56FR6022

6022 Federal Register / Vol. 56, No. 31 / Thursday, February 14, 1991 / Notices

[Case No. DH-0021

Energy Conservation Program for

Consumer Products; Petition for

Waiver of Vented Home Heating

Equipment Test Procedures From

Valor inc.

AGENCY: Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Department of

Energy.

SUMMARY: Today's notice publishes a

"Petition for Waiver" from Valor

Incorporated (Valor), requesting a

waiver from the existing Department of

Energy (DOE) test procedures for vented

home heating equipment. Valor requests

that DOE grant relief from the DOE test

procedures relating to the use of pilot

light energy consumption in the

calculation of Annual Fuel Utilization

Efficiency (AFUE), and the calculation

of steady state efficiency of its VN-32

model vented heater. Valor claims that

while the VN-32 is capable of being

tested in accordance with the DOE

vented home heating equipment test

procedure, the test procedure does not

give a true representation of the VN-32

vented heater's efficiency. DOE is

soliciting comments, data, and

information,respecting the Petition for

Waiver.

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 51
56FR6022

Federal Register / Vol. 56, No. 31 / Thursday, February 14, 1991 / Notices

DATES: DOE will accept comments, data,

and information no later than March 18,

1991.

ADDRESSES: Written comments (8

copies) shall be sent to: Department of

Energy, Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Case No. DH-002,

Mail Stop CE-90, Forrestal Building,

room 6B-0251000 Independence

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585.

(202) 586-3012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cyrus H. Nasser!, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Mail Stop CE-43,

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 Stop GC-41, Forrestal Building,

1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585, (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 (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 100-12, 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 vented home heating

equipment. 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. 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. The waiver generally

remains in effect until final test

procedure amendments become

effective, resolving the problem that is

the subject of the waiver.

On September 21, 1990, Valor filed a

Petition for Waiver requesting waiver

requesting waiver from the DOE test

procedure for vented home heating

equipment which is found at appendix 0

to subpart B of 10 CFR part 430. Valor

seeks a waiver regarding: (a) Pilot light

energy consumption; and (b) steady

state efficiency.

Valor seeks a waiver from the

provision in the DOE test procedure that

requires measurement of energy input

rate of the pilot light (Qp) and the use of

this data in calculation of AFUE, where:

AFUE = 440rtsstwQin max/(4400rtssQin max

+ 2.5(4800)gWQP)

Instead, Valor requests that

allowance to delete Qp and accordingly

delete the 2.5(4600)rf1LQp term in

calculation of AFUE. Valor states that

its instruction direct the consumer to

turn off the pilot light. Therefore, the

unit should not be penalized for the pilot

light energy consumption. Since the

current test procedure does not address

this issue, Valor asks that the waiver be

granted.

Valor also seeks a waiver from the

DOE test procedure regarding the

calculation of steady state efficiency.

Valor seeks a waiver from the provision

in section 3.1.1 that requires calculation

of steady efficiency for manually

controlled vented heaters with various

input rates be determined at a fuel input

rate that is within 5 percent of 50

percent of the maximum fuel input rate.

Valor states that since the manual

control on its heater has three fixed gas

rates, and is not infinitely variable, it is

not possible to obtain a rate of 50

percent of the maximum fuel rate

specified in the regulations. Since the

current DOE test procedure does not

address this issue, Valor requests an

alternative test procedure for

calculation of steady state efficiency

based on weighted average of the three

different gas settings.

Pursuant to paragraph (b) of 10 CFR

403.27, DOE is hereby publishing the

"Petition for Waiver" in its entirety. The

petition contains no confidential

information. DOE solicits comments,

data, and information respecting the

petition.

Issued in Washington, DC, February 6,

1991.

J. Michael Davis,

Assistant Secretary, Conservation and

Renewable Energy.

September 21, 1990.

Mr. J.M. Davis, P.E.,

6023

Assistant Secretary for Conservation and

Renewable Energy, Forrestall Building,

1000 Independence Avenue SW.,

Washington, D.C. 20585

RE: Request for Waivers

Dear Mr. Davis, We wish to apply for

acceptance of two waivers from Sections of

the Code of Federal Regulations, Energy 10,

Parts 400 to 499, Revised January 1 , 1990, The

particular sections for which the waivers are

required are detailed against each Waiver

Request.

The model for which the waivers are

requested is:

Model VN32

Gas Fired Wood Stove for Natural Gas

Waiver Request No. 1

This refers to: CFR Energy 10 Parts 400 to

499, Part 430 Subpart B, Appendix C. Section

3.1.1-Gas fueled vented home heating

equipment. Section 4.2.4-Weighted average

steady state efficiency.

Introduction: We have designed a gas fired

heating appliance which has a visual flame

effect very similar to that of a real wood

burning stove and a relatively high thermal

efficiency for this type of product. The

appliance has recently been Certified by the

American Gas Association to ANSI Standard

Z21.11.1a-1989.

Description: The visual effect of the stove

is achieved using a manually operated gas

control (tap) to supply three fixed gas

settings. The reduced individual gas rates are

achieved by fixed orifice holes in the control

plug of a Sourdillon control which are set by

the consumer by turning the control knob to

the required position.

The positions obtainable on the control are:

OFF

1. Ignition-Pilot ignition only.

2. Low Rate-(Main burner only)-24,500

BTU's/hour.

3. Main Burner & Middle Decorative

Flames-28,000 BTU's/hour.

4. Main Burner & All Decorative Flames37,500 BTU's/hour.

Settings 2, 3 and 4 are considered

commercially desirable to compare with the

moods of a real wood burning fire and make

the product attractive as a replacement for

wood burning appliances.

Requirements Sought To Be Waived

In endeavoring to apply the current "Code

of Federal Regulations," we find that Section

3.1.1 "Gas Fuel Vented Home Heating

Equipment" refers to manually controlled

heaters (last paragraph of Page 147).

This paragraph states: "For manually

controlled gas fueled vented heaters, with

various input rates determine the steady state

efficiency at a fuel input rate that is within

5% of 50% of the maximum fuel input rate."

The manual control on our heater gives the

three fixed gas rates previously detailed and

is not infinitely variable down to a zero gas

rate. It is therefore not possible to obtain a

rate of 50% of the maximum fuel input rate by

operating the heater normally in accordance

with the Manufacturer's Users Instructions.

The low rate is 65.3% of the maximum rate.

The intermediate rate of 28,000 BTU's/hour is

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 51
6024 Federal Register / VoL 58, N& i6Tfll2rsday. February 14, 1991 / Notices

a reduced visual flame picture which is more

likely to be used than the minimum rate with

no flame effect

Specific Requirements Sought To Be Waived

Since the 50% rate specified in the

Regulations can not be normally achieved on

this product, we request that the requirement

is waived for this appliance.

Alternative Test Procedure

For an alternative test procedure we

request that the steady state efficiency

should be assessed as an average of

efficiencies obtained at settings 2. 3 and 4.

but weighted in favor of 0.8 setting 4, plus 0.3

setting 3 and 0.1 setting 2.

Waiver Request No. 2

This Refers To: CFR Energy 10, Parts 400 to

499, Part 430, Subpart B. Appendix O. Section

3.5 Pilot Light Measurement Section 4.2.6

Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency.

Description: The heater is fitted with a

transient pilot for the purpose of smooth and

safe ignition of the main burner while

controlling the amount of heat to energize the

thermoelectric valve incorporated in the

control Gas to the pilot for ignition of the

main burner is obtained by depressing the

control knob, holding in, and pressing the

piezo igniter to ignite the pilot As soon as the

pilot energizes the thermoelectric valve of the

control, the main burner is ignited by turning

the control from position 1 to 2. The pilot

remains on at settings 2, 3 and 4, and by

virtue of its position below the main burner,

contributes to the heat release within the

combustion chamber.

When the heater is turned off after use in

accordance with the Manufacturer's

Instructions, the control knob is turned to the

"OFF" position. This moves the control

through the pilot ignition position 1 and the

pilot is automatically turned off with this

operation.

Requirements Sought To Be Waived

If the Manufacturers Instructions, in

conjunction with the control knob markings

are observed by the user, the pilot will not be

left on. Section 4.2.6 "Annual Fuel Utilization

Efficiency" for manually controlled vented

heaters gives the AFUE defined as:

AFUE=

44000sa1w Qin-max

4400+1ss Qin-max+2.5(4600)ip Qp

The factor 2.5(4800)i p&Qp in the

denominator depresses the calculated AFUE

value significantly, and unrealistically, if

applied to a heater as described in the

foregoing.

We therefore request that the pilot factor

2.5(4600),1 iQp is deleted from the

assessment of AFUE for this product to give

an AFUE figure more representative of actual

operation in accordance with the

Manufacturer's Instructions.

Other Models With Similar Features

We, believe this product is probably the

First heater to be designed to simulate a wood

stove and consequently we are unable to

identify other manufacturers at this moment

in time.

A set of Users Instructions for the product

is enclosed for your consideration.

In accordance with the Code of Federal

Regulations, we are writing to other.

manufacturers of vented heating products

enclosing a copy of this request for waivers.

If you require any further information,

please let me know.

Yours faithfully,

[an Thow,

Vice President.

(FR Doc. 91-3638 Filed 2-13-91; 8:45 am]

87LLMG CODE 6450-01-M

CAS-RM-79-104 COMMENT 51