[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 79 (Monday, April 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-9927]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: April 25, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
[Case No. F-068]
Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Granting of
the Application for Interim Waiver and Publishing of the Petition for
Waiver of DOE Furnace Test Procedures From Bard Manufacturing Company
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Today's notice publishes a letter granting an Interim Waiver
to Bard Manufacturing Company (Bard) from the existing Department of
Energy (DOE) test procedure regarding blower time delay for the
company's DCC and DCL series central furnaces.
Today's notice also publishes a ``Petition for Waiver'' from Bard.
Bard's Petition for Waiver requests DOE to grant relief from the DOE
furnace test procedure relating to the blower time delay specification.
Bard seeks to test using a blower delay time of 60 seconds for its DCC
and DCL 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
May 25, 1994.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and statements shall be sent to: Department
of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Case No.
F-068, Mail Stop EE-43m Room 5E-066, Forrestal Building, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-7140.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Cyrus H. Nassrei, 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)
586-7140
Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department of Energy, Office of General
Counsel, Mail Station GC-72, Forrestal Building, 1000 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, 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
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 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 procedures
amendments become effective, resolving the problem that is the subject
of the waiver.
The Interim Waiver provisions added by the 1986 amendment allow the
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 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.
On March 8, 1994, Bard filed an Application for Interim Waiver
regarding blower time delay. Bard'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, Bard requests the allowance to test using a 60-second
blower time delay when testing its DCC and DCL series central furnaces.
Bard states that the 60-second delay is indicative of how these
furnaces actually operate. Such a delay results in an increase in AFUE
of 0.6 to 1.0 percent points. Since current DOE test procedures do not
address this variable blower time delay, Bard 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 waivers 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, and 57 FR 34560, August 5, 1992; Trane
Company, 54 FR 19226, May 4, 1989, 56 FR 6021, February 14, 1991, 57 FR
10167, March 24, 1992, 57 FR 22222, May 27, 1992, and 58 FR 68138,
December 23, 1993; 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; 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, and 58 FR
68133, December 23, 1993; 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, and 57 FR 27970, June 23, 1992; 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, and 57 FR 54230,
November 17, 1992; 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 Bard Manufacturing
Company, 57 FR 53733, November 12, 1992. 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 Bard an Interim
Waiver for its DCC and DCL series central furnaces. Pursuant to
paragraph (e) of Sec. 430.27 of the Code of Federal Regulations part
430, the following letter granting the Application for Interim Waiver
to Bard was issued.
Pursuant to paragraph (b) of 10 CFR 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.
Frank M. Stewart, Jr.,
Acting Chief of Staff Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Mr. Dick Hann,
Manager, Heating and Application Engineering, Bard Manufacturing
Company, 1914 Randolph Drive, Bryan, OH 43506
Dear Mr. Hanna: This is in response to your March 8, 1994,
Application for Interim Waiver and Petition for Waiver from the
Department of Energy (DOE) test procedure regarding blower time
delay for Bard Manufacturing Company (Bard) DCC and DCL series
central 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, 56 FR 2920,
January 25, 1991, 57 FR 10166, March 24, 1992, and 57 FR 34560,
August 5, 1992; Trane Company, 54 FR 19226, May 4, 1989, 56 FR 6021,
February 14, 1991, 57 FR 10167, March 24, 1992, 57 FR 22222, May 27,
1992, and 58 FR 68138, December 23, 1993; 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; 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, and 58 FR 68133,
December 23, 1993; 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, and 57 FR 27970, June 23, 1992; 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,
and 57 FR 54230, November 17, 1992; 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 Bard Manufacturing Company, 57 FR 53733, November 12,
1992. Thus, it appears likely that the Petition for Waiver will be
granted for blower time delay.
Bard's Application for Interim Waiver does not provide
sufficient information to evaluate what, if any, economic impact or
competitive disadvantage Bard 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, Bard's Application for an Interim Waiver from the DOE
test procedure for its DCC and DCL series central furnaces regarding
blower time delay is granted.
Bard shall be permitted to test its DCC and DCL series central
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:
3.20 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 temperature. 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.
Sincerely,
Frank M. Stewart, Jr.
Acting Chief of Staff Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
[FR Doc. 94-9927 Filed 4-22-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-M
