13182

55FR13182

Federal Register / Vol. 55, No. 68 / Monday, April 9, 1990 / Notices

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

Carrier Corporation (F-022)

AGENCY: Conservation and Renewable

Energy Office, Department of Energy.

SUMMARY: Today's notice publsihes a

letter granting an Interim Waiver to

Carrier Corporation (Carrier) from the

existing Department of Energy (DOE)

test procedures for furnaces regarding

blower time delay for Carrier's line of

58SSC/395C, 58PAV/383K, 58DHC/

376C, 58RAV/373L induced draft

furnaces and 58SXA/398A. 58DX/399A

induced draft condensing furnaces.

Today's notice also publishes a

"Petition for Waiver" from Carrier.

Carrier's Petition for Waiver requests

DOE to grant relief from the DOE test

procedures relating to the blower time

delay specification. Carrier seeks to test

using a blower delay time of 66 seconds

for 58SSC1395C, 58PAV/383K, 58DHC/

376C induced draft furnaces and 60

seconds for 58SXA/398A, 58DX/399A

inducted draft condensing furnaces

instead of the specified 1.5 minute delay

between burner on-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 May 9,

1990.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and

statements shall be sent to: Department

of Energy, Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Case No. F-022, Mail

Shop 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 GG-12, Forrestal

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. 3286, 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 26, 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 requirement 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,

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 36
55FR1 3182

Federal Register / Vol. 55, No. 68 / Monday, April 9, 1990 / Notices

determined that it would be desirable

for public policy reasons to grant

immediate relief pending a

determination on the petition for waiver.

On January 29,1990, Carrier filed an

Application for an Interim Waiver

regarding blower time delay. Carrier'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,

Carrier's requests the allowance to test

using a 66 second blower time delay

when testing its'58SSC/395C, 58PAV/

383K, 58DHC/376C, 58RAV/373L

induced draft furnaces and 60 second

blower time delay when testing its

58SXA/398A, 58DX/399A induced draft

condensing furnaces. Carrier states that

the 66 second, and 60 second delay,

respectively are indicative of how these

furnaces actually operate. Such a delay

results in an energy savings of

approximately 0.4 and 0.7 percent,

respectively. Since current DOE test

procedures do not address this variable

blower time delay, Carrier 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, 54TR 19226, May 4, 1989.

Thus, it appears likely that the Petition

for Waiver will be granted for blower

time delay.

The Department finds that it would be

desirable for public policy reasons to

grant Carrier'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.

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 Carrier Corporation.

Issued in Washington, DC, March 29. 19W.

J. Michael Davis,

AssistantSecretars: Conservation and

Renewable Energy.

Department of Energy

March 29, 19W.

Mr. Edward A Bally, Vice President

Carrier Corporation, P.O. Box 4808, Carrier

Park, Syracuse. NY 13221.

Dear Mr. Bally: This is in response to your

January 29, 1990, Application for Interim

Waiver and Petition for Waiver from the

Department of Energy (DOE) test procedures

for furnaces when testing Carrier Corporation

58SSC/395C, 58PAV/ 383K, 58DHC/376C,

58RAV/373Linduced draft furnaces and

58SY,A/398A, 58DX/399A induced draft

condensing 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 That

procedures appear in the Code of Federal

Regulations at 10 CFR part 430, subpart B.

DOE amended the test procedure

regulations on September 26, 19W [45 FR

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

by adding paragraph 43027. 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.

Carrier's Application for Interim Waiver

does not provide sufficient information for

the Department of evaluate what, if any,

economic impact or competitive disadvantage

Carrier will likely experience absent a

favorable determination on the application

for interim waiver. Carrier feels that its

competitive position in the marketplace

would be compromised if this Application for

13183

Interim Waiver is not granted. However, the

Department finds that it would be desirable

for public policy reasons to grant Carrier'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, Carrier's Application for an

Interim Waiver requesting a change from the

DOE test procedures for its 58SSC/395C,

58PAV/383K, 58DHC/376C, 58R.AV/373L

induced draft furnaces and 58SXA/398A,

58DX/399A induced draft condensing

furnaces regarding blower time delay is

granted.

Carrier shall be permitted to test its line of

58SSC/395C, 58PAV/383K, 58DHC/376C,

58RAV/373L induced draft furnaces and

58SXA/398A, 58DX/399A induced draft

condensing furnaces on the basis of the test

procedures specified in 10 CFR part 430, with

the modification 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, 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 oil-fueled

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 Carrier's Petition for

Waiver.

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 36
55FR13182

13184 Federal Register / Vol. 55, No. 68 / Monday, April 9, 1990 / Notices

Sincerely,

1. Michael Davis, P.E.

Assistant Secretary. Conservation and

Renewable Energy.

January 29,1990.

The Assistant Secretary for Conservation and

Renewable Energy,

United States Department of Energy, 10170

Independence Avenue, SW., Washington,

DC 20585.

Gentlemen:

Subject: Petition for Waiver And Application

For Interim Waiver

This is a Petition for Waiver and

Application for Interim Waiver which are

submitted pursuant to title 10 CFR 430.27 as

amended November 14,1986. Waiver is

requested from Test Procedures for

Measuring the Energy Consumption of

Furnaces found in appendix N to subpart B of

part 430.

Under the existing Test Procedure, a 1.5

minute time delay between burner and

blower startup is required. Carrier requests a

waiver from the specified 1.5 minute delay. in

its place, we request the use of a 86 second

delay on Carrier's line of 58SSC/395C,

58PAV/383K, 58DHC1376C, and 5BRAV/373L

induced draft mid-efficiency furnaces.

We are also requesting the use of a 60

second delay on our line of 58SXA/398A and

58DX/399A induced draft condensing

furnaces.

The time delays in both lines of equipment

are fixed within the furnace control, and

cannot be adjusted by the installer or

servicer. -

The current test procedures do not credit

Carrier for the energy savings associated

with the shorter blower time delays. Test

data on our mid-efficiency furnaces show a

5% decrease in the heat-up cycle energy loss

when using the 66 second delay, resulting in

an increase in AFUE of approximately 0.4

AFUE points.

Test data on our condensing furnaces show

a similar decrease in the heat-up cycle energy

loss. When you include the increased amount

of condensate formed during the condensate

cyclic test, the AFUE increases by

approximately 0.7 AFUE points. Confidential

supporting test data is available upon

request.

Carrier is confident that a waiver will be

granted for public policy reasons in the light

of previous rulings in which DOE granted

waivers of this type to the Coleman

Company, Magic Chef Company, Rheem

Manufacturing, and the Trane Company. In

addition, an interim waiver of this type was

recently granted to Lennox Industries. Lastly,

the proposed ASHRAE Standard 103-88

allows the use of non-adjustable blower ondelays in place of the specified 9o seconds.

Both DOE and NIST were instrumental in the

development of Standard 103-88, and

suggested it be included so as to address

furnaces with fixed blower on-delays.

Respectfully,

Edward A. Baily,

Vice President, Government &Industry

Relations, North American Operations.

[FR Doc. 90-8114 Filed 4-8-90; 8:45 am]

HILLiNG CODE 6450-01-M

Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products; Application for

interim Waiver and Petition for Waiver

of Furnace Test Procedures From HeilOuaker Corporation (F-021)

AGENCY: Conservation and Renewable

Energy Office, Department of Energy.

SUMMARY: Today's notice publishes a

letter granting an Interim Waiver to

Heil-Quaker Corporation (Heil-Quaker)

from the existing Department of Energy

(DOE) test procedures for furnaces

regarding blower time delay for HeilQuaker's series NUGK(-), NDGK(+),

NUGS(-) condensing gas furnaces and

NUGE(-), NDGE(-) induced draft gas

furnaces.

Today's notice also publishes a

"Petition for Waiver" from Heil-Quaker.

Heil-Quaker's Petition for Waiver

requests DOE to grant relief from the

DOE test procedures relating to the

blower time delay specification. HeilQuaker seeks to test using a blower

delay time of 30 seconds 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 May 9,

1990.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and

statements shall be sent to: Department

of Energy, Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Case No. F--021, 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 CF,

132, 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

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, 69 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 26,1980, 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 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 Secrete*.

determined that it would be desirable

for public policy reasons to grant

immediate relief pending a

determination on the petition for waiver

On January 4,1990, Heil-Quaker filed

an Application for an Interim Waiver

regarding blower time delay. HeilQuaker'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, Heil-Quaker's requests the

allowance to test using a 30 second

blower time delay when testing its

series NUGK(-), NDGK(+), NUGS(-)

r

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 36