[Federal Register: October 10, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 195)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 59410-59411]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10oc06-18]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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[[Page 59410]]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
10 CFR Part 430
[Docket No. EE-RM/TP-02-002]
RIN 1904-AB55
Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedure
for Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps; Correction
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Proposed Rule; technical correction and reopening of comment
period.
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SUMMARY: A notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR), to amend the
Department of Energy (DOE) test procedures for residential central air
conditioners and heat pumps, was published in the Federal Register on
July 20, 2006. The Department has identified two errors in that
proposed rulemaking and this notice corrects those errors and reopens
the comment period.
DATES: DOE will accept comments until November 9, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Raymond, Project Manager, Test
Procedures for Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps,
Docket No. EE-RM/TP-02-002, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Program, EE-2J,
1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0121, Telephone
Number: (202) 586-9611, e-mail: Michael.Raymond@ee.doe.gov;
Francine Pinto, Esq., U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the
General Counsel, GC-72, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20585-0121, (202) 586-9507, e-mail: Francine.Pinto@hq.doe.gov
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
A notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR), to amend the DOE test
procedures for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps, was
published in the Federal Register on July 20, 2006. (71 FR 41320) DOE
has become aware that two corrections need to be made:
(1) An amendment to section 3.1.4.1.1 of the regulatory language of
the test procedure, which was omitted in the NOPR. The NOPR amendments
to section 3.1.4.1.1 of the test procedure in Appendix M include only a
change to the title and to Table 2. In addition, the introductory text
and paragraph (a) of section 3.1.4.1.1 are revised, as set forth below;
and
(2) An amendment to section 3.1.4.4.3 of the regulatory language of
the test procedure, which was omitted in the NOPR. Discussion of these
changes was included in the preamble to the July 20, 2006, NOPR.
The comment period originally was scheduled to end on September 18,
2006. The Department will accept comments for 30 days following
publication of this notice. The extension was announced at the August
23, 2006, public meeting.
Corrections: In FR Doc. 06-6320 appearing on page 41319 in the
Federal Register dated July 20, 2006, the following corrections are
made:
1. On page 41338, first column, in Part 430, Energy Conservation
Program for Consumer Products, Appendix M, amendatory instruction 5.c.2
is corrected to read as follows:
``Section 3.1.4.1.1 title, introductory text, paragraph (a) and
Table 2 to paragraph (c) is revised to read as set forth below.''
2. On page 41338, first column, in Part 430, Energy Conservation
Program for Consumer Products, Appendix M, a new amendatory instruction
5.c.3 is added and the remaining amendatory instructions for 5.c are
renumbered accordingly. The new instruction reads as follows:
``Section 3.1.4.4.3 is revised to read as set forth below.''
The revisions and additions read as follows:
Appendix M [Corrected]
3. Testing Procedures
* * * * *
3.1.4.1.1 Cooling Full-Load Air Volume Rate for Ducted Units.
The manufacturer must specify the Cooling Full-load Air Volume
Rate. Use this value as long as the following two requirements are
satisfied. First, when conducting the A or A2 Test
(exclusively), the measured air volume rate, when divided by the
measured indoor air-side total cooling capacity must not exceed 37.5
cubic feet per minute of standard air (scfm) per 1000 Btu/h. If this
ratio is exceeded, reduce the air volume rate until this ratio is
equaled. Use this reduced air volume rate for all tests that call for
using the Cooling Full-load Air Volume Rate. The second requirement is
as follows:
a. For ducted units that are tested with a fixed-speed, multi-
speed, or variable-speed variable-air-volume-rate indoor fan installed.
The second requirement applies exclusively to the A or A2
Test and is met as follows.
1. Achieve the Cooling Full-load Air Volume Rate, determined in
accordance with the previous paragraph;
2. Measure the external static pressure;
3. If this pressure is equal to or greater than the applicable
minimum external static pressure cited in Table 2, the second
requirement is satisfied. Use the current air volume rate for all tests
that require the Cooling Full-load Air Volume Rate.
4. If the Table 2 minimum is not equaled or exceeded,
4a. Reduce the air volume rate until the applicable Table 2 minimum
is equaled or
4b. Until the measured air volume rate equals 95 percent of the air
volume rate from step 1, whichever occurs first.
5. If the conditions of step 4a occur first, the second
requirement is satisfied. Use the step 4a reduced air volume
rate for all tests that require the Cooling Full-load Air Volume Rate.
6. If the conditions of step 4b occur first, make an
incremental change to the set-up of the indoor fan (e.g., next highest
fan motor pin setting, next highest fan motor speed) and repeat the
evaluation process beginning at above step 1. If the indoor
fan set-up cannot be further changed, reduce the air volume rate until
the applicable Table 2 minimum is equaled. Use the reduced air volume
rate for all tests that require the Cooling Full-load Air Volume Rate.
* * * * *
[[Page 59411]]
c. * * *
Table 2. * * *
* * * * *
3.1.4.4.3 Ducted heating-only heat pumps. The manufacturer must
specify the Heating Full-load Air Volume Rate. Use this value when the
following two requirements are satisfied. First, when conducting the H1
and H12 Test (exclusively), the measured air volume rate,
when divided by the measured indoor air-side total heating capacity,
must not exceed 37.5 cubic feet per minute of standard air (scfm) per
1000 Btu/h. If this ratio is exceeded, reduce the air volume rate until
this ratio is equaled. Use this reduced air volume rate for all tests
of heating-only heat pumps that call for the Heating Full-load Air
Volume Rate. The second requirement is as follows:
a. For heating-only heat pumps that are tested with a fixed-speed,
multi-speed, or variable-speed variable-air-volume-rate indoor fan
installed. The second requirement applies exclusively to the H1 or
H12 Test and is met as follows.
1. Achieve the Heating Full-load Air Volume Rate, determined in
accordance with the paragraph a. of this section;
2. Measure the external static pressure;
3. If this pressure is equal to or greater than the Table 2 minimum
external static pressure that applies given the heating-only heat
pump's rated heating capacity, the second requirement is satisfied. Use
the current air volume rate for all tests that require the Heating
Full-load Air Volume Rate.
4. If the Table 2 minimum is not equaled or exceeded,
4a. Reduce the air volume rate until the applicable Table 2 minimum
is equaled or
4b. Until the measured air volume rate equals 95 percent of the air
volume rate from step 1, whichever occurs first.
5. If the conditions of step 4a occurs first, the second
requirement is satisfied. Use the step 4a reduced air volume
rate for all tests that require the Heating Full-load Air Volume Rate.
6. If the conditions of step 4b occur first, make an
incremental change to the set-up of the indoor fan (e.g., next highest
fan motor pin setting, next highest fan motor speed) and repeat the
evaluation process beginning at above step 1. If the indoor
fan set-up cannot be further changed, reduce the air volume rate until
the applicable Table 2 minimum is equaled. Use the reduced air volume
rate for all tests that require the Heating Full-load Air Volume Rate.
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on September 29, 2006.
Alexander A. Karsner,
Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. E6-16648 Filed 10-6-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P