Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 20 / Tuesday, January 30, 1996 / Notices

Gentlemen: This is a Petition for Waiver

and Application for Interim Waiver which

are submitted pursuant to Title 10 CFR

430.27. Waiver is requested from Test

Procedures for Measuring the Energy

Consumption of Furnace found in Appendix

N to Subpart B of Part 430.

The test procedure requires a 1.5 minute

delay between burner and blower start-up.

Thermo Products requests a waiver from the

specified 1.5 minute delay and requests

approval to use a 45-second delay for our

Series CHA- upflow and CCA- downflow

condensing type residential gas fired

furnaces.

An electronic fan control is being used on

these products that incorporate a fixed

timing.

Current test procedures do not credit

Thermo Products for the energy savings

associated with the shorter blower timing.

The shorter timed on fan delay reduces flue

losses therefor increasing furnace efficiency.

Test data for these furnaces utilizing a 45-

second timing indicates an increase in AFUE

up to 2%. Confidential supporting test data

is available upon request.

Thermo Products is confident that this

Waiver will be granted, as several other

manufacturers of gas furnaces received DOE

granted waivers such as Carrier, Lennox

Industries, Inter-City Products, Amana,

Rheem Manufacturing and others based on

timed blower operation.

Manufacturers that domestically market

similar products are being sent a copy of this

Petition for Waiver and Application for

Interim Waiver.

Sincerely,

Everett E. James,

Director of Engineering.

[FR Doc. 96-1728 Filed 1-29-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P

[Case No. F-084]

Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products : Granting of the

Application for Interim Waiver and

Publishing of the Petition for Waiver of

Goodman 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 Goodman

Manufacturing Company (Goodman)

from the existing Department of Energy

(DOE or Department) test procedure

regarding blower time delay for the

company's GSU series central furnaces.

Today's notice also publishes a

"Petition for Waiver" from Goodman.

Goodman's Petition for Waiver requests

DOE to grant relief from the DOE

furnace test procedure relating to the

blower time delay specification.

Goodman seeks to test using a blower

delay time of 30 seconds for its GSU

series central 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 February

29, 1996.

ADDRESSES : Written comments and

statements shall be sent to: Department

of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency

and Renewable Energy, Case No. F-084,

Mail Stop EE-43, Room 1J-108,

Forestall Building, 1000 Independence

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

(202) 586-7140.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cyrus H. Nasseri, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency

and Renewable Energy, Mail Station

EE-431, Forestall Building, 1000

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, D. C. 20585-0121, (202)

586-9138

Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department

of Energy, Office of General Counsel,

Mail Station GC-72, Forestall

Building, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW., Washington, D.C. 20585-0103,

(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, 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

3025

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,

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 July 19, 1995, Goodman filed an

Application for Interim Waiver and a

Petition for Waiver regarding blower

time delay. Goodman'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, Goodman requests the

allowance to test using a 30-second

blower time delay when testing its GSU

series central furnaces. Goodman states

that the 30-second delay is indicative of

how these furnaces actually operate.

Such a delay results in an increase in

AFUE of 1.0 percentage point. Since

current DOE test procedures do not

address this variable blower time delay,

Goodman 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

 CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 138
3026 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 20 / Tuesday, January 30, 1996 / Notices

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, and 56 FR 63945, December 6,

1991; 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, 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 and

59 FR 12586, March 17, 1994; 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; Consolidated Industries

Corporation, 57 FR 22220, May 27,

1992; 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, and 59 FR 30578,

June 14, 1994; 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 Goodman an Interim Waiver for

its GSU series condensing furnaces.

Goodman shall be permitted to test its

GSU series condensing 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.

Goodman's Petition for Waiver

requests DOE to grant relief from the

DOE furnace test procedure relating to

the blower time delay specification.

Goodman seeks to test using a blower

delay time of 30 seconds for its GSU

series condensing 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.

Christine A. Ervin,

Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy.

July 19, 1995.

Assistant Secretary, Conservation and

Renewable Energy,

United States Department of Energy, 1000

Independence Ave., SW., Washington,

DC 20585

Re: Petition for Waiver and Application for

Interim Waiver

Gentlemen: This is a Petition for Waiver

and Application for Interim Waiver

submitted pursuant to Title 10 CFR 430.27.

Waiver is requested from the test procedure

for measuring Furnace Energy Consumption

as found in Appendix H to Subpart B of 430.

The current test procedure requires a 1.5

minute delay between burner ignition and

the start of the circulating air blower.

Goodman Manufacturing Co., L.P. is

requesting waiver and authorization to use a

30 second delay instead of the specified 1.5

minutes for the blower to start after main

burner ignition. Goodman Manufacturing

intends to use a fixed timing control on our

GSU series central furnaces to gain additional

energy savings that are achieved with the use

of shorter blower on times.

Test data for these furnaces with a 30

second day delay indicated an increase in

AFUE of 1.0 percentage point. The use of a

30 second delay reduces the appliance flue

losses and therefore increases the furnace

efficiency. Copies of confidential test data

confirming this energy savings will be

provided to you at your request.

The current test procedure does not give

Goodman Manufacturing credit for energy

savings that can be obtained using fixed

blower timings. The proposed ASHRAE 103-

1988 that is under consideration by D.O.E.

addresses the use of timed blower operation.

Goodman Manufacturing is confident that

this Waiver will be granted, and therefore we

request an Interim Waiver be granted until a

final ruling is made. Goodman, as well as

other manufacturers of domestic furnaces.

have been granted similar waivers.

Manufacturers that domestically market

similar products have been sent a copy of

this Petition for Waiver and Application for

Interim Waiver.

Sincerely,

Peter H. Alexander,

Executive Vice President.

[FR Doc. 96-1729 Filed 1-29-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P9

Office of Energy Research

Energy Research Financial Assistance

Program Notice 96-06 : Global Change

Integrated Assessment Research

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).

 CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 138