## 56FR64609

Federal Register / Vol. 56, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 11, 1991 / 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 the Trane Company (Case No. F-035)

AGENCY : Office of Conservation and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy.
SUMMARY : Today's notice publishes a letter granting an Interim Waiver to The Trans Company (Trane) from the existing Department of Energy (DOE) teat procedures for furnaces regarding blower time delay for Trane's YC (D,H) 036-060 rooftop furnaces. Today's notice also publishes a "Petition for Waiver" from Trane. Trane's Petition for Waiver requests DOE to grant relief from the DOE test procedures relating to the blower time delay specification. Trane seeks to test using a blower delay time of 30 seconds for its YC(D,H) 036-060 rooftop furnaces instead of the specified 1.5-minute delaybetween burner on-time and blower ontime. DOE is soliciting comments, data, and information respecting the Petition for Waiver.

DATE : DOE will accept comments, data, and information not later than January 10,1991.
ADDRESSES : Written comments and statements shall be sent to: Department of Energy, Office of Conservation and Renewable Energy, Case No. F-035, Mail Stop CE-90, Room 6B-025, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW:, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586- 3012.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cyrus H. Nasseri, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Conservation andRenewable Energy, Mail Station CE43, 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-41, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9507.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The Energy ConservationProgram for Consumer Products (other than automobiles) was established pursuant 

### 64609

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. 3266, the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987 (NAECA). Public law 100-I2

, 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 amended the prescribed test procedures by adding 10 CFR 430.27 on September 26,1980, creating the waiver

process

. 45 FR 64108

. Thereafter DOE further amended the 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 the 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 determines that it would be desirable for public policy reasons to grant immediate relief pending a determination on the Petition for Waiver. 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

## 56FR64609

64610 Federal Register I Vol. 56 , No. 238 / Wednesday, December 11, 1991 / Notices

sooner, and may be extended for an additional 180 days, if necessary. On October 11. 1991, Trane filed an Application for an Interim Waiver regarding blower time delay. Trane'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, Trane requests the allowance to test using a 30 -second blower time delay when testing its YC(D,H) 036-iM rooftop furnaces. Trane states that the 30-second delay is indicative of how these furnaces actually operate. Such a delay results in an energy savings of approximately 0.7 percent. Since current DOE test procedures do not address this variable blower time delay, Trane asks that the Interim Waiver be granted. Previous waivers for this type of timed 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 , 55 FR 3253, January 31, 1990, and 55 FR 37521, September 12,1990; Trane Company, 54 FR 19226, May 4, 1989, and 55 FR 41589, October 12, 1990; Lennox Industries, 54 FR 50525, December 7,1989; DMO Industries, 55 FR 4004, February 6, 1990; Heil-Quaker Corporation, 55 FR 13184, April 9, 1990; Carrier Corporation, 55 FR 13182, April 9, 1990; Inter-City Products Corporation, 55 FR 31099, July 31, 1990, and 56 FR 27959, June 18, 1991; Amana Refrigeration Inc., 56 FR 853, January 9, 1991, and 56 FR 29957, July 1, 1991; Armstrong Air Conditioning, Inc., 56 FR 10553, March 13, 1991, and 56 FR 34200, July 26,1991; Snyder General, Corporation, 56 FR 14511, April 10, 1991; Goodman Manufacturing Corporation, 56 FR 20421, May 3, 1991; Thermo Products, Inc., 56 FR 32205, July 15, 1991; and the Ducane Company, 56 FR 45958, September 9, 1991 . Thus, it appears likely that the Petition for Waiver will be granted for blower time delay. 

### 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 Trane an Interim Waiver for its YC(D,H) 036-060 rooftop furnaces. Pursuant to paragraph ( e).of section 430.27 of the Code of Federal Regulations , the following letter granting the Application for Interim Waiver to Trane was issued. Pursuant to paragraph (b) of 10 CFR 430.27, DOE is hereby publishing the "Petition for Waiver" in its entirety.
December 5,1991
Mr. John Leutert

, Engineering Manager. The Trane Company, Guthrie Highway, Clarksville, TN37040 Dear Mr. Leutert: This is in response to your October 11, 1991. Application for Interim Waiver and Petition for Waiver from the Department of Energy (DOE) test procedures for furnaces regarding blower time delay for The Trans Company (Trane) YC(D,H ) 036-060 rooftop furnaces. Previous waivers for this type of timed 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, 55 FR 3253, January 31, 1990, and 55 FR 37521, September 12,1990; Trane Company, 54 FR 19226. May 4, 1989. and 55 FR 41589, October 12,1990; Lennox Industries

, 54 FR 50525 , December 7,1989: DMO Industries, 55 FR 4004, February 6,1990; Heil-Quaker Corporation, 55 FR 13184, April 9, 1990 ; Carrier Corporation, 55 FR 13182, April 9, 1990; Inter-City Products Corporation. 55 FR 31099, July 31,1990, and 56 FR 27959, June 18,1991: Amana Refrigeration Inc., 56 FR 853, January 9, 1991 , and 58 FR 29957, July 1, 1991: Armstrong Air Conditioning, Inc., 58 FR 10553, March 13,1991, and 58 FR 34200, July 26,1991; Snyder General Corporation, 56 FR 14511, April 10, 1991; Goodman Manufacturing Corporation, 56 FR 20421, May 3, 1991; Thermo Products, Inc., 56 FR 32205, July 15,1991; and The Ducane Company, 56 FR 45958

, September 9, 1991. Trane's Application for Interim Waiver does not provide sufficient information to evaluate what, if any

, economic impact or competitive disadvantage Trane will likely experience absent a favorable determination on its application. However, 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, Trane's Application for an Interim Waiver from the DOE test procedures for its YC(D,H) 036-060 rooftop furnaces regarding blower time delay is granted. Trane shall be permitted to test its line of YC(D,H) 036-060 rooftop furnaces on the basis of the test procedures specified in 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 to.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 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 for a period of 160 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. Sincerely, J. Michael Davis, Assistant Secretary, Conservation and Renewable Energy.
October 11, 1M. Mr. Cyrus Nasseri, Assistant Secretary, Conservation and Renewable Energy, Department EN, IOL70Independence A venue, S.W., Washington, DC 20585. Dear Mr. Nasseri: On May 7, 1991 Trane submitted a petition for waiver and interim waiver for Trane YC(D,H) 036-060 Rooftop Furnaces. I am requesting that petition be. disregarded. Trane is requesting approval for a waiver and interim waiver to Title 10 CFR Part 430- 27 to allow a 30 second delay in place of the 1.5 minute delay in the furnace test procedure found in Appendix N to subpart B of part 430. The 1.5 minute delay in the current test procedure allows significant energy loss at startup, thus providing inaccurate comparative data for the product. The current test procedures do not give Trane credit for the energy savings which averages approximately 0.7% on the AFUE test results on the Trane YC(D,H) 036-060 Rooftop Furnaces. Similar waivers for a 30 second delay have been granted to several other manufacturers. Confidential supporting test data is available upon request. I

## 56FR64609

Federal Register / Vol. 58, No. 238 / Wednesday, December 11, 1991 / Notices 64611

Sincerely,
John Leutert, Engineering Manager.

May 7,1991. Assistant Secretary

, Conservation and Renewable Energy. United States Department of Energy, 1000 Independence A venue, S. W Washington, DC 20585.

Gentleman : This petition for waiver and interim waiver is submitted pursuant to Title
10 CFR Part 430.27 . Waiver is requested from
the furnace test procedure found at Appendix N to subpart B of part 430. The test procedure requires a 1.5 minute delay between burner on and blower on. Trane is requesting authorization to use a zero (0) second delay instead of 1.5 minutes. Trane is manufacturing a series of furnaces with a fixed control that activates the blower at the same time the burner comes on. This series includes the YC (D,H) 036-060 rooftop furnaces used for residential

, commercial and industrial installations. Maximum energy efficiency is achieved by the fixed timing controls in the YC (D,H) 036- 060 series

. The current test procedures do not give Trane credit for the energy saving which averages approximately 0.9% on the AFUE test results. The heat exchanger design on the YC (D,H) 036-060 series is such that the heat-up is rapid and the 1.5 minute delay in the current test procedure allows significant energy loss at startup, thus providing inaccurate comparative data. Similar waivers to the timed blower operation have been granted to several other manufacturers . All rooftop manufacturers known to Trane have been notified by letter of our application. Confidential supporting test data is available upon request. - Sincerely. John Leutert, Engineering Manager.

[FR Doc. 91-29617 Filed 12

- 10-91 : & 45 am)
BILLING CODE $4504H- M