Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Petition for Waiver of Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., From the Department of Energy Central Air Conditioner and Central Air Conditioning Heat Pump Test Procedure. (Case No. CAC-009)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Petition for

Waiver of Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., From the Department of Energy

Central Air Conditioner and Central Air Conditioning Heat Pump Test

Procedure. (Case No. CAC-009)

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of

Energy.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Today's notice publishes a ``Petition for Waiver'' from Sanyo.

Sanyo's Petition for Waiver requests the Department of Energy

(Department or DOE) to grant relief from the DOE heat pump test

procedure for the Sanyo lines of gas source heat pumps, which operate

in both the cooling and heating modes. Sanyo requests that the heating

mode tests be waived for its gas burner-assisted heat pumps because the

DOE procedure has no provision for testing gas burner-assisted heat

pumps. The Department is soliciting comments, data, and information

respecting the Petition for Waiver.

DATES: DOE will accept comments, data, and information not later than

December 31, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and statements shall be sent to: U.S.

Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,

Case No. CAC-009, Mail Stop EE-43, Room

[[Page 66147]]

1J-018, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington,

DC 20585-0121, (202) 586-9145.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael G. Raymond, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Mail Station

EE-43, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC

20585-0121, Telephone: (202) 586-9611, E-mail:

[email protected] or Eugene Margolis, Esq., U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of General Counsel, Mail Station GC-72, Forrestal

Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121,

Telephone: (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, which requires DOE to

prescribe standardized test procedures to measure the energy

consumption of certain consumer products, including heat pumps. The

intent of the test procedures is to provide a comparable measure of

energy consumption that will assist consumers in making purchasing

decisions, and will determine whether a product complies with the

applicable energy conservation standard. The test procedures appear at

10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B, Appendix M.

The Department amended the prescribed test procedures by adding 10

CFR 430.27 on September 26, 1980, creating the waiver process. 45 FR

64108. Subsequently, DOE further 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. 10 CFR Part 430, Sec. 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 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.

On March 3, 1998, Sanyo filed a Petition for Waiver and an

Application for Interim Waiver regarding the heat pump tests. On July

21, 1998, Sanyo withdrew its request for an interim waiver. Sanyo's

application seeks a Waiver from the DOE test of heating mode operation

for its burner-assisted heat pumps because the current DOE test

procedure does not address burner-assisted heat pumps.

The Department has granted a waiver to Kool-Fire (Division of

Friedrich Corporation) for a burner assisted heat pump product similar

to Sanyo's. Pursuant to paragraph (b) of 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.

Issued in Washington, DC, on November 23, 1998.

Dan W. Reicher,

Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

March 3, 1998

ATTN: Ms. Christine Ervin, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency

and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, Mail Station EE-1,

Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC

20585

CC: Mr. T. Hada (Gas Appliances), Mr. W. C. Ryan (Ryan Co., Inc.)

RE: Petition for Waiver and Application for Interim Waiver for Sanyo

Gas Source Heat Pump

Dear Ms. Ervin: Sanyo described a gas source heat pump product

to your Mr. Mike Raymond and Mr. Ed. Pollock during a meeting on

June 24, 1997. The recommendation from this meeting was for Sanyo to

submit an application for Interim Waiver and Petition for Waiver

from the Department of Energy central air conditioning heat pump

test procedure for Sanyo's gas source heat pump. Sanyo's business

plan is to provide our unique cooling and heating design for the

United States domestic market. Our business will suffer economic

hardship without a waiver from Department of Energy heating

operation test procedures and efficiency standard for this product

line.

Sanyo's ductless split type air conditioner-gas source heat pump

product operates as a conventional air conditioner for cooling.

Cooling efficiency is to be evaluated under DOE test procedures for

the seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) product rating. The

cooling mode test procedure is specified in 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart

B, Appendix M, Section 2.1.

For heating operation this product employs a fuel gas burner to

apply heat to the interior wall of a second heat exchanger located

in the outdoor section. The exterior wall of this heat exchanger is

in close contact with tubing containing a refrigerant. Refrigerant

is heated through intimate contact with the exterior wall of this

heat exchanger and circulated by the refrigerant compressor from the

outdoor tubing to the indoor tubing of the evaporator coil. The

indoor fan motor and blower system extracts heat from the circulated

refrigerant into the conditioned space. During heating operation the

outdoor fan motor and air conditioning heat transfer tubing are

isolated from the active circuit by valves and electrical controls.

Accordingly, a DOE test procedure for heating mode of such a gas

source heat pump is not developed. Sanyo has no knowledge of an

industry standard or test method for evaluating heating efficiency

of this type of product. Requirements in 10 CFR Part 430, Subpart B,

Appendix M, Section 2.3 do not apply for gas source heat pump units.

In order for this product to comply with the requirements of the

Energy Policy and Conservation Act (Pub. L. 94-163) and amendments,

Sanyo's business needs require that DOE favorably consider our

application for an interim waiver and petition for waiver from the

heating efficiency requirements for our combination ductless split

air conditioner and gas-source heat pump product line.

Your review and consideration is appreciated. If more

information is needed, we will be pleased to provide what you need.

Truly yours,

S. Ukai,

Engineer.

K. Mori,

Manager, International Operation, Air Conditioning Division,

Environmental Systems, Business Head Quarter, Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Mike Raymond, U.S. Department of Energy

Sanyo's letter dated March 3, 1998 was a request for a waiver

and interim waiver of DOE heating test procedures for their gas

source heat pump products.

Sanyo requests you disregard their request for an interim waiver

and proceed to extend the final waiver in response to their letter

request.

This modification is due to Sanyo's product introduction

schedule having sufficient time to allow for completion of the final

ruling.

If you have questions or need more information please contact

me.

Sincerely,

W. C. Ryan,

Ryan Company, Inc.

[FR Doc. 98-32008 Filed 11-30-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P