EE-RM-TP-97-440 COMMENT 07C

J 

u.s. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER TEST PROCEDURES PUBLIC HEARING 

PRELIMINARY AGENDA 

LOCATION OF PUBLIC HEARING: FORREST AL BUILDING 

DATE AND TIME: 

1000 INDEPENDENCE AVENUE, SW 

ROOM lE-245 

WASHINGTON, DC 20585 

TELEPHONE: 202-586-9127 

TELEFAX: 202-586-4617 

THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2001 

9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. 

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING PUBLIC HEARING 

Objective of Hearing 

9:00 a.m. to 9:05 a.m. 

9:05 to 9: 15 a.m. 

The objective of the public hearing is to gather views on the 

proposed test procedure before the Department issues a Final Rule. 

Opening Remarks and Introductions 

Agenda review and overview 

9: 15 a.m. to 11 :00 a.m. 

Proposed changes on how to test and rate specific types of equipment 

- Non-defrost heat pumps: opinions on the three options described in Section 

lILA.3 of the NOPR preamble 

- Heat pumps that incorporate a heat comfort controller 

* Validity of calculation algorithm 

* Applicability of algorithm to equipment types 

- Small-duct, high velocity air conditioners and heat pumps 

* Proposed test procedure changes (new definition and test as coil only) 

* Alternative options? 

- Two-capacity (two-stage) heat pumps that operate using low-capacity (first stage) 

when cooling and use both capacity levels (stages) when heating: better defined. 

11 :00 a.m. to 11: 15 a.m. Break 

11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. 

Proposed changes/additions for testing 

- Variable-speed, constant CFM blowers 

* Steady-state tests 

• Correction to minimum static 
EE-RM-TP-97-440 COMMENT 07C

• Drop requirement for 8% agreement with certified SCFM? 

* Cyclic tests 

- Single-packaged units: invoking a dew point requirement 

- Air volume rate used when testing a coil-only, two-capacity unit at low capacity 

- Lab installation guidelines 

* Proposed changes seek to prevent the specification of a charging criteria 

that only applies for lab testing 

* Proposed changes seek to prevent an independent test lab from having to 

consult with the manufacturer on refrigerant charging procedure 

* Are additional guidelines needed to improve consistency among lab 

installation practices (e.g., prewashing coils, run-in times on compressors, 

disabling of crankcase heaters, etc.) 

12: 15 p.m. to 1: 15 p.m. Lunch (on your own) 

1 :15 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

Are further changes needed? 

- differentiate between two-capacity units that transition from low to high capacity 

(and vice versa) on-the-fly versus units that must shut down for some finite time 

interval? 

- test method for non-ducted equipment (mini-splits and multi-splits) 

- others? 

2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

Efforts to seek new defaults for the cooling and heating mode cyclic degradation 

coefficients (CD'S) 

2:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. 

Are any test procedure changes expected to negatively impact a unit's ability to meet the 

existing NAECA standards? If so, are the changes justified or should they be delayed? 

2:45 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Break 

WORKSHOP ON OTHER TEST PROCEDURE ISSUES 

Discussion of issues that will not affect this revision of the DOE test procedure. 

3:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. 

Should changes be incorporated into the test procedure that encourage the use of devices 

(e.g., thermostatic expansion valves) that help compensate for an incorrect refrigerant 

charging and insufficient indoor coil air volume rate problems in field installations? 

3:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. 

Should DOE pursue having one standard alternative method for rating untested splitsystem combinations? 

4:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.