65.3% of the maximum rate of

28,000 BTU's/hour Is a reduced visual flame

picture which is more likely to be used than

the minimum rate with no flame effect.

Specific Requirements Sought To Be

Waived

Since the 50% rate specified in the

Regulations can not be normally achieved on

this product, we request that the requirement

is waived for this appliance.

Alternative Test Procedures

For an alternative test procedure we

request that the steady state efficiency

should be assessed as an average of

efficiencies obtained at settings 2, 3 and 4,

but weight in favor of 0.8 setting 4, plus 0.3

setting 3 and 0.1 setting Z.

Waiver Request No. 2

This refers to: CFR Energy 10, parts 400 to

499, part 430, subpart b, appendix o, section

3.5-Pilot Light Measurement, section 4.2.6-

Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency.

Description

The heater is fitted with a transient pilot

for the purpose of smooth and safe ignition of

the main burner while controlling the amount

of heat to energize the thermoelectric valve

incorporated in the control. Gas to the pilot

for ignition of the main burner is obtained by

depressing the control knob, holding in and

pressing the piezo igniter to ignite the pilot.

As soon as the pilot energizes the

thermoelectric valve of the control, the main

burner is ignited by turning the control from

position I to 2. The pilot remains on at

settings 2, 3 and 4, and by virtue of its

position below the main burner, contributes

to the heat release within the combustion

chamber.

When the heater is turned off after use in

accordance with the Manufacturer's

Instructions, the control knob is turned to the

"OFF' position. This moves the control

through the pilot ignition position 1 and the

pilot is automatically turned off with this

operation.

Requirements Sought To Be Waived

If the Manufacturer's Instructions, in

conjunction with the control knob markings

are observed by the user, the pilot will not be

left on. Section 4.2.6: "Annual Fuel Utilization

Efficiency" for manually controlled vented

heaters gives the AFUE defined as:

AFUE =

440011 ssti μ Qin - max

440017 8811 Qin -max + 2.5 (4600)11

IQp

The factor 2.5 (4600)N uQp in the

denominator depresses the calculated AFUE

value significantly , and unrealistically, if

applied to a heater as described in the

foregoing.

We therefore request that the pilot factor

2.5 (4600)N uQp is deleted from the

assessment of AFUE figure more

representative of actual operation in

accordance with the Manufacturer's

Instructions.

Other Models With Similar Features

We believe this product is probably the

first heater to be designed to simulate a wood

stove and consequently we are unable to

identify other manufacturers at this moment

in time.

A set of Users Instructions for the product

is enclosed for your consideration.

In accordance with the Code of Federal

Regulations, we are writing to other

manufacturers of vented heating products

enclosing a copy of this request for waivers.

If you require any further information,

please let me know.

Yours faithfully,

James Rice,

Vice President

[FR Doc. 91-3634 Filed 2-13-91; 8:45 am)

BIWNO CODE 6450-01-U

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 47