VOL' 47

S-2 Tuesday

No. 41 had March 2, 1982

Pap" •749- 75

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 12
Federal Registw I VoL 47, No. 4f f Ttteedhy, March 2. 19E2 f Noticed

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Conservation and Renewable

Energy

Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products; Petition for

Waiver of Furnaces Test Procedures

From Lennox Industries, Inc.

No. F-OWI -

AGENCY: Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, DOE

ACTIWt Petition for waiver of test

procedures.

Consumer Products (other than -

automobiles) was established pursuant

to the Energy Policy and Conservation

Act (SPCA), Pub. L, 94-10& 89 Stat 917,

as amended by the National Energy

Conservation Policy Act (NECPA), Pub.

L 95-819, 92 Stat. 3288, 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 1o CFR 430.27,

Petitions for Waiver, to allow the

Assistant Secretary for Conservation

and Renewable Energy temporarily to

waive test procedures for a particular

basic model. 45 FR 84108 (September 20,

1980). Waivers may be granted when

one or more design characteristics of a

basic model either prevent testing of the

basic model according to the prescribed

test procedures or lead to results so

unrepresentative of the model's true

SUMMARY Today's notice publishes a energy consumption as to provide data

"Petition for Waiver" from Lennox materially inaccurate comparative data.

Industries, Inc., requesting a waiver Lennox Industries

, Inc., filed a Petition from the existing Department of Energy for Waiver from the DOE test

(DOE) test procedures for furnaces. The procedures for furnaces. Specifically, the

petition requests DOE to grant relief petitioner believes that the use of the

from the test procedure requirements existing furnace test procedure will lead

relating to the determination of the to results that provide materially

efficiency improvement attributable to inaccurate comparative data when these the condensing of flue gases. DOE is test procedures are applied to the model soliciting comments, data and- G14 pulse combustion furnace line information respecting .the petition. manufactured by Lennox Industries, Inc.

DATE: DOE will accept comments, data, The Lennox petition seeks a waiver

and information not later than April 14 from the DOE test method basing 1982.

condensation calculations on the

ADD.tESSES: Written comments and average flue gas temperature . Lennox

statements shall be sent to: Department contends that its model G14 furnace line

of Energy. Office of Conservation and condenses more of the water vapor than

Renewable Energy, Case No. F-004. Mail the DOE test method predicts. The

Stop CE-113.1, Forrestal Building, 1000 discrepancy is on the order of a I or 2

Independence Avenue, SW, percentage points of efficiency. The'

Washington, DC 20585. . company believes its model G14

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CQNTACY Furnaces are the first warm air furnaces

James A. Smith. U.S. Department of in the marketplace with 92 to 95 percent

Energy. Office of Conservation and energy efficiency levels and represent

Renewable Energy, Mail Stop CE-113.1, significant improvements over existing

Forrestal Building. 1000 Independence furnace efficiency levels.

Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20585, Lennox requests the option to use the

Avenue. SW, Washington. DC 20585 . Procedures for Estimating the Seasonal

Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence

U.S. Department of Energy , Office of

General Counsel. Room 8B-128,

(202) 252-9127. Eugene Margolis, Esq..

(202) 252-9510 Performance of Residential Condensing

SUPPLEMENTARY wFORMATtoof; . , . " Furnaces and Boilers, to determine the

Backgcouoth energy efficiency of its model G14

Furnace line. Lennox contends that the

The Energy Conservation Program for ' alternate test method is of sufficient

condensate measuring method set forth

In Appendix C of National Bureau of

Standards Interagency Report 80-2114

Recommended Testing and Calculation

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 12
Federal Resister / Vol. 47, No. 41 / Tuesday, March 2, 1982 / Notices 8813

reliability to permit in4houn testing by

manufacturers.

Pursuant to paragraph (b) of f$ CFR

430.27. DOE is hereby publishing the

"Petition for Waiver." DOE solicits

comments, data, and information

respecting the petition, particularly the

request to.permit in-house testing.

issued in Washington, D.C., February 22,

1982.'

Joseph 1. Tribble,

Assistant cue ary, Conservation and

Renewable Energy.

October 9, 1981.

1. Petition for Waiver

Gentlemen: In accordance with 10 CFR

430.27, this is a petition for waiver from the

test procedure specified in 10 CFR Part 430,

Subpart B, Appendix N, as amended August

12, 1980. Lennox Industries Inc. has

developed and is planning to market a line of

pulse combustion, condensing, gas-fired,

warm air furnaces that fall within the scope.

of 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B. Appendix N.

Inasmuch as a furnaces manufacturer may

not make any energy efficiency

representations on furnaces unless they are

based on the results of the Appendix N tests,

and the Appendix N tests do not give full '

credit for the efficiency increase due to latent

beat recovery, we submit this petition.

2. General Description of Petitioner's

Business

Lennox industries Inc., a U.S. corporation.

has been a major manufacturer of both

residential and commercial heating

applicances for more than 85 years and has

now developed a line of high efficiency, gasfired warm air furnaces which operate on the

principle of pulse combustion that will

condense a portion of the water vapor in the

flue products. These furnaces will be

manufactured in five input sizes, from 40.000

British thermal units per hour (Btuh) to

130,000 Btuh, and will be marketed in the U.S.

beginning in November 1981, under the model

designation "G14" and the Lennox brand

name.

A Lennox Model G14 Pulse Combustion

Furnace Principles of Operations

The model G14 furnace uses a pulse

combustion burner coupled with a heat

exchanger that allows the flue gas to be

cooled below its dew point. thus recovering a

portion of the latent beat of the water vapor

in the flue products. This enables the furnace

to operate at steady state efficiency levels in

excess of 90% as determined by the existing

Appendix N tests performed at the Lennox

laboratory.

The principles of operation of the Lennox'

C14 pulse combustion furnace are very .

similar to the Hydrothenn. Inc. Hydro-Pulse

Tr boiler, which was granted a similar waiver

of test procedure by the DOE on July 2, 1901.

4. DOE Test Dos Net Adequately Measure

..Lennox recogalses tint 34 CM Pad 43(1..

amended on August 12, 1980, does account 2. SIC Corp . 206 Woodford avenue , Elyria.

for condensation of water vapor in the flue Ohio 44035 : Furnace manufacturer,

has of a furnace. but can prove that the If additional information is required.

Lennox model G14 Furnace condenses more contact Jim Mullen or Hal Rhea of Lennox

of the water vapor than the DOE test method R&D.

predicts. This discrepancy is on the order of Respectfully,

one or two percentage points of efficiency , Lennox Industries Inc.

and is due to the DOE test method basing R. L Stephens.

condensation cal l ca aeons on average ue the fl

Vice PnesidenL gas temperature.

s DOE Test Is Unfair to the General Public

Ira roc. 52-5553 yard 5-1-52 s4$ .ml

mind the Petitioner

SUMO CODE saaaer-u

The new Lennox model G14 is expected to

be the first warm air furnace in the [Cue No. DW-0021

marketplace with 92% to 95% energy

efficiency levels (depending on input size), Energy Conservation Program for

and represents a significant improvement Consumer Products; Petition for

over the existing furnace efficiency levels.

In Waiver o'f Dishwasher. Test Procedures order to persuade the consumer to spend the From General Electric Co.

additional dollars fora more efficient furnace

rather than a lesser expensive-lesser efficient AGENCY: Office of Conservation and

model, Lennox believes it is vital

to be able Renewable Energy, DOE. to accurately represent the full energy

efficiency of the model G14. The energy ACTION Petition for waiver of test

efficiency of a high efficiency furnace will procedures.

have a major impact on the fuel usage,'.'

operating cost. and the economic justification SUMMARY: Today's notice publishes a

of the purchase of a furnace of this type. If .'Petition for Waiver" from General

Lennox is not allowed to accurately represent Electric Company requesting a waiver

the energy efficiency of the model G14, we from the existing Department of Energy

will be placed at a competitive disadvantage

(DOE) test procedures for dishwashers. and suffer economic hardshipain recovering )

the substantial costs incurred in the G14 The petition requests DOE to grant relief

development. Failure to grant this petition from the test procedure requirements

would also tend to discourage the future relating to the calculation of per-cycle

development of high efficiency models by all energy consumption for General

manufacturers of these appliances' Electric's dishwashers designed to

$. Proposed Alternate Test Method operate with inlet water at a

The condensate measuring method outlined '

temperature of 120°F. Further, General

in Appendix C of NBSIR 80-2110, Electric requested confidential

Recommended Testing and Calculation treatment of information contained in

Procedures for Estimating the Seasonal the petition. DOE is soliciting comments,

Performance of Residential Condensing data and information respecting the

Furnaces and Boilers, will result in a more . petition.

accurate representation of the true energy DATES

: DOE will accept comments, data, efficiency of the model G14 furnace line.

Therefore, this petition requests that Lennox and information not later than April 1,

be allowed the option to use the NBSIR 80 - 1962. . •

2110 method. in addition to the tests specified ADDRESSES: Written comments and

in 10 CFR Part 430. to determine the energy statements shall be sent to: Department

efficiency of the model G14 furnace line. This of Energy, Office of Conservation and

is the same method of test granted to

Hydrotherm. Inc. on July 2. 1981 , with the Renewable Energy. Case No . DW-002,

exception that Lennox recommends that the Mail Stop CE -113.1, Forrestal Building,

modified test method I. of sufficient ' 1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,

reliability to permit in-house testing by Washington, D.C. 20585.

manufacturers. when those manufacturers

have their own test facilities.

7. Public Policy • .

.The granting of this waiver will serve to

further the nation's energy conservation

policy by encouraging the consumer to buy

and use more efficient appliances and by

encouraging manufacturers to continue to

develop high efficiency heating appliances.

S. Other Manufacturers - Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence

It is our belief that two other manufacturers Avenue, SW., Washington. D.C. 20585,

market basic models of furnaces or boilers In (202) 252-9510.

the United States that operate in the

condensing mode._These manufacturer are SUPPLEMENTARY NFORMATIOH

1. Hydrotherm. Inc., Rockland Avenue • . BaCkgtround ..

Northvale, New Jersey 07847; Boiler

manufacturer. ' The Energy Conservation Program for

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

James A. Smith. U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Mail Stop CE-113.1,

Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence

Avenue, SW" Washington, D.C. 20585,

(202) 252-9127. Eugene Margolis, Esq.,

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of

General Counsel, Room 6B-128,

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 12