### 16146 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 65 / Friday, April 4, 1997 / Notices

Property owned by Rockwell International Corporation: Building 028, at the Energy Technology Engineering Center, located in a portion of Tract "A" of Rancho Simi, in the County of Ventura, State of California, as per map recorded in Book 3, Page 7 of Miscellaneous Records of Ventura County. Certification: Dated: January 23, 1997. Roger Liddle,

Director, ERD.
[FR Doc. 97-8640 Filed 4-3-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P Renewable Energy, Mail Station EE-43, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20585- 0121, (202) 586-9138, or Mr. Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General Counsel, Mail Station GC-72, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20585-0103, (202)
586-9507.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products (other than Section 430.27 (g). An Interim Waiver remains in effect for a period of 180 days or until DOE issues its
determination on the Petition for Waiver, whichever is sooner, and may be extended for an additional 180 days, if necessary. On January 29, 1997, Rheem filed an Application for Interim Waiver and a Petition for 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 20-second blower time delay when testing its GFD upflow residential, modulating type, gas-fired furnaces. Rheem states that the 20-second delay is indicative of how these furnaces actually operate. Such a delay results in an average of approximately 2.0 percent increase in
AFUE. Since current DOE test procedures do not address this variable blower time delay, Rheem asks that the Interim Waiver be granted. The Department has published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on August 23, 1993, (58 FR 44583) to amend the furnace test procedure,
which addresses the above issue. Previous Petitions for Waiver for this type of time blower delay control have been granted by DOE to 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, 56 FR 2920, January 25, 1991, 57 FR 10166, March 24, 1992, 57 FR 34560, August 5, 1992; 59 FR 30577, June 14, 1994, and 59 FR 55470, November 7, 1994; Trane Company, 54 FR 19226, May 4, 1989, 56 FR 6021, February 14, 1991, 57 FR 10167, March 24, 1992, 57 FR 22222, May 27, 1992, 58 FR 68138, December 23, 1993, and 60 FR 62835, December 7, 1995; Lennox Industries, 55 FR 50224, December 5, 1990, 57 FR 49700, November 3, 1992, 58 FR 68136, December 23, 1993, and 58 FR 68137, December 23, 1993; Inter-City Products Corporation, 55 FR 51487, December 14, 1990, 56 FR 63945, December 6, 1991 and 61 FR 27057, May 30, 1996; DMO Industries, 56 FR 4622, February 5, 1991, and 59 FR 30579, June 14, 1994; Heil-Quaker Corporation, 56 FR 6019, February 14, 1991; Carrier Corporation, 56 FR 6018, February 14, 1991, 57 FR 38830, August 27, 1992, 58 FR 68131, December 23, 1993, 58 FR 68133, December 23, 1993, 59 FR 14394, March 28, 1994, and 60 FR 62832, December 7, 1995; Amana Refrigeration Inc., 56 FR 27958, June 18, 1991, 56 FR 63940, December 6, 1991, 57 FR 23392, June 3, automobiles) was established pursuant



### Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

[Case No. F-089]

Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Granting of the Application for Interim Waiver and Publishing of the Petition for Waiver of Rheem Manufacturing Company From
the DOE Furnace Test Procedure

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy.

ACTION : Notice.

SUMMARY : Today's notice grants an Interim Waiver to Rheem Manufacturing Company (Rheem) from the existing Department of Energy (DOE or Department) test procedure regarding blower time delay for the company's GFD upflow residential, modulating type, gas-fired 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 furnace test procedure relating to the blower time delay specification. Rheem seeks to test using a blower delay time of 20 seconds for its GFD upflow residential, modulating type, gas-fired furnaces instead of the specified 1.5- minute delay between burner on-time and blower on-time. The Department is soliciting comments, data, and information respecting the Petition for
Waiver.

DATES : DOE will accept comments, data, and information not later than May 5,
1997.

ADDRESSES : Written comments and statements shall be sent to: Department of Energy, Office of Codes and Standards, Case No. F-089, Mail Stop EE-43, Room 1J-018, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20585-0121, (202)
586-7140.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Cyrus H. Nasseri, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended, (EPCA) 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 Title 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B. The Department amended the test procedure rules to provide for a waiver process by adding Section 430.27 to Title 10 CFR Part 430. 45 FR 64108, September 26, 1980. Subsequently, DOE amended the waiver process to allow the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency 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. Title 10 CFR Part 430, Section 430.27(a)(2). 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 the waiver. An Interim Waiver will be granted if 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. Title 10 CFR Part 430,

### Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 65 / Friday, April 4, 1997 / Notices 16147

1992, and 58 FR 68130, December 23, 1993; Snyder General Corporation, 56 FR 54960, September 9, 1991; Goodman Manufacturing Corporation, 56 FR 51713, October 15, 1991, 57 FR 27970, June 23, 1992, 59 FR 12586, March 17, 1994 and 61 FR 17289, April 19, 1996; The Ducane Company Inc., 56 FR 63943, December 6, 1991, 57 FR 10163, March 24, 1992, and 58 FR 68134, December 23, 1993; Armstrong Air Conditioning, Inc., 57 FR 899, January 9, 1992, 57 FR 10160, March 24, 1992, 57 FR 10161, March 24, 1992, 57 FR 39193, August 28, 1992, 57 FR 54230, November 17, 1992, and 59 FR 30575, June 14, 1994; Thermo Products, Inc., 57 FR 903, January 9, 1992, and 61 FR 17887, April 23, 1996; Consolidated Industries Corporation, 57 FR 22220, May 27, 1992, and 61 FR 4262, February 5, 1996; Evcon Industries, Inc., 57 FR 47847, October 20, 1992, and 59 FR 46968, September 13, 1994; Bard Manufacturing Company, 57 FR 53733, November 12, 1992, 59 FR 30578, June 14, 1994, and 61 FR 50812, September 27, 1996; and York International Corporation, 59 FR 46969, September 13, 1994, 60 FR 100, January 3, 1995, 60 FR 62834, December 7, 1995, and 60 FR 62837, December 7, 1995. Thus, it appears likely that this
Petition for Waiver for blower time delay will be granted. 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 Rheem an Interim Waiver for its GFD upflow residential, modulating type, gas-fired furnaces. Rheem shall be permitted to test its GFD upflow residential, modulating type, gas-fired
furnaces on the basis of the test procedures specified in Title 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B, Appendix N, with
the modification set forth below: (I) Section 3.0 in Appendix N is deleted and replaced with the following paragraph: 3.0 Test Procedure. Testing and measurements shall be as specified in
Section 9 in ANSI/ASHRAE 103-82 with the exception of Sections 9.2.2, 9.3.1, and 9.3.2, and the inclusion of the following additional procedures: 

### (II) Add a new paragraph 3.10 in Appendix N as follows:
3.10 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; or (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 within ± 0.01 inch of water
column 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 removed 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 or until DOE acts on the Petition for Waiver, whichever is sooner, and may be extended for an additional 180-day period, if necessary.
Rheem's Petition for Waiver requests DOE to grant relief from the DOE furnace test procedure relating to the blower time delay specification. Rheem seeks to test using a blower delay time of 20 seconds for its GFD upflow residential, modulating type, gas-fired furnaces instead of the specified 1.5- minute delay between burner on-time
and blower on-time. Pursuant to paragraph (b) of Title 10 CFR Part 430.27, DOE is hereby publishing the "Petition for Waiver" in its entirety. The
Petition contains no confidential information. The Department solicits comments, data, and information respecting the Petition.

Issued in Washington, DC, on March 31,

1997.
Christine A. Ervin,

Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

January 29, 1997.
Mr. Cyrus Nasseri, Assistant Secretary, Conservation and Renewable Energy, United States Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington,
DC 20585. Dear Mr. Nasseri: This is a petition for waiver and application for interim waiver submitted pursuant to title 10 CFR Part 430.27. Waiver is requested from the furnace test procedure as prescribed in appendix N to Subpart B of Part 430. The test procedure requires a 1.5 minute delay between burner and blower start-up. Rheem is requesting authorization to use a 20 second delay instead of 1.5 minutes for our series (-)GFD upflow residential, modulating type gas-fired
furnace. Rheem will be manufacturing these appliances with an electronic device that controls the blower operation on a timing sequence as opposed to temperature. Improved energy efficiency is achieved by reducing on cycle losses. Under the Appendix N procedures, the stack temperature is allowed to climb at a faster

rate than it would with a 12 second blower on time, allowing energy to be lost out of 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. The current test procedures do not give Rheem credit for the energy savings which averages approximately 2% Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE). This improvement is an average reduction of 20% of the normal on cycle energy losses. Rheem is of the opinion that a 20% reduction is a worthwhile energy savings. Rheem has been granted previous waivers regarding blower on time to be used in the efficiency calculations for our (-)GEP, (-)GKA, (-)GRA, (-)GSA and (-)GTA series condensing furnaces and/or (-)GDE, (-)GLE, (-)GDG, (-)GLG, (-)GPH, (-)GLH, (-)GVH, and (-)GVG
series furnaces. Several other manufacturers of gas furnaces have also been granted a waiver to permit calculations based on timed blower operation. Also, ASHRAE Standard 103-1993, paragraph 9.5.1.2.2 specifically
addresses the use of a timed blower operation. Confidential and 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 J. Canclini,
Vice-President, Product Development and
Research Engineering. bcc: B.A. Cook, K. W. Kleman, R. W. Willis

[FR Doc. 97-8637 Filed 4-3-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P



### State Energy Advisory Board, Open Meeting

Pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public Law 92-463; 86 Stat. 770), notice is hereby given of the following meeting: