95-29717. Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Decision and Order Granting a Waiver From the Furnace Test Procedure to Trane Company  

  • [Federal Register Volume 60, Number 235 (Thursday, December 7, 1995)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 62835-62837]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 95-29717]
    
    
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
    [Case No. F-080]
    
    
    Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Decision and 
    Order Granting a Waiver From the Furnace Test Procedure to Trane 
    Company
    
    AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of 
    Energy.
    
    ACTION: Decision and order.
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    SUMMARY: Notice is given of the Decision and Order (Case No. F-080) 
    granting a Waiver to Trane Company (Trane) from the existing Department 
    of Energy (DOE) test procedure for furnaces. The Department is granting 
    Trane's Petition for Waiver regarding blower time delay in calculation 
    of Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) for its Models TUD-C/AUD-
    C, TDD-C/ADD-C, TUD-R/AUD-R, TDD-R/ADD-R, TUD-R-V/AUD-R-V, TDD-R-V/ADD-
    R-V, TUY-R-V/AUY-R-V, and TDY-R-V/ADY-R-V central furnaces.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    
    Cyrus H. Nasseri, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 
    Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Mail Station EE-431, Forrestal 
    Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 
    586-9138
    Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General 
    Counsel, Mail Station GC-72, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence 
    Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-9507
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 10 CFR 430.27(g), notice 
    is hereby given of the issuance of the Decision and Order as set out 
    below. In the Decision and Order, Trane has been granted a Waiver for 
    its Models TUD-C/AUD-C, TDD-C/ADD-C, TUD-R/AUD-R, TDD-R/ADD-R, TUD-R-V/
    AUD-R-V, TDD-R-V/ADD-R-V, TUY-R-V/AUY-R-V, and TDY-R-V/ADY-R-V central 
    furnaces, permitting the company to use an alternate test method in 
    determining AFUE.
    
        Issued in Washington, DC, on November 29, 1995.
    Christine A. Ervin,
    Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
    
    Decision and Order; Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency 
    and Renewable Energy
    
        In the Matter of: Trane Company.
    
    [Case No. F-080]
    
    Background
    
        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, the National Appliance Energy Conservation 
    Amendments of 1988 (NAECA 1988), Public Law 100-357, and the Energy 
    Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct), Public Law 102-486, 106 Stat. 2776, 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.
        The Department amended the prescribed test procedures by adding 10 
    
    [[Page 62836]]
        CFR 430.27 to create a waiver process. 45 FR 64108, September 26, 1980. 
    Thereafter, DOE further amended its appliance test procedure 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. 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 sooner, and 
    may be extended for an additional 180 days, if necessary.
        Trane filed a ``Petition for Waiver,'' dated August 11, 1995, in 
    accordance with section 430.27 of 10 CFR Part 430. The Department 
    published in the Federal Register on October 13,1995, Trane's Petition 
    and solicited comments, data and information respecting the Petition. 
    60 FR 53354, October 13, 1995. Trane also filed an ``Application for 
    Interim Waiver'' under section 430.27(g), which DOE granted on 
    September 28, 1995. 60 FR 53354, October 13, 1995.
        No comments were received concerning either the ``Petition for 
    Waiver'' or the ``Application for Interim Waiver.'' The Department 
    consulted with The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) concerning the Trane 
    Petition. The FTC did not have any objections to the issuance of the 
    waiver to Trane.
    
    Assertions and Determinations
    
        Trane's Petition seeks a waiver from the DOE test provisions that 
    require a 1.5-minute time delay between the ignition of the burner and 
    the starting of the circulating air blower. Trane requests the 
    allowance to test using a 45-second blower time delay when testing its 
    Models TUD-C/AUD-C, TDD-C/ADD-C, TUD-R/AUD-R, TDD-R/ADD-R, TUD-R-V/AUD-
    R-V, TDD-R-V/ADD-R-V, TUY-R-V/AUY-R-V, and TDY-R-V/ADY-R-V central 
    furnaces. Trane states that since the 45-second delay is indicative of 
    how these models actually operate and since such a delay results in an 
    overall furnace AFUE improvement of approximately 1.0 percentage point, 
    the Petition should be granted.
        Under specific circumstances, the DOE test procedure contains 
    exceptions which allow testing with blower delay times of less than the 
    prescribed 1.5-minute delay. Trane indicates that it is unable to take 
    advantage of any of these exceptions for its Models TUD-C/AUD-C, TDD-C/
    ADD-C, TUD-R/AUD-R, TDD-R/ADD-R, TUD-R-V/AUD-R-V, TDD-R-V/ADD-R-V, TUY-
    R-V/AUY-R-V, and TDY-R-V/ADY-R-V central furnaces.
        Since the blower controls incorporated on the Trane furnaces are 
    designed to impose a 45-second blower delay in every instance of start 
    up, and since the current provisions do not specifically address this 
    type of control, DOE agrees that a waiver should be granted to allow 
    the 45-second blower time delay when testing the Trane Models TUD-C/
    AUD-C, TDD-C/ADD-C, TUD-R/AUD-R, TDD-R/ADD-R, TUD-R-V/AUD-R-V, TDD-R-V/
    ADD-R-V, TUY-R-V/AUY-R-V, and TDY-R-V/ADY-R-V central furnaces. 
    Accordingly, with regard to testing the Trane Models TUD-C/AUD-C, TDD-
    C/ADD-C, TUD-R/AUD-R, TDD-R/ADD-R, TUD-R-V/AUD-R-V, TDD-R-V/ADD-R-V, 
    TUY-R-V/AUY-R-V, and TDY-R-V/ADY-R-V central furnaces, today's Decision 
    and Order exempts Trane from the existing provisions regarding blower 
    controls and allows testing with the 45-second delay.
        It is, therefore, ordered That:
        (1) The ``Petition for Waiver'' filed by Trane Company. (Case No. 
    F-080) is hereby granted as set forth in paragraph (2) below, subject 
    to the provisions of paragraphs (3), (4), and (5).
        (2) Notwithstanding any contrary provisions of Appendix N of 10 CFR 
    Part 430, Subpart B, Trane Company, shall be permitted to test its 
    Models TUD-C/AUD-C, TDD-C/ADD-C, TUD-R/AUD-R, TDD-R/ADD-R, TUD-R-V/AUD-
    R-V, TDD-R-V/ADD-R-V, TUY-R-V/AUY-R-V, and TDY-R-V/ADY-R-V central 
    furnaces on the basis of the test procedure specified in 10 CFR Part 
    430, with modifications set forth below:
        (i) Section 3.0 of 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 Standard 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 to Appendix N as follows:
        3.10  Gas- and Oil-Fueled Central Furnaces. The following paragraph 
    is in lieu of the requirement specified in section 9.3.1 of ANSI/ASHRAE 
    Standard 103-82. 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 circulating 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 stopwatch. 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.
        (iii) With the exception of the modifications set forth above, 
    Trane Company shall comply in all respects with the test procedures 
    specified in Appendix N of 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B.
        (3) The Waiver shall remain in effect from the date of issuance of 
    this Order until DOE prescribes final test procedures appropriate to 
    the Models TUD-C/AUD-C, TDD-C/ADD-C, TUD-R/AUD-R, TDD-R/ADD-R, TUD-R-V/
    AUD-R-V, TDD-R-V/ADD-R-V, TUY-R-V/AUY-R-V, and TDY-R-V/ADY-R-V 
    
    [[Page 62837]]
    central furnaces manufactured by Trane Company.
        (4) This Waiver is based upon the presumed validity of statements, 
    allegations, and documentary materials submitted by the petitioner. 
    This Waiver may be revoked or modified at any time upon a determination 
    that the factual basis underlying the Petition is incorrect.
        (5) Effective November 29, 1995, this Waiver supersedes the Interim 
    Waiver granted the Trane Company on September 28, 1995. 60 FR 53354, 
    October 13, 1995 (Case No. F-080).
    
        Issued In Washington, DC, on November 29, 1995.
    Christine A. Ervin,
    Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
    [FR Doc. 95-29717 Filed 12-6-95; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
    
    

Document Information

Published:
12/07/1995
Department:
Energy Department
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Decision and order.
Document Number:
95-29717
Pages:
62835-62837 (3 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Case No. F-080
PDF File:
95-29717.pdf