Energy Conservation Program for Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment: Test Procedures for Commercial Packaged Boilers, 14641-14679 [2016-05138]
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Vol. 81
Thursday,
No. 52
March 17, 2016
Part IV
Department of Energy
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10 CFR Parts 429 and 431
Energy Conservation Program for Certain Commercial and Industrial
Equipment: Test Procedures for Commercial Packaged Boilers; Proposed
Rule
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 52 / Thursday, March 17, 2016 / Proposed Rules
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Parts 429 and 431
[Docket Number EERE–2014–BT–TP–0006]
RIN 1904–AD16
Energy Conservation Program for
Certain Commercial and Industrial
Equipment: Test Procedures for
Commercial Packaged Boilers
Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking
and public meeting.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE) proposes to amend the
test procedure and applicable
definitions for commercial packaged
boilers, as well as modify the sampling
plans for commercial packaged boilers
in its regulations pertaining to energy
efficiency programs for certain programs
for commercial and industrial
equipment. This rulemaking will fulfill
DOE’s statutory obligations to make its
test procedure consistent with the
applicable industry test procedure and
to review its test procedures for covered
equipment at least once every seven
years. In this notice of proposed
rulemaking (NOPR), DOE proposes to
incorporate by reference certain sections
of the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI)/Air-Conditioning,
Heating, and Refrigeration Institute
(AHRI) Standard 1500, ‘‘2015 Standard
for Performance Rating of Commercial
Space Heating Boilers,’’ and, in
addition, incorporate amendments that
clarify the coverage for field-constructed
commercial packaged boilers and the
applicability of DOE’s test procedure
and standards for this category of
commercial packaged boilers, provide
an optional field test for commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate
greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h, provide a
conversion method to calculate thermal
efficiency based on combustion
efficiency testing for steam commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate
greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h, modify the
inlet and outlet water temperatures
during tests of hot water commercial
packaged boilers, establish limits on the
ambient temperature and relative
humidity conditions during testing,
modify setup and instrumentation
requirements to remove ambiguity, and
standardize terminology and provisions
for ‘‘fuel input rate.’’ This NOPR also
announces a public meeting to discuss
and invite comments, data, and
information about the issues and
proposed amendments presented in this
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SUMMARY:
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test procedure rulemaking for
commercial packaged boilers.
DATES: Meeting: DOE will hold a public
meeting on Monday, April 4, 2016, from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Washington, DC.
The meeting will also be broadcast as a
webinar. See section V, ‘‘Public
Participation,’’ for webinar registration
information, participant instructions,
and information about the capabilities
available to webinar participants.
Comments: DOE will accept written
comments, data, and information
regarding this NOPR before and after the
public meeting, but not later than May
31, 2016. See section V, ‘‘Public
Participation,’’ for details.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be
held at the U.S. Department of Energy,
Forrestal Building, Room 6E–069, 1000
Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121. Persons
may also attend the public meeting via
webinar. To attend, please notify Ms.
Brenda Edwards at (202) 586–2945. For
more information, refer to section V,
‘‘Public Participation,’’ near the end of
this notice.
Interested parties are encouraged to
submit comments using the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at
www.regulations.gov. Interested parties
may submit comments by any of the
following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal:
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Email:
CommPackagedBoilers2014TP0006@
ee.doe.gov. Include docket number
EERE–2014–BT–TP–0006 and/or
regulation identifier number (RIN)
1904–AD16 in the subject line of the
message. Submit electronic comments
in WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PDF,
or ASCII file format, and avoid the use
of special characters or any form of
encryption.
• Postal Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards,
U.S. Department of Energy, Building
Technologies Office, Mailstop EE–5B,
Test Procedure for Commercial and
Industrial Packaged Boilers, Docket No.
EERE–2014–BT–TP–0006 and/or RIN
1904–AD16, 1000 Independence
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585–
0121. If possible, please submit all items
on a compact disc (CD), in which case
it is not necessary to include printed
copies.
• Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda
Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy,
Building Technologies Office, 950
L’Enfant Plaza, SW., Suite 600,
Washington, DC 20024. Telephone:
(202) 586–2945. If possible, please
submit all items on a CD, in which case
it is not necessary to include printed
copies.
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No telefacsimiles (faxes) will be
accepted. For detailed instructions on
submitting comments and additional
information on the rulemaking process,
see section V, ‘‘Public Participation,’’ of
this document.
Docket: The docket, which includes
Federal Register notices, public meeting
attendee lists and transcripts,
comments, and other supporting
documents/materials, is available for
review at www.regulations.gov. All
documents in the docket are listed in
the www.regulations.gov index.
However, not all documents listed in
the index may be publicly available,
such as those containing information
that is exempt from public disclosure.
A link to the docket Web page can be
found at: https://www.regulations.gov/#
!docketDetail;D=EERE–2014–BT–TP–
0006. This Web page contains a link to
the docket for this NOPR on the
www.regulations.gov site. The
www.regulations.gov Web page contains
simple instructions on how to access all
documents, including public comments,
in the docket. See section V, ‘‘Public
Participation,’’ for information on how
to submit comments through
www.regulations.gov.
Mr.
James Raba, U.S. Department of Energy,
Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies Office, EE–5B, 1000
Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121.
Telephone: (202) 586–8654. Email:
commercial_packaged_boilers@
ee.doe.gov.
Mr. Peter Cochran, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of the General Counsel,
GC–33, 1000 Independence Avenue
SW., Washington, DC 20585–0121.
Telephone: (202) 586–9496. Email:
Peter.Cochran@hq.doe.gov.
For further information on how to
submit a comment, review other public
comments and the docket, or participate
in the public meeting, contact Ms.
Brenda Edwards at (202) 586–2945 or by
email: Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
This proposed rule would incorporate
by reference into 10 CFR parts 429 and
431 the testing methods contained in
the following commercial standard:
AHRI/ANSI Standard 1500–2015,
‘‘Performance Rating of Commercial
Space Heating Boilers,’’ Section 3
‘‘Definitions,’’ Section 5 ‘‘Rating
Requirements,’’ Appendix C ‘‘Methods
of Testing for Rating Commercial Space
Heating Boilers—Normative,’’ excluding
Figures C5 and C7, Appendix D
‘‘Properties of Saturated Steam—
Normative,’’ and Appendix E
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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‘‘Correction Factors for Heating Values
of Fuel Gases—Normative,’’ ANSI
approved November 28, 2014.
Copies of AHRI standards may be
purchased from the Air-Conditioning,
Heating, and Refrigeration Institute,
2111 Wilson Blvd., Suite 500, Arlington,
VA 22201, or by visiting https://
www.ahrinet.org/site/686/Standards/
HVACR-Industry-Standards/SearchStandards.
See section IV.M for additional
information on this standard.
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Table of Contents
I. Authority and Background
II. Synopsis of the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking
III. Discussion
A. Proposing to Adopt Certain Sections of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
B. Scope and Definitions
1. Definition of Commercial Packaged
Boiler
2. Field-Constructed Commercial Packaged
Boilers
C. Testing of Large Commercial Packaged
Boilers
1. Field Tests for Commercial Packaged
Boilers
2. Method To Convert Combustion
Efficiency to Thermal Efficiency for
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers
3. Alternative Efficiency Determination
Methods
4. Steam Commercial Packaged Boiler
Operating Pressure
D. Hot Water Commercial Packaged Boiler
Operating Temperatures
1. Existing Requirements
2. Issues With Water Temperature
Requirements and Proposed Changes
3. Allowable Uncertainty in Water
Temperature Measurement
4. Water Flow Rate During Testing
E. Testing Conditions
F. Setup and Instrumentation
G. Fuel Input Rate
H. Clerical Issues
I. Other Issues
1. Stack Temperature Adjustment for Using
Combustion Efficiency in Steam Mode
To Represent Hot Water Mode
2. Testing at Part Load
3. Other Industry Test Procedures
IV. Procedural Issues and Regulatory Review
A. Review Under Executive Order 12866
B. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility
Act
C. Review Under the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995
D. Review Under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
E. Review Under Executive Order 13132
F. Review Under Executive Order 12988
G. Review Under the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act of 1995
H. Review Under the Treasury and General
Government Appropriations Act, 1999
I. Review Under Executive Order 12630
J. Review Under Treasury and General
Government Appropriations Act, 2001
K. Review Under Executive Order 13211
L. Review Under Section 32 of the Federal
Energy Administration Act of 1974
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M. Description of Materials Incorporated
by Reference
V. Public Participation
A. Attendance at the Public Meeting
B. Procedure for Submitting Prepared
General Statements for Distribution
C. Conduct of the Public Meeting
D. Submission of Comments
E. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Comment
VI. Approval of the Office of the Secretary
I. Authority and Background
Title III of the Energy Policy and
Conservation Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C.
6311, et seq.; ‘‘EPCA’’ or, ‘‘the Act’’) sets
forth a variety of provisions designed to
improve energy efficiency.1 Part C of
Title III establishes the ‘‘Energy
Conservation Program for Certain
Industrial Equipment,’’ which covers
certain industrial equipment (hereafter
referred to as ‘‘covered equipment’’),
including commercial packaged
boilers.2 (42 U.S.C. 6311(1)(J))
Under EPCA, the energy conservation
program consists essentially of four
parts: (1) Testing, (2) labeling, (3)
Federal energy conservation standards,
and (4) certification and enforcement
procedures. The testing requirements
consist of test procedures that
manufacturers of covered equipment
must use as the basis for (1) certifying
to the Department of Energy (DOE) that
their equipment complies with
applicable energy conservation
standards adopted under EPCA, and (2)
making representations about the
efficiency of the equipment. Similarly,
DOE must use these test procedures to
determine whether the equipment
complies with any relevant standards
promulgated under EPCA.
With respect to commercial packaged
boilers (CPB), EPCA requires DOE to use
industry test procedures developed or
recognized by the Air-Conditioning,
Heating, and Refrigeration Institute
(AHRI) or the American Society of
Heating, Refrigerating, and AirConditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), as
referenced in ASHRAE/IES 3 Standard
90.1, ‘‘Energy Standard for Buildings
Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings.’’
(42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(4)(A)) Further, if such
an industry test procedure is amended,
DOE is required to amend its test
procedure to be consistent with the
amended industry test procedure,
unless it determines, by rule published
in the Federal Register and supported
by clear and convincing evidence, that
1 All references to EPCA in this document refer
to the statute as amended through the Energy
Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015 (April 30,
2015).
2 For editorial reasons, Part C was codified as Part
A–1 in the U.S. Code.
3 Illuminating Engineering Society.
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the amended test procedure would be
unduly burdensome to conduct or
would not produce test results that
reflect the energy efficiency, energy use,
and estimated operating costs of that
equipment during a representative
average use cycle. (42 U.S.C.
6314(a)(4)(B))
EPCA also requires that, at least once
every 7 years, DOE evaluate test
procedures for each type of covered
equipment, including commercial
packaged boilers, to determine whether
amended test procedures would more
accurately or fully comply with the
requirements for the test procedures to
not be unduly burdensome to conduct
and be reasonably designed to produce
test results that reflect energy efficiency,
energy use, and estimated operating
costs during a representative average
use cycle. (42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(1)(A)) DOE
last reviewed the test procedures for
commercial packaged boilers on July 22,
2009. 74 FR 36312. Therefore, DOE is
required to re-evaluate the test
procedures no later than July 22, 2016,
and this rulemaking satisfies that
requirement. As the industry standard
for commercial packaged boilers was
recently updated, this rulemaking will
also fulfill DOE’s statutory obligations to
make its test procedure consistent with
the applicable industry test procedure.
On September 3, 2013, DOE initiated
a test procedure and energy
conservation standards rulemaking for
commercial packaged boilers and
published a notice of public meeting
and availability of the Framework
document (September 2013 Framework
document). 78 FR 54197. Both in the
September 2013 Framework document
and during the October 1, 2013 public
meeting, DOE solicited public
comments, data, and information on all
aspects of, and any issues or problems
with, the existing DOE test procedure,
including whether the test procedure is
in need of updates or revisions. More
recently, DOE also received comments
on the test procedure in response to the
notice of availability of the preliminary
technical support document (TSD) for
the standards rulemaking, which was
published in the Federal Register on
November 20, 2014 (November 2014
Preliminary Analysis). 79 FR 69066.
Additionally, on February 20, 2014,
DOE published in the Federal Register
a request for information (February 2014
RFI) seeking comments on the existing
DOE test procedure for commercial
packaged boilers, which incorporates by
reference Hydronics Institute (HI)/AHRI
Standard BTS–2000 (Rev 06.07),
‘‘Method to Determine Efficiency of
Commercial Space Heating Boilers’’
(BTS–2000). 79 FR 9643. BTS–2000
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provides test procedures for measuring
steady-state combustion and thermal
efficiency of a gas-fired or oil-fired
commercial packaged boiler capable of
producing hot water and/or steam and
operating at full load only. In the
February 2014 RFI, DOE requested
comments, information, and data about
a number of issues, including (1) partload testing and part-load efficiency
rating, (2) typical inlet and outlet water
temperatures for hot water commercial
packaged boilers, (3) the steam pressure
for steam commercial packaged boilers
operating at full load, and (4) design
characteristics of commercial packaged
boilers that are difficult to test under the
existing DOE test procedure.
Subsequently, on April 29, 2015,
AHRI, together with the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI),
published the ‘‘2015 Standard for
Performance Rating of Commercial
Space Heating Boilers’’ (ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015). ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 states ‘‘this
standard supersedes AHRI Hydronics
Institute Standard BTS–2000 Rev.
06.07’’ in the front matter of the
document. DOE believes that ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015 is consistent
with the existing metrics and approach
incorporated in BTS–2000 but also
incorporates provisions that improve
the accuracy and repeatability of the test
procedure over the BTS–2000 standard.
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015 also
adopts several changes that were
suggested in public comments
submitted by interested parties in
response to DOE’s September 2013
Framework document, November 2014
Preliminary Analysis, and February
2014 RFI.4 Therefore, as required by 42
U.S.C. 6314(a)(4)(B), DOE is replacing
BTS–2000 with the updated industry
standard, ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015, as the basis for the DOE test
procedure. Section III.A contains a more
detailed discussion of the basis for
transitioning to the commercial
packaged boiler test procedures outlined
in ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015.
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II. Synopsis of the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking
In this notice of proposed rulemaking
(NOPR), DOE proposes to amend its
4 Comments received as part of the February 2014
RFI about test procedures for commercial packaged
boilers are in Docket Number EERE–2014–BT–TP–
0006. In some cases, earlier comments that address
or are relevant to test procedures for commercial
packaged boilers are in the energy conservation
standards docket, Docket Number EERE–2013–BT–
STD–0030. These comments in response to the
September 2013 Framework Document relevant to
the test procedure are also placed in the test
procedure rulemaking docket, Docket Number
EERE–2014–BT–TP–0006
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existing test procedures for commercial
packaged boilers at 10 CFR 431.86. DOE
proposes to incorporate by reference
certain sections of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 as a direct replacement for
BTS–2000 since, as discussed in section
I, ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
supersedes BTS –2000 and DOE has
found ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
to be more accurate compared to BTS–
2000 and not unduly burdensome to
conduct for the purposes of testing
commercial packaged boilers.
To obtain information and data
regarding its current test procedures for
commercial packaged boilers, DOE
sought public comment in the
September 2013 Framework document,
February 2014 RFI, and November 2014
Preliminary Analysis. In response to the
September 2013 Framework document,
DOE received comments from the
American Boiler Manufacturers
Association (ABMA), AHRI, Burnham
Holdings (Burnham), Cleaver-Brooks,
HTP Incorporated (HTP), and a joint
submission 5 from the American Council
for an Energy-Efficient Economy
(ACEEE), the Appliance Standards
Awareness Project (ASAP), and the
National Resources Defense Council
(NRDC). In response to the February
2014 RFI, DOE received comments from
ACEEE, AHRI, Burnham, HTP, the
National Propane Gas Association
(NPGA), and Sidel Systems (Sidel)
(three submittals). Sidel submitted two
comments prior to the publication of the
February 2014 RFI that also pertain to
commercial packaged boilers. In
response to the November 2014
Preliminary Analysis, DOE received
comments from ABMA, AHRI,
Lochinvar LLC (Lochinvar), Raypak, and
joint submissions 6 from Pacific Gas and
Electric (PGE) and Southern California
Edison (SCE), and ACEEE, ASAP, and
NRDC.
The comments received from
stakeholders typically concern BTS–
2000 since ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015 had not yet been published at the
time DOE solicited comments. Some of
the comments received from
stakeholders that concerned BTS–2000
apply equally to ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015, whereas other comments are
not applicable to ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015.
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
updates several provisions from BTS–
2000 to: (1) Improve repeatability of
5 The joint submission by ACEEE, ASAP, and
NRDC is referred to as the ‘‘Joint Advocates’’
comment in references to the documents submitted
to the docket.
6 The joint submission by PGE and SCE is referred
to as the ‘‘Joint Utilities’’ comment in references to
the documents submitted to the docket.
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testing; (2) further clarify the test
procedure; and (3) increase the
allowable operating steam pressure
during steam commercial packaged
boiler testing. ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 also incorporates provisions
that accommodate the testing of large
commercial packaged boilers that have
difficulty meeting the requirements in
the existing DOE test procedure.
In addition to adopting ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 as a replacement
for BTS–2000 in the DOE test
procedure, DOE further proposes several
modifications to its test procedure that
are not captured in ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015. The additional
proposed amendments include the
following:
• Clarifying the coverage of field
constructed commercial packaged
boilers under DOE’s regulations;
• incorporating an optional field test
for commercial packaged boilers with
fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000
Btu/h;
• incorporating an optional
conversion method to calculate thermal
efficiency based on combustion
efficiency test for steam commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate
greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h;
• modifying the inlet and outlet water
temperatures required during tests of
hot water commercial packaged boilers
to be more representative of field
conditions;
• requiring additional limits on the
room ambient temperature and relative
humidity during testing;
• modifying setup and
instrumentation requirements to remove
ambiguity; and
• standardizing terminology and
provisions in regulatory text related to
‘‘fuel input rate.’’
These proposed amendments are
intended to improve the repeatability of
the test and to accommodate some
commercial packaged boilers for which
testing has previously been difficult or
burdensome. DOE reviewed these
additional proposed amendments as
well as the proposal to incorporate by
reference ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015 under 42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(4)(C) and,
in aggregate, DOE has tentatively
concluded that there would not be an
overall effect on efficiency ratings.
Accordingly, DOE proposes that the
amended test procedure would be
effective 30 days after publication of any
final rule in the Federal Register and
would be required for any
representations made with regard to the
energy efficiency of commercial
packaged boilers 360 days following
publication of any final rule in the
Federal Register. (42 U.S.C. 6314(d))
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DOE’s rationale regarding the impact of
the proposed test procedure
amendments on measured energy
efficiency of commercial packaged
boilers is discussed in the subsequent
sections.
III. Discussion
Based on DOE’s review of the existing
test procedure for commercial packaged
boilers and comments submitted by
interested parties, DOE has determined
that certain amendments and
clarifications are necessary in order to
improve the repeatability of the DOE
test procedure, accommodate certain
commercial packaged boilers for which
manufacturers have expressed difficulty
testing under the provisions of the
existing test procedure, and clarify the
applicability of DOE’s test procedure
and energy conservation standards to
field-constructed equipment. The
following sections address comments
received and propose specific
improvements for DOE’s test procedures
for commercial packaged boilers.
A. Proposing To Adopt Certain Sections
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
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The existing DOE test procedure for
commercial packaged boilers
incorporates by reference BTS–2000 to
determine the steady-state efficiency of
steam or hot water commercial
packaged boilers while operating at full
load. As described in section I, on April
29, 2015, AHRI published a new ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015 (ANSI
approved November 28, 2014), which
supersedes BTS–2000. On May 29,
2015, AHRI submitted a request directly
to DOE to update the incorporation by
reference in the DOE test procedure to
reference the new ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015. (Docket EERE–2014–BT–
TP–0006, AHRI, No. 29 at p. 1) 7 DOE
reviewed both documents and DOE
believes that the recently published
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
standard is not unduly burdensome to
conduct and represents an improvement
over BTS–2000 while retaining the
general testing methodology and metrics
(i.e., thermal and combustion efficiency)
of the existing test procedure.8
Specifically, ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 contains the following key
7 A notation in this form provides a reference for
information that is in Docket No. EERE–2014–BT–
TP–0006. This particular notation refers to a
comment from AHRI on p. 1 of document number
29 in the docket.
8 Thermal efficiency is measured for all
commercial packaged boilers except for oil-fired
and gas-fired commercial packaged boilers that
provide hot water and have greater than 2,500,000
Btu/h in fuel input rate, for which combustion
efficiency is used. See 10 CFR 431.87(b).
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substantive changes as compared to
BTS–2000:
• Improvements in instrumentation
accuracy specifications, including
removing outdated instrumentation; use
of more appropriate measurement units;
and revising gas chemistry
instrumentation accuracy requirements
to reflect those of commonly used
devices;
• more specific instructions for
establishing test procedure
configuration, particularly for water
piping and positioning of temperature
measurement devices in fluid stream;
• establishment of criteria that
indicate when a steady-state condition
is met; 9
• allowance of steam operating
pressure up to 15 psig; and
• instructions addressing how to
conduct testing when manufacturers do
not provide sufficient information
within their installation materials
shipped with the commercial packaged
boiler.
DOE notes that several of the changes
incorporated into ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 were also suggested by
interested parties in public comments
responding to DOE’s September 2013
Framework document, November 2014
Preliminary Analysis, and February
2014 RFI.
DOE seeks comment on its proposal to
replace BTS–2000 with ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 in its test
procedure for commercial packaged
boilers. This is identified as Issue 1 in
section V.E.
B. Scope and Definitions
DOE proposes to incorporate several
new definitions that help clarify the
scope and applicability of DOE’s
commercial packaged boiler test
procedure. DOE notes that any changes
or amendments to DOE’s definitions at
10 CFR 431.82, if adopted, would also
apply to DOE’s energy conservation
standards for commercial packaged
boilers.
1. Definition of Commercial Packaged
Boiler
While EPCA authorizes DOE to
establish, subject to certain criteria, test
procedures and energy conservation
standards for packaged boilers, to date,
DOE has only established test
procedures and standards for
9 BTS
2000 noted in section 9.1.1.1.6 that ‘‘a state
of equilibrium shall have been reached when
consistent readings are obtained during a 30 minute
period,’’ but did not explicitly define what
‘‘consistent’’ meant. ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015 incorporates specific thresholds for steam
pressure and percent CO2 or O2 in the flue gas to
specify the maximum allowable fluctuations that
may occur during ‘‘steady-state’’ operation.
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commercial packaged boilers, a subset
of packaged boilers. In 2004, DOE
published a final rule (October 2004
final rule) establishing definitions, test
procedures, and energy conservation
standards for commercial packaged
boilers. 69 FR 61949 (Oct. 21, 2004). In
the October 2004 final rule, DOE
defined ‘‘commercial packaged boiler’’
as a type of packaged low pressure
boiler that is industrial equipment with
a capacity (fuel input rate) of 300,000
Btu per hour (Btu/h) or more which, to
any significant extent, is distributed in
commerce: (1) For heating or space
conditioning applications in buildings;
or (2) for service water heating in
buildings but does not meet the
definition of ‘‘hot water supply boiler.’’
DOE also defined ‘‘packaged low
pressure boiler’’ as a packaged boiler
that is: (1) A steam boiler designed to
operate at or below a steam pressure of
15 psig; or (2) a hot water commercial
packaged boiler designed to operate at
or below a water pressure of 160 psig
and a temperature of 250 °F; or (3) a
boiler that is designed to be capable of
supplying either steam or hot water, and
designed to operate under the
conditions in paragraphs (1) and (2) of
this definition. 69 FR 61960.
DOE notes that, because commercial
packaged boilers are currently defined
as a subset of packaged low pressure
boilers, all commercial packaged boilers
have to meet the pressure and
temperature criteria established in the
definition of a ‘‘packaged low pressure
boiler.’’ Consequently, DOE is proposing
to modify DOE’s definition of
‘‘commercial packaged boiler’’ to
explicitly include the pressure and
temperature criteria established by the
‘‘packaged low pressure boiler’’
definition. DOE believes such a
modification will clarify the
characteristics of the equipment to
which DOE’s test procedure and energy
conservation standards apply. As a
result, DOE proposes to remove its
definition for packaged low pressure
boiler, as it is no longer necessary. DOE
notes that the term ‘‘packaged high
pressure boiler’’ also is no longer used
in the commercial packaged boiler
subpart, and therefore proposes to
remove its definition. DOE seeks
comment on these proposals. This is
identified as Issue 2 in section V.E.
2. Field-Constructed Commercial
Packaged Boilers
EPCA establishes the statutory
authority by which DOE may regulate
‘‘packaged boilers’’ and defines a
‘‘packaged boiler’’ as a boiler that is
shipped complete with heating
equipment, mechanical draft
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equipment, and automatic controls;
usually shipped in one or more sections.
(42 U.S.C. 6311(11)(B)) In adopting the
EPCA definition for a ‘‘packaged
boiler,’’ DOE amended the definition to:
(1) Include language to address the
various ways in which packaged boilers
are distributed in commerce; and (2)
explicitly exclude custom-designed,
field-constructed boilers. 69 FR 61949,
61952. ‘‘Custom-designed, fieldconstructed’’ boilers were excluded
because DOE believed the statutory
standards for ‘‘packaged boilers’’ were
not intended to apply to these boiler
systems, which generally require
alteration, cutting, drilling, threading,
welding or similar tasks by the installer.
As a result, DOE defined a ‘‘packaged
boiler’’ as a boiler that is shipped
complete with heating equipment,
mechanical draft equipment and
automatic controls; usually shipped in
one or more sections and does not
include a boiler that is custom designed
and field constructed. If the boiler is
shipped in more than one section, the
sections may be produced by more than
one manufacturer, and may be
originated or shipped at different times
and from more than one location. 10
CFR 431.82.
In this NOPR, DOE wishes to further
clarify the differentiation between fieldconstructed commercial packaged
boilers, which are excluded from DOE’s
commercial packaged boiler regulations,
and field-assembled commercial
packaged boilers, which are subject to
DOE’s regulations. A field-constructed
commercial packaged boiler is a customdesigned commercial packaged boiler
that requires welding of structural
components in the field during
installation. Specifically, DOE considers
structural components to include heat
exchanger sections, flue tube bundles
and internal heat exchanger surfaces,
external piping to one or more heat
exchanger sections or locations, and the
mechanical supporting structure the
heat exchanger rests upon in the case
where a support structure is not
provided with the commercial packaged
boiler. For the purposes of this
clarification, welding does not include
attachment using mechanical fasteners
or brazing; and any jackets, shrouds,
venting, burner, or burner mounting
hardware are not structural components.
Conversely, a field-assembled
commercial packaged boiler can be
assembled in the field without the
welding of the structural components
that were previously listed. DOE
reiterates that field-assembled
equipment is covered, is required to be
tested using the DOE test procedure,
and is required to comply with the
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applicable energy conservation
standards and certification
requirements.
In this NOPR, DOE also proposes to
clarify that the field-constructed
exemption pertains to commercial
packaged boilers specifically, not the
broader definition of packaged boiler.
Therefore, DOE proposes to remove this
exclusionary language from its
definition for ‘‘packaged boiler’’ and to
incorporate the exclusion for fieldconstructed equipment into its
definition for commercial packaged
boiler.
DOE seeks comment on its proposed
definition for ‘‘field-constructed’’ and
this is identified as Issue 3 in section
V.E.
C. Testing of Large Commercial
Packaged Boilers
In response to the energy conservation
standards September 2013 Framework
document, Cleaver-Brooks, Burnham,
and ABMA stated that for practical
reasons, testing requirements should be
limited to boilers with rated maximum
input capacities less than 2,500,000 Btu/
h. These commenters raised concerns
regarding the time and expense of
testing larger boilers, and the ability of
some independent testing laboratories
and manufacturers to test larger boilers
due to heat sink requirements for the
hot water generated. (Docket EERE–
2013–BT–STD–0030, Cleaver-Brooks,
No. 12 at p. 1; Docket EERE–2013–BT–
STD–0030, Burnham, No. 15 at p. 2;
Docket EERE–2013–BT–STD–0030,
ABMA, No. 14 at p. 3) ABMA reiterated
these concerns in response to the
November 2014 Preliminary Analysis.
(Docket EERE–2013–BT–STD–0030,
ABMA, No. 33 at pp. 1–2) Lochinvar, in
response to the November 2014
Preliminary Analysis, stated that
alternative efficiency determination
method (AEDM) rules mitigated test
burden concerns for large boilers.
(Docket EERE–2013–BT–STD–0030,
Lochinvar, No. 34 at p. 1)
In response, DOE notes that neither
the statutory definition for ‘‘packaged
boiler’’ at 42 U.S.C. 6311(11)(B) nor the
definition for ‘‘commercial packaged
boiler’’ at 10 CFR 431.82 set an upper
limit on the maximum fuel input rate of
covered equipment. The energy
conservation standards for commercial
packaged boilers at 10 CFR 431.87 also
do not establish any limitations based
on the fuel input rate of equipment.
Consequently, commercial packaged
boiler models with high fuel input rates
are subject to DOE’s existing standards
for commercial packaged boilers, and to
establish such a fuel input rate limit for
covered equipment with existing
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standards would violate the antibacksliding provisions of EPCA found at
42 U.S.C. 6313(a)(6)(B)(iii)(I) for those
equipment larger than the limit.
Additionally, both BTS–2000
(incorporated by reference in the
existing DOE test procedure) and ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015 (proposed to
be incorporated by reference) include
any commercial packaged boiler with
fuel input rate of 300,000 Btu/h or
greater.
DOE recognizes the commenters’
concerns that it may be difficult to test
thermal efficiency for large commercial
packaged boilers and notes that EPCA
requires that test procedures shall not be
unduly burdensome to conduct. (42
U.S.C. 6314(a)(2)) Specifically, DOE
recognizes that large commercial
packaged boilers may not be fully
assembled until they are installed at the
field site, which may preclude them
from being tested in a laboratory setting.
DOE also recognizes that, as the size of
the equipment increases, testing costs
incurred to condition the incoming
water and air to the test procedure
rating conditions, as well as
management of the hot water generated
during testing, also increases.
In this NOPR, DOE proposes several
amendments to the DOE test procedure
in order to provide greater flexibility for
testing certain large commercial
packaged boilers and field-assembled
commercial packaged boilers.
Specifically, DOE proposes the
following provisions:
• A field test of combustion efficiency
for commercial packaged boilers with
fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000
Btu/h;
• a calculation method to convert
combustion efficiency to thermal
efficiency for steam commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate
greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h; and
• an increase in allowable steam
pressure to 15 psi (by incorporating by
reference AHRI Standard 1500–2015).
DOE notes that the continued
allowance for the use of an AEDM also
facilitates the ability to ascertain the
efficiency of large commercial packaged
boilers. These proposed amendments for
providing greater flexibility in the
testing of large commercial packaged
boilers are discussed in the following
subsections.
1. Field Tests for Commercial Packaged
Boilers
DOE proposes to adopt an optional
test method for commercial packaged
boilers with fuel input rate greater than
5,000,000 Btu/h which would allow for:
(1) Measuring a steam or hot water
commercial packaged boiler’s
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combustion efficiency in the field; and
(2) converting the measured combustion
efficiency to thermal efficiency via a
calculation method for steam
commercial packaged boilers (discussed
in section III.C.2).
DOE understands ‘‘field test’’ to mean
a combustion efficiency test that is
conducted at the location in which a
given commercial packaged boiler is or
will be installed and commissioned for
use. DOE understands that the
combustion efficiency test is less
burdensome to conduct on large
commercial packaged boilers than the
thermal efficiency test and is more
feasible to conduct in the field than the
thermal efficiency test. Specifically, the
test setup required for obtaining the
combustion efficiency according to
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015 is less
involved and requires less
instrumentation in the working fluid
stream (flow meters are not required)
than the thermal efficiency test, and
involves calculations using primarily
the flue gas temperature and
constituents. The combustion efficiency
test also requires less time to run than
the thermal efficiency test and therefore
requires less fuel and water, which must
be managed and disposed of as part of
the test. DOE believes that allowance for
testing commercial packaged boilers
with fuel input rates greater than
5,000,000 Btu/h in the field would
reduce the burden associated with
testing this equipment and would
mitigate the concerns of interested
parties regarding laboratory limitations.
However, DOE notes that changes to the
test procedure are necessary to account
for the following issues associated with
testing in the field:
• Ambient conditions in the field
may be difficult to control (see section
III.E of this NOPR).
• Setup requirements of thermal
efficiency test (both ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 and proposed DOE
test procedure amendments) may not be
possible to achieve in field (see section
III.F of this NOPR).
• Maintaining inlet and outlet water
temperatures or steam quality (as
applicable) may not be possible in the
field (see section III.D of this NOPR).
Consequently, DOE proposes that the
aforementioned requirements for
ambient conditions, certain setup
requirements, steam quality, and inlet
and outlet water temperatures not apply
for field tests. While DOE believes such
flexibility is necessary to limit burden
when testing large commercial packaged
boilers in the field, DOE recognizes that
eliminating these requirements
regarding testing conditions may
decrease the accuracy and repeatability
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of the test. As such, DOE is proposing
that the optional field test only be
available for commercial packaged
boilers with fuel input rates greater than
5,000,000 Btu/h, for which testing in a
laboratory setting is difficult, expensive,
or impractical.
To help improve the consistency and
repeatability of field tests, DOE also
proposes that manufacturers measure
these values (inlet water temperature,
outlet water temperature, ambient
relative humidity, and ambient
temperature) and maintain the records
of these measurements as part of the test
data underlying the manufacturer’s
compliance certification in accordance
with the requirements in 10 CFR 429.71.
If a manufacturer elects to use the field
test option in the test procedure, the
manufacturer would also be required to
report that the rated efficiency is based
on a field test.
Since DOE proposes this optional
methodology primarily to accommodate
commercial packaged boilers with fuel
input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h,
DOE proposes to allow certification
based on a sample size of one for
manufacturers utilizing the field test
and conversion methodology. DOE has
never intended that a manufacturer
build more than one unit solely for the
purposes of testing and clarified this
during the Commercial Certification
Working Group meetings (Docket No.
EERE–2013–BT–NOC–0023).
Additionally, 10 CFR 429.12(a) requires
that certification of equipment occur
before distribution in commerce. With
respect to commercial packaged boilers
that are not field assembled, distribution
in commerce would be determined,
similar to other covered equipment,
using the factors specified in the
certification, compliance, and
enforcement final rule published on
March 7, 2011. 76 FR 12422, 12426–
12427. Any field tested basic model of
a commercial packaged boiler that has
not been previously certified through
testing or an AEDM would be required
to be certified by the manufacturer to
DOE within 15 days of commissioning.
(Note: by ‘‘commissioning,’’ DOE means
adapting the boiler operating conditions
and parameters to those required for the
building space heating load.) DOE
proposes to adopt this exception in
recognition of the high test burden and
practical limitations of testing these
boilers prior to distributing them in
commerce; however, DOE notes that, if
the field test demonstrates that the unit
does not meet the applicable standard,
then the manufacturer would have to
decommission the unit until it can be
modified and retested to demonstrate
compliance with the standard. Failure
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to decommission the unit immediately
(i.e., allowing the unit to be used during
any time period while the unit is being
redesigned, parts are being built or
ordered, etc. to make the unit
compliant) would constitute a violation
of the standards and the certification
requirements. DOE also notes that,
when a single unit is tested, there is no
tolerance on the performance; the tested
unit must meet the standard.
Since commercial packaged boilers
with fuel input rates greater than
5,000,000 Btu/h would not be easily
transported between manufacturer,
laboratory, and consumer facilities, DOE
also proposes that, at its discretion,
assessment and enforcement testing of
commissioned units could also be
conducted as field tests. The location at
which the enforcement field test is
performed may or may not be the same
location at which the manufacturer
conducted its field test. DOE recognizes
that a field test could not meet the
existing laboratory accreditation
requirements found at 10 CFR
429.110(a)(3) and there proposes an
exception in this section specifically for
field tests of commercial packaged
boilers.
DOE seeks comments on the following
issues, and these are also listed in
section V.E:
• The feasibility of conducting a
combustion efficiency test in the field
for steam and hot water commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate
greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h (Issue 4).
• Whether the thermal efficiency test
can be conducted for steam commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate
greater than 2,500,000 Btu/h and less
than or equal to 5,000,000 Btu/h (Issue
5).
• The specific limitations, if any, that
preclude combustion efficiency testing
in a laboratory setting for steam
commercial packaged boilers with fuel
input rate greater than 2,500,000 Btu/h
and less than or equal to 5,000,000 Btu/
h (Issue 6).
• The specific additional equipment
or facilities and their associated cost
that would be required to accommodate
testing commercial packaged boilers
with fuel input rate greater than
2,500,000 Btu/h and less than or equal
to 5,000,000 Btu/h in a laboratory
setting (Issue 7).
• Whether the 5,000,000 Btu/h fuel
input rate is an adequate threshold for
the allowance of the field combustion
test and conversion methodology, and if
not, what threshold should be used
(Issue 8).
• Whether certification should be
permitted for field tested units after
distribution in commerce and after
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commissioning, in particular the impact
of this approach on building inspectors
(Issue 9).
2. Method To Convert Combustion
Efficiency to Thermal Efficiency for
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers
DOE also proposes a method for
converting the combustion efficiency of
a steam commercial packaged boiler to
thermal efficiency. Such a conversion
would be necessary for steam
commercial packaged boilers because
the efficiency metric for this equipment
at 10 CFR 431.86 is thermal efficiency.
DOE proposes this conversion method
only for those steam commercial
packaged boilers with a fuel input rate
greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h based on
the concerns presented in section III.C.
This conversion methodology would be
available to manufacturers or
laboratories to perform a combustion
efficiency test in a laboratory setting or
as a field test as described in III.C.1.
The proposed conversion method
calculates thermal efficiency by
subtracting a constant value from the
combustion efficiency, which must be
measured in accordance with ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015. Thermal
efficiency includes heat exchanger
effectiveness and jacket losses which are
not captured in the combustion
efficiency. The constant value
subtracted from the tested combustion
efficiency value represents those
additional losses. In order to determine
such a value, DOE analyzed the AHRI
directory (as of January 2015).10 DOE
looked at the difference between rated
combustion and thermal efficiency for
all steam commercial packaged boilers
with rated input larger than 5,000,000
Btu/h. DOE found 52 basic models of
steam commercial packaged boilers with
a rated input larger than 5,000,000 Btu/
h and the difference between rated
combustion and thermal efficiency
ranged between 0.5 percent and 2.0
percent. Based on these values, DOE
proposes subtracting 2.0 percent from
the measured combustion efficiency of
steam commercial packaged boilers with
fuel input rating 5,000,000 Btu/h or
greater in order to calculate a rated
thermal efficiency. DOE believes that
subtracting 2.0 percent from the
measured combustion efficiency
determined during the field test would
result in conservative thermal efficiency
ratings of models, thereby encouraging
manufacturers to conduct thermal
efficiency tests.
Manufacturers must use the certified
rating for any representation of
10 Available at: https://www.ahridirectory.org/
ahridirectory/pages/home.aspx.
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efficiency no matter which methodology
is used. That is, for equipment certified
under the calculation procedure, any
representations of the energy efficiency
must be made based on the calculated
value and any equipment certified using
the tested value of thermal efficiency
must be made based on the results of
that testing.
DOE seeks comments on the following
issues, which are also listed in section
V.E:
• The proposed conversion method
for calculating thermal efficiency based
on measured combustion efficiency for
steam commercial packaged boilers with
fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000
Btu/h (Issue 10);
• The proposed value for the
difference between the combustion
efficiency and thermal efficiency in the
conversion method (proposed value of
2.0 percent of the combustion
efficiency), whether the value would
result in conservative ratings, and what
number DOE should use instead if the
proposed value is not adequate (Issue
11);
• Whether the 5,000,000 Btu/h fuel
input rate is an adequate threshold for
the allowance of the field test (for
combustion efficiency) and/or
conversion methodology, and if not,
what threshold should be used (Issue
12); and
• If the field test (for hot water and
steam commercial packaged boilers) and
conversion methodologies (for steam
commercial packaged boilers) do not
adequately accommodate commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate
greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h, what
procedure should DOE implement in
order to do so (Issue 13).
3. Alternative Efficiency Determination
Methods
The provisions under 10 CFR 429.70
provide for alternative methods for
determining energy efficiency and
energy use of certain equipment,
including commercial packaged boilers.
An AEDM must first be validated for a
particular validation class in accordance
with the requirements of 10 CFR
429.70(c) using the applicable test
procedure (e.g., the test procedure under
10 CFR 431.86 for commercial packaged
boilers). For each validation class of
commercial packaged boilers, at least
two (2) distinct basic models must be
tested in order to validate the AEDM
before using the AEDM to predict the
fuel input rate or efficiency of a
commercial packaged boiler. 10 CFR
429.70(c)(2)(iv). Such a test may be
performed on any individual models in
a validation class that meet or exceed
the current applicable Federal energy
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conservation standard, regardless of
size. As noted by Lochinvar in response
to the November 2014 Preliminary
Analysis, the AEDM process mitigates
test burden concerns for large
commercial packaged boilers. (Docket
EERE–2013–BT–STD–0030, Lochinvar,
No. 34 at p. 1)
However, in light of DOE’s proposal
to allow field tests for commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rates
than 5,000,000 Btu/h (described in
section III.C.1), DOE proposes to limit
the cases in which field tests may be
used for AEDM validation pursuant to
10 CFR 429.70(c)(2). Specifically, DOE
proposes that AEDMs validated using
data derived from field tests may only
be used to rate commercial packaged
boilers with fuel input rate greater than
5,000,000 Btu/h. As discussed in section
III.C.1, DOE proposes a field test option
for commercial packaged boilers with
fuel input rates greater than 5,000,000
Btu/h that disregards certain testing
requirements, measures combustion
efficiency, and applies a calculation
method to convert combustion
efficiency to thermal efficiency (for
steam commercial packaged boilers).
While this field test option reduces
testing burden, it also leads to more
variability and uncertainty in the test
results. As such, DOE believes that the
proposed allowances for field tests of
commercial packaged boilers with fuel
input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h
would not provide sufficient validation
of an AEDM for use on smaller units
that must undergo laboratory tests.
Therefore, DOE proposes that AEDMs
validated based on field test data may
only be used for commercial packaged
boilers with fuel input rates greater than
5,000,000 Btu/h. Laboratory tests of
commercial packaged boilers of any size
(i.e., not field tested) can continue to be
used to validate an AEDM that is used
to rate commercial packaged boilers of
any size, including those with fuel input
rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h.
4. Steam Commercial Packaged Boiler
Operating Pressure
Section 8.6.1 of BTS–2000 provides
that tests may be made at atmospheric
pressure or at pressure not exceeding 2
psi gauge, and section 8.6.3 of BTS–
2000 requires that the moisture in steam
not exceed 2 percent of the water fed to
the commercial packaged boiler during
the test. These provisions are
incorporated by reference in the existing
DOE test procedure for commercial
packaged boilers. DOE solicited public
comments on test pressure and steam
moisture content in the September 2013
Framework document; during the
October 1, 2013 energy conservation
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standards Framework document public
meeting; and in the February 2014 RFI.
In particular, DOE requested comments
about (1) the appropriate steam pressure
for steam commercial packaged boilers
operating at full load, (2) the effect of
different steam pressures on steady-state
efficiency (thermal or combustion), and
(3) the impacts of the steam pressure
testing requirements on the amount of
water carryover and the system
operation.
ABMA expressed concern that the
steam pressure requirements in BTS–
2000 may be suitable for certain boilers
but not for some larger-capacity models.
For example, ABMA indicated that a
fire-tube boiler cannot operate
successfully at 2 psig steam pressure.
Instead, ABMA argued that a fire-tube
boiler should be operated at 10 to 12
psig steam pressure to achieve
acceptable steam quality. (Docket EERE–
2013–BT–STD–0030, ABMA, No. 13 at
p. 31) ABMA also commented that
while steam pressure not greater than 0–
2 psig has been adequate for the
majority of boilers, the 0–2 psig test
pressure is unrealistic for largercapacity steam boilers, as it causes high
steam velocity at the steam/water
interface and the steam outlet nozzle,
which results in excessive water
entrainment and carryover (i.e., poor
steam quality). (Docket EERE–2013–BT–
STD–0030, ABMA, No. 14 at p. 2)
Cleaver-Brooks commented that it
cannot test its steam boilers at such low
operating pressures because its boilers
are designed to operate near or at 10
psig. (Docket EERE–2013–BT–STD–
0030, Cleaver-Brooks, No. 12 at p. 1)
Burnham encouraged DOE to raise the
limit of the required steam test pressure
to give manufacturers flexibility for
equipment designed to operate at
pressures above 2 psig. (Docket EERE–
2014–BT–TP–0006, Burnham, No. 4 at
p. 2) AHRI opined that an alternative
steam pressure requirement may have
an effect on the steady-state
measurement, but that such change
would be minimal. (Docket EERE–2014–
BT–TP–0006, AHRI, No. 6 at p. 2)
DOE notes that it has also received
several requests for test procedure
waivers, citing the inability to
simultaneously meet the maximum
steam pressure requirement (of between
0 and 2 psig) and the steam moisture
requirement (of less than or equal to 2
percent moisture). Based on the public
comments and the waiver requests DOE
has received to date, DOE understands
that larger commercial packaged boilers
are designed for operating pressures
greater than 2 psig and have difficulty
being tested in accordance with the DOE
existing test procedure for commercial
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packaged boilers; that is, at a pressure
not exceeding 2 psig and also not
exceeding 2 percent moisture in the
produced steam.
DOE notes that, to accommodate
testing of these commercial packaged
boilers, section 5.3.6 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 requires that tests
shall be made at atmospheric pressure
or at the pressure required to comply
with Section 5.3.7 [of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015], not exceeding 15
psi gauge. Therefore, DOE recognizes
that amending 10 CFR 431.86 to replace
BTS–2000 with ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 would permit steam
operating pressures up to but not
exceeding 15 psig and therefore resolve
the issues associated with testing large
commercial packaged boilers designed
to operate at higher pressures. DOE does
not anticipate this change would have
an effect on measured efficiency ratings
because it is being made to
accommodate only certain large
commercial packaged boilers that
manufacturers have claimed cannot be
tested under the existing DOE test
procedure and for which manufacturers
submitted waiver requests under 10 CFR
431.401.
DOE also notes that ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 allows for any
steam pressure from 0–15 psig to be
used for testing. However, DOE believes
that it is important to maintain
consistency and repeatability within the
CPB test procedure and subsequent
ratings. Therefore, DOE proposes that
only those commercial packaged boilers
that cannot operate at a steam pressure
below 2 psig would be able to apply
such a provision in order to also meet
the steam quality requirement.
However, DOE recognizes that,
theoretically, variation in steam
pressure would result in changes in
both thermal and combustion efficiency.
Therefore, to ensure commercial
packaged boilers that cannot be tested at
the prescribed 0–2 psig steam pressure
are tested in a consistent manner, DOE
proposes that such equipment be tested
at the steam pressure closest to 2 psig
that it can maintain while also
maintaining the requirement of less than
2 percent moisture in the steam, not
exceeding 15 psig. DOE notes that a
manufacturer may need to
incrementally increase steam test
pressure above atmospheric pressure or
the 2 psig requirement to meet the
moisture requirement, thereby
maintaining steam quality. DOE is not
aware of any commercial packaged
boilers that would require higher
operating pressures than 15 psig to
maintain the steam quality
requirements.
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DOE seeks comments, data, and
information about pressures
recommended by manufacturers and
relevance to actual operating conditions
in buildings. This is identified as Issue
14 in section V.E. DOE also seeks
comment on whether DOE should
require testing to be performed at the
lowest possible steam pressure where
steam quality requirements can be met.
This is identified as Issue 15 in section
V.E. DOE also requests comment on if
there are any commercial packaged
boilers that require steam pressures
greater than 15 psig to maintain 2
percent moisture in the produced steam.
This is identified as Issue 16 in section
V.E.
D. Hot Water Commercial Packaged
Boiler Operating Temperatures
In the energy conservation standards
September 2013 Framework document,
the February 2014 RFI, and the
November 2014 Preliminary Analysis
DOE requested comments, data, and
information about the appropriate inlet
and outlet water temperatures for partload and full-load testing conditions of
hot water commercial packaged boilers,
and information about how these
equipment are currently tested. Issues
pertaining to the inlet water temperature
and the temperature rise required by the
test procedure were also raised during
the public meeting regarding the energy
conservation standards September 2013
Framework document. In addition to the
comments solicited in response to the
September 2013 Framework document,
February 2014 RFI, and the November
2014 Preliminary Analysis; DOE
conducted confidential manufacturer
interviews as part of the energy
conservation standards rulemaking
process for commercial packaged boilers
(manufacturer interviews), during
which manufacturers also discussed
issues regarding the commercial
packaged boiler test procedure. In the
subsequent sections, DOE discusses the
existing requirements regarding hot
water temperatures, issues identified by
interested parties, proposed changes to
the hot water temperature requirements,
and potential impacts of those proposed
changes.
1. Existing Requirements
The existing DOE test procedure for
commercial packaged boilers
incorporates by reference BTS–2000
which includes test requirements for
inlet and outlet water temperatures for
non-condensing and condensing
commercial packaged boilers. For a noncondensing commercial packaged
boiler, section 8.5.1.1 of BTS–2000
requires inlet water temperature to be
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used, BTS–2000 requires that the
temperature requirements described
previously must still be met at Point A
in Figure III.1 prior to mixing with the
warmer recirculating loop water. BTS–
2000 (and ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015 at section 5.3.5.3) also limits the
temperature rise between Point B and
Point C to not less than 20 °F for
commercial packaged boilers tested
using a recirculating loop. ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 expands the
allowable use of a recirculating loop to
all commercial packaged boilers in
section 5.3.5.3, where previously it was
allowed for commercial packaged
boilers with tubular heat exchangers
only.
The measurements of inlet and outlet
water temperature at Points A and C are
used in Equation 1 to calculate the
amount of energy transferred into the
heated water, as described by item
C7.2.11.3 in ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 (also in 11.1.11.3 of BTS–
2000). This equation is given by
where QS is the rate of heat transferred
in Btu/h, W is the weight of heated
water in pounds (lb) measured during
the test, CP,H2O is the specific heat of
water in Btu/lb/°F, TOUT is the outlet
water temperature at Point C (°F), TIN is
the inlet water temperature at Point A
(°F), and tT is the test duration in hours.
In general, the efficiency of a
commercial packaged boiler is
proportional to the amount of water
heated and the amount of heat energy
added to this amount of water. As
shown in Equation 1, the amount of heat
energy transferred is proportional to the
product of the weight of the water fed
(W) and the temperature rise across the
commercial packaged boiler
(TOUT¥TIN). The efficiency is therefore
dependent on the inlet water
temperature, whereby lower inlet
temperatures result in greater amounts
of heat energy transferred and therefore
higher thermal efficiencies. As the
energy from the flue gases is only
transferred to the hot water in the heat
exchanger, the first law of
thermodynamics establishes a lower
limit on the temperature the flue gas can
achieve, which is the lowest water
temperature within the commercial
packaged boiler. Therefore as the inlet
water temperature is reduced, more
energy may be extracted from the
combustion gases, resulting in
potentially higher efficiency. These
conditions hold true for both noncondensing and condensing commercial
packaged boilers.
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1500–2015) identifies the location of the
measurement of the inlet water
temperature (Point A: TIN) and the
outlet water temperature (Point C:
TOUT).
EP17MR16.001</GPH>
A in Figure III.1 and outlet water
temperature to be 180 °F ± 2 °F (at Point
C in Figure III.1). These temperature
requirements are consistent with those
in ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015.
Specifically, Figure III.1 (taken from
Figure C9 in ANSI/AHRI Standard
The difference between the inlet and
outlet water temperatures describes the
temperature rise across the commercial
packaged boiler. BTS–2000 also
includes an allowance in section
8.5.1.1.1 for tubular commercial
packaged boilers to use a recirculating
loop, which reduces the temperature
rise across the commercial packaged
boiler itself (Point B to Point C), while
maintaining the inlet water temperature
requirements specified in the DOE test
procedure as measured at Point A. That
is, in cases where a recirculating loop is
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between 35 °F and 80 °F (at Point A in
Figure III.1), and outlet water
temperature to be 180 °F ± 2 °F (at Point
C in Figure III.1). For a condensing
commercial packaged boiler, section
8.5.1.2 of BTS–2000 requires inlet water
temperature to be 80 °F ± 5 °F (at Point
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2. Issues With Water Temperature
Requirements and Proposed Changes
Through the October 2013 Framework
document, February 2014 RFI, the
November 2014 Preliminary Analysis,
manufacturer interviews, and a review
of the existing DOE test procedure, DOE
identified the following concerns
regarding its existing water temperature
requirements for commercial packaged
boilers:
• The current temperature rise is
unrepresentative of actual operating
conditions.
• The current temperature rise may
induce excessive stresses on some
commercial packaged boilers.
• The presence of recirculating loops
during testing leads to significant
variability in the actual temperature rise
across the commercial packaged boiler
(Point B to Point C in Figure III.1).
These issues are discussed in detail in
this section.
During the manufacturer interviews, a
number of manufacturers indicated that
the 100 °F temperature rise in BTS–2000
(for both condensing or non-condensing
commercial packaged boilers) was
unrepresentative of real-world
conditions, and instead indicated that
commercial packaged boilers are
typically designed for a 20 °F to 40 °F
temperature rise. These manufacturers
suggested that testing with a 20 °F to
40 °F temperature rise would better
reflect conditions found in typical
building applications. DOE understands
this to mean the actual temperature rise
across the commercial packaged boiler
itself (i.e., between Point B and Point C
in Figure III.1).
During the public meeting regarding
the September 2013 energy conservation
standards Framework document, ACEEE
asserted that a 100 °F temperature rise is
an inadequate way to characterize
modern boilers, does not provide
sufficient information about
performance of a boiler with a 20 °F
temperature rise between inlet and
outlet water temperature at part-load
conditions, and is essentially irrelevant
for comparing efficiencies among a
range of boiler sizes. (Docket EERE–
2013–BT–STD–0030, ACEEE, No. 13 at
pp. 20, 36) In later comments, ACEEE
recommended a 20 °F temperature rise,
arguing that it is within the range of the
most common temperature rise and
provides the most conservative value for
full-load, steady-state efficiency. ACEEE
also commented that a manufacturer
should be able to publish ‘‘application
ratings’’ (informational ratings obtained
at different operating conditions) for
different temperature rise values. In
addition, whether for a fixed capacity or
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modulating boiler, ACEEE observed that
the lower inlet water temperatures
result in higher efficiencies, and ACEEE
stated its understanding that almost all
the efficiency gain is due to the release
of latent energy at inlet water
temperatures less than 140 °F. ACEEE
then suggested that a commercial
packaged boiler should be rated at the
lowest inlet water temperature that
remains under the manufacturer’s
warranty for continuous service,
whether for a fixed capacity or
modulating boiler. (Docket EERE–2014–
BT–TP–0006, ACEEE, No. 2 at p. 2.)
A joint comment from ACEEE, ASAP,
and NRDC suggested that the existing
DOE test procedure for commercial
packaged boilers is obsolete because it
obscures the annual energy savings
potential of condensing boilers in
commercial building applications. BTS–
2000 measures efficiency at peak load,
using a minimum 100 °F temperature
rise between inlet and outlet (note:
BTS–2000 defines inlet temperature at a
location preceding the reentry of any
recirculating loop water), and requires
180 °F outlet temperature. (This
continues to be the case in ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015.) However, the
commenters argued that the existing test
procedure does not consider condensing
boilers that can operate at part load with
greater efficiency if the system design
allows for inlet water at condensing
temperatures (<140 °F). (Docket EERE–
2013–BT–STD–0030, Joint Advocates,
No. 16 at p. 2)
In response to the November 2014
Preliminary Analysis, Raypak suggested
that the wide range in allowable inlet
water temperatures in BTS–2000 is to
accommodate the wide range of ground
water temperatures throughout the year.
(Docket EERE–2013–BT–STD–0030,
Raypak, No. 35 at p. 3)
ABMA expressed concerns on behalf
of its members that (1) water
temperatures required by BTS–2000 are
obsolete or do not represent installed
boilers; (2) the temperature rise
resulting from the required inlet and
outlet water temperatures set forth in
BTS–2000 can place excessive stress on
the boiler pressure vessel, thereby
leading to shorter boiler life; and (3) the
considerable cost of testing larger
boilers could approach $1 million.
ABMA added that test pressures and
temperatures should be more realistic in
terms of normal system operating
conditions and that an appropriate inlet
temperature would be 140 °F or the
manufacturer’s recommended
minimum. (Docket EERE–2013–BT–
STD–0030, ABMA, No. 14 at p. 1–3)
DOE notes that these concerns continue
to apply to ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
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2015 since these temperatures are the
same as those found in BTS–2000.
Cleaver-Brooks stated that BTS–2000
specifies an outlet temperature of 180 °F
and an inlet water temperature of 38 °F
[sic] to 80 °F for non-condensing boilers.
(Note: BTS–2000 prescribes an inlet
water temperature of 35 °F.) Instead, for
much of its equipment, Cleaver-Brooks
stated that it specifies a minimum inlet
water temperature of 140 °F to reduce
damage from thermally induced
stresses. Cleaver-Brooks asserted that
neither the required steam nor the hot
water test conditions set forth in the
existing DOE test procedure for
commercial packaged boilers reflect
actual conditions in buildings, and that
test conditions overestimate boiler
efficiency compared to what an enduser would be expected to experience in
actual applications. The commenter
suggested modifying the test procedure
to require an outlet water temperature of
180 °F and an inlet water temperature of
140 °F or, at a minimum, to allow such
test conditions as an alternative. (Docket
EERE–2013–BT–STD–0030, CleaverBrooks, No. 12 at p. 1) Again, DOE notes
that these concerns also apply to ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015, as the
standard maintains the same inlet and
outlet water temperature requirements
as BTS–2000. DOE also believes that the
inlet water temperatures described by
Cleaver-Brooks and ABMA are intended
to mean the inlet water temperature in
the absence of a recirculating loop. As
noted earlier, the existing DOE test
procedure (section 8.5.1.1.1 of BTS–
2000) allows for the use of a
recirculating loop for tubular
commercial packaged boilers, thereby
increasing the inlet water temperature
seen by the commercial packaged boiler
(shown as Point B in Figure III.1) and
reducing the actual temperature rise
across the commercial packaged boiler.
Similarly, Lochinvar stated in
response to the November 2014
Preliminary Analysis that the allowance
in BTS–2000 for a recirculation loop in
some instances would result in higher
water temperature going into the
commercial packaged boiler. Lochinvar
noted that efficiency curves that present
the efficiency of a commercial packaged
boiler as a function of return (inlet)
water temperature (and are sometimes
provided in marketing literature) are not
based on the methodology of BTS–2000.
Lochinvar further recommended that
DOE not attempt to correct the
efficiency of commercial packaged
boilers for inlet water temperature.
(Docket EERE–2013–BT–STD–0030, No.
34 at p. 3)
In order to address the issues
presented in section III.D.2, DOE
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proposes amendments to the inlet and
outlet water temperatures for both
condensing and non-condensing
commercial packaged boilers. Upon
consideration of the above comments
about inlet and outlet water
temperatures; review of commercial
packaged boiler manufacturer literature;
and consideration of results of testing of
commercial packaged boilers at
temperatures that, according to
commercial packaged boiler
manufacturers, would reflect normal
system operating conditions; DOE
agrees with interested parties that a
100 °F to 145 °F nominal temperature
rise does not necessarily reflect
conditions typically associated with
installed non-condensing or condensing
commercial packaged boilers.
Further, DOE acknowledges that the
presence of recirculating loops in testing
obscures the actual inlet water
temperature entering the commercial
packaged boiler at Point B in Figure III.1
(and therefore the actual temperature
rise experienced by the commercial
packaged boiler) because the inlet water
temperature is measured and
maintained at Point A only, under the
existing procedure. Specifically, DOE
observed that, based on the permissible
inlet and outlet temperatures, the
tolerances on those temperatures, and
the use of recirculating loops, the
temperature rises between Point B and
Point C in Figure III.1 allowable by both
BTS–2000 and ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 can range from 20 °F to
147 °F for non-condensing commercial
packaged boilers (section 8.5.1.1 of BTS
2000 and section 5.3.5.1 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015) and 20 °F to
107 °F for condensing commercial
packaged boilers (section 8.5.1.2 of BTS
2000 and section 5.3.5.2 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015). (Note: the
minimum temperature rise of 20 °F
across the commercial packaged boiler
assumes that recirculating loops are
currently being used for these tests.)
DOE notes that such variability has the
potential to yield variability in tested
combustion efficiency and thermal
efficiency ratings.
Accordingly, to improve the
consistency and repeatability of the
DOE test procedure, DOE proposes to
revise the hot water temperature
requirements to require the inlet water
temperature to be 140 °F ±1 °F for noncondensing equipment, as determined at
Point B (see Figure III.1). For noncondensing equipment, DOE is
maintaining the outlet temperature of
180 °F but is specifying a new tolerance
for this measurement, which is
discussed further in section III.D.3).
Similarly, DOE proposes to require an
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outlet water temperature of 120 °F ±1 °F
for condensing equipment, as
determined at Point C (see Figure III.1).
For condensing equipment, DOE is
proposing an inlet water temperature
specification of 80 °F as measured at
Point B in Figure III.1 and updating the
measurement tolerance to ±1 °F, as
discussed section III.D.3. DOE believes
these test temperatures will more
accurately represent the energy
efficiency of commercial packaged
boilers and are more consistent with the
conditions typically observed in field
installations. DOE also notes that the
proposed temperature requirements
result in equivalent temperature rises
across the commercial packaged boiler
for condensing and non-condensing
equipment in order to maintain
comparability. The proposed
temperature requirements also
incorporate inlet water temperatures
that more accurately represent the
efficiencies of non-condensing and
condensing commercial packaged
boilers. DOE does not believe that
maintaining the same outlet water
temperature for non-condensing and
condensing commercial packaged
boilers is important for maintaining
comparability of ratings.
DOE is proposing to modify the
location at which the inlet water
temperature is maintained from Point A
to Point B, which is immediately
preceding the commercial packaged
boiler, downstream of the recirculation
loop (see Figure III.1). DOE believes that
the comments of interested parties refer
to the temperature rise experienced
across the commercial packaged boiler
itself (Point B to Point C) and that,
therefore, DOE’s proposal is consistent
with the input of interested parties. In
addition, DOE notes that specifying the
inlet water temperature at Point B,
immediately prior to entering the
commercial packaged boiler would
remove ambiguity and improve the
consistency and repeatability of the
DOE test procedure. This temperature is
more directly related to the measured
thermal or combustion efficiency than
the temperature rise determined with
the inlet water upstream of the
recirculation loop (between Point C and
Point A of Figure III.1).
DOE recognizes that these inlet
temperatures would typically be
produced through the use of a
recirculating loop to temper incoming
feedwater to the appropriate inlet
temperature. In proposing to adopt
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015, DOE
is proposing to allow recirculation loops
to be used on all commercial packaged
boilers and, as such, DOE clarifies that
recirculation loops could be used to
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meet the new proposed inlet water
requirements. However, DOE proposes
that the efficiency calculations in
section C7.2.11.3 in ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 would continue to
use the water temperature and flow rate
measured upstream of the recirculating
loop, if present (Point A in Figure III.1).
DOE acknowledges that this would
require measurements of water
temperature at both Point A and Point
B for equipment tested with
recirculating loops. However, DOE notes
that by continuing to use the
temperature at Point A in the
calculation of thermal efficiency, the
precision of the resulting thermal
efficiency will not be impacted as
compared to the current methodology.
While DOE believes that the proposed
inlet and outlet temperature
requirements are applicable and
representative for the majority of
commercial packaged boilers available
on the market, DOE is aware that some
commercial packaged boilers are unable
to operate at a temperature rise across
the commercial packaged boiler of
40 °F. Specifically, DOE is aware that
some commercial packaged boilers are
only capable of operating with lower
temperature differentials, such as 20 °F.
As such, DOE is proposing to adopt
provisions for commercial packaged
boilers that cannot operate with a
temperature rise of 40 °F across the
boiler (Point B to Point C), as indicated
in the manufacturer literature. For noncondensing commercial packaged
boilers, DOE is proposing that, if the
commercial packaged boiler cannot
operate with an inlet temperature of
140 °F ± 1 °F at Point B in Figure III.1
when the outlet temperature is 180 °F ±
1 °F, DOE is proposing that the inlet
temperature be maintained as close to
140 °F ± 1 °F as possible, consistent
with manufacturer’s instructions
provided in the literature for that basic
model and that the average inlet water
temperature measured at Point B in
Figure III.1 be reported as part of the
certification report for the basic model.
Similarly, for condensing commercial
packaged boilers that cannot operate
with a temperature rise of 40 °F across
the commercial packaged boiler, DOE is
proposing that the inlet temperature at
Point B in Figure III.1 be maintained as
close to 80 °F ± 1 °F as possible,
consistent with manufacturer’s
instructions provided in the literature
for that basic model, while the outlet
temperature is maintained at 120 °F ±
1 °F, consistent with the DOE test
procedure. Again, the average inlet
water temperature measured at Point B
in Figure III.1 would be reported as part
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of the certification report for the basic
model
DOE seeks comments, data, and
information about whether the proposed
testing conditions related to water
temperatures are appropriate both for a
non-condensing commercial packaged
boiler and a condensing commercial
packaged boiler. This is identified as
Issue 17 in Section V.E.
DOE also requests comment on the
proposed test provisions to
accommodate commercial packaged
boilers that cannot be tested with a
temperature rise of 40 °F across the
commercial packaged boiler (Point B to
Point C). This is identified as Issue 18
in Section V.E.
Under EPCA, DOE is required to
determine what impacts, if any, its
amendments to a test procedure will
have on ratings. (42 U.S.C. 6293(e); 42
U.S.C. 6314(a)(4)(C)) DOE proposes
using the temperature rise across the
commercial packaged boiler itself as
described in order to improve the
repeatability of the tests. Whereas the
existing test procedure (using BTS–
2000, incorporated by reference) allows
for a wide range of temperature rises
across the commercial packaged boiler
due to the allowance of recirculating
loops and a measurement location
upstream of the recirculation loop,
which obscures the actual temperature
rise across the commercial packaged
boiler, DOE’s proposed amendments
would remove ambiguity by
standardizing this temperature rise
across all commercial packaged boilers
where possible. DOE notes that the
effect on any individual commercial
packaged boiler could be to slightly
increase or slightly decrease measured
efficiency, depending on how the test
was previously performed. Further,
based on discussions with
manufacturers, DOE believes that testing
is already performed using a
recirculating loop for equipment that
does not utilize a tubular heat exchanger
in order to prevent damaging the
equipment and provide the boiler with
inlet water temperatures more
representative of typical field
conditions. Therefore, in combination
with the other proposed amendments to
the test procedure, DOE has tentatively
determined that the proposed
amendments, in aggregate, would not
result in an overall measurable impact
on ratings.
3. Allowable Uncertainty in Water
Temperature Measurement
HTP initially expressed concern about
several operating conditions being
either unspecified or unrealistic, and
suggested updated test parameters for
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commercial packaged boilers that would
be more reasonable. (Docket EERE–
2013–BT–STD–0030, HTP, No. 18 at
p.4) However, in later comments and
after further analysis, HTP concluded
that the test conditions should not be
amended because manufacturers cannot
be confident that the DOE test method
would maintain an acceptable level of
uncertainty if different test points or
temperature rises were to be used.
Instead, HTP commented that an
acceptable test method uncertainty
analysis should be completed to verify
the Appliance Standards and
Rulemaking Federal Advisory
Committee (ASRAC) agreed-upon 5percent allowable tolerance on ratings
in order to account for variations in
manufacturing and testing. (Docket
EERE–2014–BT–TP–0006, HTP, No. 5 at
p. 4)
In response to HTP’s concerns
regarding the uncertainty of the test,
DOE proposes to reduce the tolerances
for inlet and outlet water temperatures
during the test period to ±1 °F for both
non-condensing and condensing
commercial packaged boilers so that
testing uncertainties are not increased.
DOE notes that the required minimum
accuracy of the inlet and outlet water
temperature measurement
instrumentation is ±0.2 °F (Table C1 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015 and
Table 1 of BTS–2000). Therefore, the
instrumentation required by the test
procedure is sufficiently precise to
accommodate this tolerance.
Investigative testing performed by DOE
showed that reducing the temperature
rise did not substantially increase the
variability in thermal efficiency between
repeated tests compared to the expected
variability of the currently allowable
temperature rises. Furthermore, a
review of the data obtained during
investigative testing showed little
variation over time in the temperatures
themselves, typically less than ±1 °F
over the course of the test. DOE seeks
additional comments, data, and analysis
concerning thermal efficiency test
measurement uncertainty. This is
identified as Issue 19 in section V.E.
4. Water Flow Rate During Testing
Burnham and AHRI observed that a
change in the specified water
temperatures would potentially change
the water flow rate and the calculated
efficiency resulting from the test
procedure. Higher flow rates and a
resulting higher total volume of water
are necessary to achieve smaller
temperature rises. According to the
commenters, decreasing the temperature
rise would require a higher water flow
rate and may exceed the water handling,
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cooling, processing, and disposal
capabilities of many laboratories
currently testing using the existing DOE
test procedure (i.e., BTS–2000). Further,
the commenters argued that reducing
the temperature rise by lowering the
outlet temperature may result in
increased measured thermal efficiency.
In view of these concerns, both AHRI
and Burnham recommended that the
current operating temperatures should
be retained. (Docket EERE–2014–BT–
TP–0006, Burnham, No. 4 at p. 2;
Docket EERE–2014–BT–TP–0006, AHRI,
No. 6 at p. 2)
DOE is aware that the water
temperature rise across the commercial
packaged boiler is inversely related to
the flow rate of the working fluid (water
or steam) at a given burner fuel input
rate, and that increasing water flow rates
to achieve lower temperature rises may
reduce the commercial packaged boiler
size that laboratories are capable of
testing. However, as stated previously,
DOE also acknowledges that, under the
proposed test procedure, recirculating
loops, which reduce the temperature
rise across the commercial packaged
boiler with modest flow rates of
incoming feedwater and outgoing water
for disposal, would be allowed for all
commercial packaged boilers, not just
commercial packaged boilers with
tubular heat exchangers as is currently
allowed in section 8.5.1.1.1 of BTS–
2000. This is supported by Lochinvar’s
assertion that recirculating loops are
used in testing and increase the inlet
water temperature to the commercial
packaged boiler. (Docket EERE–2013–
BT–STD–0030, No. 34 at p. 3) In
addition, DOE notes that the 100 °F
temperature rise required by both BTS–
2000 and ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015 is not directly comparable to
DOE’s proposed temperature rise of
40 °F due to the difference in where the
inlet temperature requirement is
measured.
DOE believes that requiring the
temperature to be measured and
maintained at the location downstream
of the recirculation loop and just prior
to the commercial packaged boiler inlet
would allow manufacturers and
laboratories to continue using incoming
water at much lower temperatures (at or
near the current 35 °F to 80 °F of BTS–
2000 and ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015). That is, under these proposed
inlet and outlet temperature conditions
(when utilizing a recirculation loop), the
same temperatures and test conditions
could be established under the existing
and new test procedures (due to the
different measurement locations). DOE
therefore believes that the concerns
regarding an increase in water flow rate
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(and therefore reduction in laboratory
capacity) may be overstated in view of
the proposed change in location of
where the inlet water temperature
would be measured under the proposed
test procedure.
DOE seeks comment regarding the
prevalence of using recirculating loops
in testing; specifically, DOE requests
comment about the kinds of commercial
packaged boilers utilizing recirculation
loops during testing and the conditions
at which these commercial packaged
boilers and recirculating loops operate.
This is identified as Issue 20 in section
V.E.
DOE estimates the impact on
manufacturers of requiring higher water
flow rates in section IV.B. DOE seeks
further comments, data, and information
concerning the capabilities of test
laboratories, particularly in light of the
specific proposed conditions contained
in this NOPR. This is identified as Issue
21 in section V.E.
E. Testing Conditions
For non-condensing commercial
packaged boilers, the existing DOE test
procedure does not prescribe test room
requirements for ambient temperature or
humidity. For combustion efficiency
tests of condensing commercial
packaged boilers, the existing DOE test
procedure requires that the ‘‘humidity
of the room shall at no time exceed 80
percent.’’ 10 CFR 431.86(c)(2)(ii).
Additionally, BTS–2000 requires that
test air temperature, as measured at the
burner inlet, be within ±5 °F of the
ambient temperature, where ambient
temperature is measured within 6 feet of
the front of the unit at mid-height.
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
prescribes an allowable ambient
temperature during the test between
30 °F and 100 °F (section 5.3.8) with the
relative humidity not exceeding 80
percent in the test room or chamber
(section 5.3.9). Section C3.6 of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015 also requires
that test air temperature, as measured at
the burner inlet, be within ±5 °F of the
ambient temperature (which is
measured within 6 feet of the
commercial packaged boiler at midheight; see section C3.7 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015).
DOE understands that ambient
temperature and humidity, including
test air temperature, can have a
measurable effect on the tested
efficiency of commercial packaged
boilers, particularly condensing
commercial packaged boilers.11 High
11 Test air temperature is defined in ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 as the temperature of the air
being supplied to the burner from the room.
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humidity or any increase in humidity
over a baseline would enable a
commercial packaged boiler to capture
more latent heat from combustion gases,
thereby resulting in a higher measured
efficiency. DOE recognizes that this
effect would be noticeable both in tests
for combustion efficiency and thermal
efficiency. Therefore, DOE proposes to
amend 10 CFR 431.86 so as to minimize
this effect.
As noted previously, the existing DOE
test procedure requires a maximum of
80-percent ambient relative humidity in
the test room or chamber when testing
a condensing commercial packaged
boiler for combustion efficiency only.
DOE proposes to require that ambient
relative humidity at all times be 60
percent ± 5 percent during thermal and
combustion efficiency testing of
commercial packaged boilers.12 While
DOE acknowledges that the effect of
ambient humidity on the efficiency of
non-condensing commercial packaged
boilers is less than that for condensing
commercial packaged boilers, DOE
nevertheless proposes the same ambient
humidity requirements for all
commercial packaged boilers in order to
maintain consistency and comparability
between ratings. Also, DOE proposes
that the ambient relative humidity be
measured and recorded at each 30second interval during the entire test.
DOE seeks comments, data, and
information about room ambient relative
humidity, whether the proposed
constraints are appropriate, and if not,
what are appropriate constraints on
room ambient relative humidity when
testing commercial packaged boilers.
This is identified as Issue 22 in section
V.E.
In addition to proposed limits to
ambient relative humidity when testing
commercial packaged boilers, DOE
proposes an ambient room temperature
of 75 °F ± 5 °F during testing of
commercial packaged boilers. The
ambient temperature would be
measured and recorded at each 30second interval during the entire test.
Additionally, DOE proposes that the
ambient room temperature cannot differ
by more than ± 2 °F from the average
ambient room temperature during the
‘‘Test Period’’ (as described in section
C4 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015; proposed for
incorporation by reference) at any
reading.
12 Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the
air. Absolute humidity is the water content of air.
Relative humidity, expressed as a percent, measures
the current absolute humidity relative to the
maximum for that temperature. Specific humidity is
a ratio of the water vapor content of the mixture to
the total air content on a mass basis.
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DOE believes that limiting ambient
room temperature and relative humidity
during testing will improve repeatability
and provide for test conditions that
more closely reflect the ambient
conditions that commercial packaged
boilers experience in normal operation.
For non-condensing hot water and
steam commercial packaged boilers,
DOE anticipates negligible changes in
the rated efficiency for a particular
commercial packaged boiler due to the
proposed changes to room ambient
temperature and relative humidity
requirements. Nevertheless, DOE
proposes limits to ambient conditions
for non-condensing commercial
packaged boilers to prevent testing from
occurring at extreme ambient
temperature or relative humidity, which
would be outside the expected range of
conditions that commercial packaged
boilers experience in normal operation.
In comparison, ambient room
temperature and relative humidity
would have some effect on the test
results for condensing commercial
packaged boilers. However, Because
DOE expects that current efficiency
ratings generally have been determined
at typical ambient room temperatures
and relative humidity levels, DOE also
expects that reported rating values will
not change as a result of the proposed
limits on ambient room temperature and
relative humidity, which fall within the
typical ambient room temperatures and
relative humidity levels.
DOE seeks comments, data, and
information about the aforementioned
proposed room ambient temperatures,
whether the proposed constraints are
appropriate, and if not, what are
appropriate constraints on room
ambient temperature. This is identified
as Issue 23 in section V.E.
F. Setup and Instrumentation
In DOE’s review of the existing test
procedure, DOE identified several setup
instructions and instrumentation
requirements for which clarifications
are expected to improve the accuracy
and repeatability of test results. These
include: (1) Additional specifications
regarding the steam riser/header
geometry, (2) additional requirements
regarding the use of steam condensate
return piping, and (3) additional
insulation requirements for the steam
and water piping.
First, in section C2.3, ‘‘Steam Piping,’’
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
(section 7.3 of BTS–2000), the
description of the steam riser/header
geometry may lead to different
interpretations which can impact the
amount of entrained water reaching the
steam separator and result in variability
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in the measured thermal efficiency of
commercial packaged boilers.
Specifically, variations in the nominal
pipe diameter or size of the pipe of the
steam riser and the height of the steam
riser above the water line may impact
the amount of entrained water in the
steam and may result in exceeding the
DOE test procedure’s 2 percent limit for
moisture content in the steam. In order
to reduce the amount of entrained water
in the steam to satisfy this steam
moisture requirement, the water level
within the commercial packaged boiler
is typically lowered during testing
(within the allowable tolerance for the
water level pursuant to manufacturer
literature or ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015 section C4.1.1.1.3, as applicable).
However, lowering the water level
inside the heat exchanger decreases the
thermal efficiency of the commercial
packaged boiler because as the water
level is lowered, less heat exchanger
surface area is in contact with water.
Therefore, variations in the steam riser
and header geometry can affect the
amount of moisture in the steam and
require changes in the water level to
meet the 2 percent moisture content
requirement, which can then result in
decreased thermal efficiency
measurements for the same commercial
packaged boiler model.
To decrease the variability and
increase the repeatability and precision
of the DOE test procedure, DOE
therefore proposes to clarify the
description of the steam riser and
header geometry in its test procedure.
Specifically, DOE proposes to adopt
section C2.3 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 with additional provisions
regarding the description of the steam
riser and header geometries. The
proposed additional specifications and
the reason for inclusion are as follows:
• No reduction in diameter shall be
made in any horizontal header piping,
as a reduction in pipe diameter in the
horizontal header prevents entrained
water from draining properly and
typically leads to non-steady-state
operation. In the case of commercial
packaged boilers with multiple steam
risers, the cross-sectional area of the
header must be no less than 80 percent
of the summed total cross-sectional area
of the risers, and the header pipe must
be constant in diameter along its entire
length.
• The diameter of the vertical portion
of the steam condensate return pipe that
is above the manufacturer’s
recommended water level may be
reduced to no less than one half of the
header pipe diameter to ensure adequate
operation of the return loop and
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draining of entrained water back into
the commercial packaged boiler.
DOE notes that section C2.3 of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015 specifies that
the steam riser shall be connected in
accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions. However, in the event the
manufacturer’s literature does not
specify necessary height and dimension
characteristics for steam risers, headers,
and return piping, DOE proposes the
following requirements to ensure
consistent and repeatable testing:
• The header pipe diameter must be
the same size as the commercial
packaged boiler’s steam riser (steam
take-off) pipe diameter. In the case of
commercial packaged boilers with
multiple steam risers, the crosssectional area of the header must be no
less than 80 percent of the summed total
cross-sectional area of the risers, and the
header pipe must be constant in
diameter along its entire length.
• The height measured from the top
of the header to the manufacturer’s
recommended water level must be no
less than the larger of 24 inches or 6
times the header pipe diameter.
• The distance between the vertical
steam riser (steam take-off) leading to
the water separator and the elbow
leading to the condensate return loop
must be a minimum of three (3) header
pipe diameters to prevent entrained
water from entering the separator
piping.
• If a water separator is used, piping
must pitch downward to the separator at
a rate of at least 1⁄4 inch per foot of pipe
length in order to assure proper
collection of moisture content and
steady-state operation during testing.
• A vented water seal is required in
steam moisture collection plumbing to
prevent steam from escaping through
the moisture collection plumbing.
DOE notes that header diameters that
are larger than the diameter of the steam
outlet can result in atypically low steam
flow rate in the header, affecting
carryover of entrained water, while
smaller diameter headers may reduce
the measured steam quality, possibly
requiring tests to be conducted at lower
water levels, which may result in lower
efficiencies. Undersized headers with
pipe diameters that are smaller than the
diameter of the steam outlet on the
commercial packaged boiler can also
impede or prevent adequate draining of
entrained water.
Second, Figure C5, ‘‘Suggested Piping
Arrangement for Steam Boilers,
Condensate Measurement,’’ and Figure
C7, ‘‘Suggested Piping Arrangement for
Steam Boilers, Feedwater
Measurement,’’ in ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 both allow a steam
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commercial packaged boiler to be tested
without a steam condensate return pipe.
DOE proposes that all steam commercial
packaged boiler test setups be required
to include a steam condensate return
pipe to minimize variation in tests. DOE
also proposes to prohibit use of the
‘‘suggested’’ piping arrangements in
Figures C5 and C7 for steam commercial
packaged boiler testing setups. DOE
believes these changes would ensure
that commercial packaged boilers that
typically require a steam condensate
return pipe for adequate operation have
one installed during testing. DOE
believes that requiring a steam
condensate return pipe, with the criteria
specified in this section, would ensure
consistent and repeatable test results.
DOE further believes that such
requirement would not have a
significant impact upon thermal
efficiency or steam moisture content for
a steam commercial packaged boiler that
may operate without a steam condensate
return pipe.
Third, Sections C2.3 and C2.4 in
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
provide only minimal guidance about
insulation requirements for steam and
water piping components that are used
in the thermal efficiency test. To
provide for repeatability and minimize
heat losses in the piping, DOE proposes
to adopt the minimum pipe insulation
thickness and conductivity
requirements in ASHRAE/IES Standard
90.1–2013, Table 6.8.3–1. DOE also
believes these requirements would be
more representative of insulation
requirements for outlet piping used in
most commercial applications.
In view of all the above, DOE seeks
comment about its proposed changes to
the steam riser, header, and return water
loop testing requirements. This is
identified as Issue 24 in section V.E.
DOE recognizes that for oil-fired
commercial packaged boilers, burners
are not always included when shipped
from the manufacturer. In such cases,
DOE proposes that the unit be tested
with the particular make and model of
burner certified by the manufacturer.
Since each basic model distributed in
commerce must be certified, DOE
expects that using a manufacturer’s
certification will provide the most
complete list of all burners for use with
a particular boiler. Furthermore, DOE
expects all burners specified in the
installation and operation manual
would be certified to the Department as
part of the commercial packaged boiler
basic model. If multiple burners are
specified in the installation and
operation manualor in one or more
certification reports, then DOE proposes
that any of the listed burners may be
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used for testing and all must be certified
to the Department. DOE believes these
provisions provide manufacturers with
ample opportunity to specify burners
that should be used with their
commercial packaged boilers for testing,
and will reduce ambiguity concerning
what burner a commercial packaged
boiler can be tested with. DOE believes
these changes represent a clarification
in how burners are specified and
therefore does not anticipate any
changes in ratings for commercial
packaged boilers. DOE seeks comment
regarding the specification of burners
for oil-fired commercial packaged
boilers and this is identified as Issue 25
in section V.E.
With respect to outdoor commercial
packaged boilers, units with multiple
outdoor venting arrangements provided
by the manufacturer are required by
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
section C2.2.5 to be tested using the
arrangement having the least draft loss.
However, draft loss is not defined nor
are provisions provided in ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 for determining
which arrangement has the least draft
loss. DOE proposes language in its test
procedure to clarify how this is
determined, specifically by adding the
straight lengths of venting for each
arrangement supplied with the
equipment and using the one with the
shortest total length. DOE believes this
is a clarification only and does not
believe ratings for commercial packaged
boilers would be affected by this
clarification.
In addition to these proposed
clarifications regarding the setup and
configuration of commercial packaged
boilers for testing, DOE proposes
clarifications and provisions regarding
the test instrumentation and calibration.
Specifically, regarding section 7.6,
‘‘Application of Additional Instruments
(Steam),’’ of BTS–2000 (now section
C2.6 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015), ABMA commented that
references to mercury and use of a
mercury manometer should be removed,
suggesting that mercury is no longer an
industry-acceptable pressure measuring
fluid for testing steam boilers.13 (Docket
EERE–2013–BT–STD–0030, ABMA, No.
14 at p. 3–4) DOE has concluded that
the mercury-based instrumentation is
outdated and recognizes that the ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015 does not
require or reference the use of mercury
manometers. As such, DOE notes that by
incorporating by reference ANSI/AHRI
13 A ‘‘manometer’’ is an instrument that uses a
column of liquid, such as mercury or water,
contained in a glass or plastic tube and is used to
measure the pressure of gases.
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Standard 1500–2015 as proposed in this
NOPR, the DOE test procedure would
no longer specify or reference use of
mercury manometers (or other mercurybased instrumentation).
Additionally, ABMA suggested that
some other required instrumentation
prescribed in BTS–2000 is outdated and
that some calculation methods
contained therein are laborious. In
particular, ABMA inquired whether an
oxygen (O2) combustion analyzer may
be used to determine combustion
efficiency rather than the existing
calculation procedures if it can be
shown that its results are equivalent.
(Docket EERE–2013–BT–STD–0030,
ABMA, No. 14 at pp. 3–4) ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 includes a
methodology for using an O2
combustion analyzer for measurements
of combustion efficiency, and DOE’s
proposal to incorporate by reference this
industry standard would adopt this
methodology. DOE recognizes ABMA’s
concern on this topic and seeks
additional comments, and particularly
data, about whether the oxygen
combustion analyzer produces
equivalent combustion efficiencies to
the carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon
dioxide (CO2) calculations provided by
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015 and
BTS–2000. This is identified as Issue 26
in section V.E.
DOE acknowledges that section C.1.1,
‘‘Calibration,’’ of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 requires instruments to be
calibrated to a recognized standard at
regular intervals. DOE believes that such
a requirement is sufficient for ensuring
appropriate calibration procedures for
applicable test equipment. However, in
order to ensure accurate and repeatable
test measurements, DOE is proposing a
provision that would require all
instrumentation to be calibrated at least
once per year. For combustion
measurement equipment (instruments
listed in the ‘‘Gas Chemistry’’ row of
Table C1 in ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015), DOE proposes to require
calibration using standard gases with
purities of greater than 99.9995 percent
for all constituents analyzed. DOE
acknowledges that manufacturers and
laboratories may have existing
calibration and documentation
protocols in place that already meet
these requirements.
Finally, DOE proposes to require that
data obtained digitally be sampled and
recorded at 30-second intervals or less,
and data related to rates, flows, or flux
be integrated over the 15-minute
intervals required throughout ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015. Data not
related to rates, flows, or fluxes shall be
averaged over the 15-minute interval.
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DOE proposes this requirement as a
means of confirming that ambient
condition requirements and water
temperatures are maintained for the
duration of the test. This requirement
would apply to digital flow meters for
measuring water flow. However, DOE
proposes that this requirement would
not apply to the use of a scale for
measuring the weight of feedwater
collected, which would continue to be
recorded in 15-minute intervals as
provided in ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015. DOE seeks comment on its
proposal to require digital data
acquisition, and this is identified as
Issue 27 in section V.E.
DOE seeks general comment as to the
proposed clarifications to test procedure
setup and instrumentation. This is
identified as Issue 28 in section V.E.
G. Fuel Input Rate
In DOE’s existing regulations,
equipment classes and the standards
that apply to them are determined partly
on the basis of the size of the
commercial packaged boiler. However,
several terms are used interchangeably
in BTS 2000, ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015, and in the existing DOE test
procedure and energy conservation
standards to describe the size of the
commercial packaged boiler, each of
which is derived from the maximum
rated fuel input rate to the commercial
packaged boiler. For example, the
existing DOE test procedure for
commercial packaged boilers at 10 CFR
431.86 uses the term ‘‘rated input
capacity’’ and ‘‘fuel input’’ while the
energy conservation standards for
commercial packaged boilers at 10 CFR
431.87 use ‘‘capacity,’’ ‘‘rated maximum
input,’’ ‘‘maximum rated capacity,’’ and
‘‘size category (input),’’ all of which are
intended to mean the same thing. BTS–
2000, which is incorporated by
reference in the existing DOE test
procedure for commercial packaged
boiler, uses the terms ‘‘input,’’ ‘‘input
rating,’’ and ‘‘manufacturer’s nameplate
input.’’ ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015 defines ‘‘input rating’’ as the
maximum Btu/h or gph [gallons per
hour] input located on the Boiler rating
plate. Furthermore, neither the existing
DOE regulatory text nor BTS–2000
specify how to determine this ‘‘rated’’ or
‘‘nameplate’’ maximum fuel input rate
for a commercial packaged boiler.
However, BTS–2000 and ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 require that the
input be within ±2 percent of the
‘‘manufacturer’s nameplate input’’
(BTS–2000) or ‘‘Input Rating’’ (ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015).
To clarify how to determine the
appropriate equipment class for
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commercial packaged boilers, DOE
proposes to adopt a definition for the
term ‘‘fuel input rate.’’ DOE believes
this is necessary to reduce ambiguity
and standardize terminology throughout
its commercial packaged boiler
regulations. The proposed definition for
‘‘fuel input rate’’ states that it is
determined using test procedures
prescribed under 10 CFR 431.86 and
represents the maximum rate, or ‘‘high
fire rate,’’ at which the commercial
packaged boiler uses energy. DOE
proposes to use this term in the division
of equipment classes and applicable
testing provisions to determine the fuel
input rate. Manufacturers would be
required to measure the fuel input rate
during certification testing and use the
mean of the measured values, after
applying the applicable rounding
provisions,14 in certification reports
pursuant to 10 CFR 429.60(b)(2). DOE
also notes that, for commercial packaged
boilers certified using an AEDM, that
AEDM would be used to determine the
fuel input rate and the same rounding
provisions would apply. DOE believes it
is critical to clarify how the fuel input
rate is to be determined because the
applicable standards for a commercial
packaged boiler are based in part on the
fuel input rate of the commercial
packaged boiler. These proposed
additions would clarify for
manufacturers what energy conservation
standard applies to a given basic model.
DOE also proposes clarifications in its
regulatory text that specify precisely
how the fuel input rate is to be
determined when using the DOE test
procedure. DOE notes sections
C4.1.1.2.3 and C4.1.2.2.3 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 require the total
measured fuel input during the test to
be within 2 percent of the ‘‘boiler Input
Rating’’ and sections C4.1.1.1.4 and
C4.1.2.1.5 require the measured fuel
input rate, measured at 15-minute
intervals to confirm steady-state, to be
within 2 percent of the fuel input rate
listed on the commercial packaged
boiler nameplate. However, ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 does not specify
the quantities and calculation procedure
to be used in determining this value.
DOE’s clarifications specify the amount
of oil or gas, as applicable, needed to
ensure the fuel input rate is at steadystate (which is evaluated at 15-minute
intervals). Moreover, DOE also proposes
that steady-state is confirmed when the
measured fuel input rate does not vary
by more than ± 2 percent between 15
minute interval readings rather than in
14 The proposed calculations for the fuel input
rate include a rounding requirement to the nearest
1,000 Btu/h; this is discussed in this section III.G.
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comparison to the commercial packaged
boiler nameplate.
Section 5.2.2 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 specifies rounding gross
output (as defined in section 3.20 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015) to the
nearest 1,000 Btu/h. DOE does not
propose to adopt this section of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015 because DOE
regulations are not based on gross
output. Instead, DOE proposes adding a
requirement to the DOE test procedure
that values of fuel input rate for each
unit tested be rounded to the nearest
1,000 Btu/h. Also, the representative
value of fuel input rate for a model
would be rounded to the nearest 1,000
Btu/h for representation purposes
(including certification).
Additionally, DOE proposes that, for
its enforcement testing, this rate would
be measured pursuant to 10 CFR 431.86
and compared against the fuel input rate
certified by the manufacturer. If the
measured fuel input rate is within 2
percent of the certified value, then DOE
will use the certified value when
determining equipment class and
calculating combustion and/or thermal
efficiency for the model. If the measured
fuel input rate is not within ±2 percent
of the certified value, then DOE will
follow these steps to bring the fuel input
rate to within ±2 percent of the certified
value. First, DOE will attempt to adjust
the gas pressure in order to increase or
decrease the fuel input rate as
necessary. If the fuel input rate is still
not within ±2 percent of the certified
value, DOE will then attempt to modify
the gas inlet orifice (e.g., drill)
accordingly. Finally, if these measures
do not bring the fuel input rate to within
±2 percent of the certified value, DOE
will use the measured fuel input rate
when determining equipment class and
the associated combustion and/or
thermal efficiency standard level for the
basic model. DOE proposes a fuel input
rate tolerance of ±2 percent based on the
steady-state criteria already present in
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
sections C4.1.1.1.4 and C4.1.2.1.5, and
believes that such a requirement would
not impose additional testing burden or
affect ratings. DOE proposes this
verification process to provide
manufacturers with additional
information about how DOE will
evaluate compliance. DOE also notes
that modification of the orifice to meet
these conditions would not be
considered a field constructed
modification.
DOE considers these provisions to be
clarifications to its test procedure, and
this is supported by the existing
requirement in BTS–2000 that the
measured fuel input rate during testing
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must be within ±2 percent of the fuel
input rate listed on commercial
packaged boiler nameplates. DOE seeks
comment regarding its proposed
definition and methodology for
measuring and verifying fuel input rate
and steady-state, identified as Issue 29
in section V.E.
H. Clerical Issues
DOE proposes an amendment to the
regulatory text to clarify those places in
AHRI/ANSI Standard 1500–2015 that
refer to manufacturer’s ‘‘specifications
or recommendations,’’ to mean as
specified or recommended in the
installation and operation manual
shipped with the commercial packaged
boiler or in supplemental instructions
provided by the manufacturer pursuant
to 10 CFR 429.60(b)(4). Furthermore,
DOE proposes amendments to the
regulatory text that clarify the order in
which these manufacturer instructions
must be used should a conflict arise
between them. For parameters or
considerations not specified by the DOE
test procedure, the manual shipped with
the commercial packaged boiler must
first be consulted and used. Should the
manual shipped with the commercial
packaged boiler not provide the
necessary information, the
supplemental instructions must be
consulted and used. The supplemental
instructions provided pursuant to 10
CFR 429.60(b)(4) do not replace or alter
any requirements in the DOE test
procedure and are not meant to override
the manual shipped with the
commercial packaged boiler. In cases
where these supplemental instructions
conflict with any instructions or
provisions provided in the manual
shipped with the commercial packaged
boiler, the manual shipped with the
commercial packaged boiler must be
used. DOE also proposes to clarify that
unless otherwise noted, in all
incorporated sections of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 the term ‘‘boiler’’
means ‘‘commercial packaged boiler’’ as
defined in 10 CFR 431.82.
DOE found two clerical issues in its
review of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015. First, DOE notes that while
section C2.3 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 anticipates that steam could
be superheated and therefore
temperature measurement of the steam
would be required, it does not provide
sufficient steam property tables or
provisions for using the superheated
steam temperature for calculating the
thermal efficiency. DOE therefore
proposes provisions for using this
temperature and includes expanded
steam property tables. Second, DOE
notes that section C4.1.1.1.2 of ANSI/
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hot water variations of the applicable
fuel type and fuel input rate category
combination) and therefore are subject
to the energy conservation standards
and testing requirements for both
equipment classes. Models capable of
producing both steam and hot water
must be certified as two basic models.
DOE also proposes to move the
requirements related to representative
values of efficiency for such commercial
packaged boilers. For commercial
packaged boiler models capable of
supplying either steam or hot water and
with fuel input rate less than or equal
to 2,500,000 Btu/h, under the existing
test procedure (10 CFR 431.86(c)(2)(iii))
manufacturers must:
• Determine the representative value
of the thermal efficiency in steam mode
based on thermal efficiency in steam
mode determined in accordance with
the test procedure in § 431.86 or
determined with an AEDM; and
• Determine the representative value
of the thermal efficiency in hot water
mode based on either:
Æ The thermal efficiency in hot water
mode determined in accordance with
the test procedure in § 431.86 or
determined with an AEDM; or
Æ The thermal efficiency in steam
mode determined in accordance with
the test procedure in § 431.86 or
determined with an AEDM.
For commercial packaged boiler
models capable of supplying either
steam or hot water and with fuel input
rate greater than 2,500,000 Btu/h, under
the existing test procedure (10 CFR
431.86(c)(2)(iii)) manufacturers must:
• Determine the representative value
of the thermal efficiency in steam mode
based on thermal efficiency in steam
mode determined in accordance with
the test procedure in § 431.86 or
determined with an AEDM; and
• Determine the representative value
of the combustion efficiency in hot
water mode based on either:
Æ The combustion efficiency in hot
water mode determined in accordance
with the test procedure in § 431.86 or
determined with an AEDM; or
Æ The combustion efficiency in steam
mode determined in accordance with
the test procedure in § 431.86 or
determined with an AEDM.
DOE notes that these are existing
provisions for such boilers at 10 CFR
431.86(c)(2)(iii) that establish the testing
and rating requirements for commercial
packaged boiler models capable of
supplying either steam or hot water.
Because provisions related to
representations are typically in 10 CFR
part 429, DOE is moving and rephrasing
these requirements. Therefore, DOE
notes that these regulations do not alter
testing or rating options compared to the
existing test procedure.
DOE seeks comment on its proposed
clerical corrections and clarifications,
identified as Issue 30 in section V.E.
where TF,SS,adjusted is the adjusted steadystate flue temperature used for
subsequent calculations of combustion
efficiency, TF,SS is the measured steadystate flue temperature during
combustion efficiency testing in steam
mode, Tsat is the saturated steam
temperature that corresponds to the
measured steam pressure, and 180 is the
hot water outlet temperature.
The proposed adjustment equation is
derived by assuming that the heat
transfer properties of the heat exchanger
operating in hot water mode are roughly
the same as the heat transfer properties
of the heat exchanger operating in steam
mode. This assumption is already
implicit in the DOE allowance for using
combustion efficiency ratings in steam
mode to represent those in hot water
mode, and, thus, this methodology is
consistent with the intent of DOE’s
existing regulations. DOE believes that
the methodology is technically sound
and may result in more accurate
representations of the performance of
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I. Other Issues
In response to the September 2013
Framework document and February
2014 RFI, DOE received several
comments about other issues, not
discussed previously in this notice,
concerning the test procedure for
determining the energy efficiency of a
commercial packaged boiler. These
issues and comments are addressed in
the following subsections.
1. Stack Temperature Adjustment for
Using Combustion Efficiency in Steam
Mode To Represent Hot Water Mode
DOE’s existing test procedure allows
commercial packaged boilers with fuel
input rate greater than 2,500,000 Btu/h
capable of producing steam and hot
water to use the combustion efficiency
as measured in steam mode to represent
the combustion efficiency in hot water
mode. 10 CFR 431.86(c)(2)(iii)(B). DOE
has received multiple waiver requests
that asked to use an adjustment to the
stack temperature for using this rating
method in order to more accurately
reflect the combustion efficiency of a
commercial packaged boiler operating
in hot water mode. The adjustment is
given by Equation 2:
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AHRI Standard 1500–2015 states that
tests shall be conducted at atmospheric
pressure or at the minimum steam
pressure required to comply with
Section 5.3.5. However, Section 5.3.5
describes the hot water rating
conditions for ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015. DOE believes that this was
intended to refer instead to Section
5.3.6, and therefore proposes language
in order to correct this.
Upon review of its definitions at 10
CFR 431.82 concerning commercial
packaged boilers, DOE determined that
additional description of the term
‘‘combustion efficiency’’ was warranted
and is therefore proposing to modify
that definition. Specifically, the existing
definition for ‘‘combustion efficiency’’
does not describe what the metric
represents and so DOE is proposing
additional language to indicate that the
combustion efficiency measures how
much of the fuel input energy is
converted to useful heat in combustion.
DOE proposes rounding requirements
for thermal efficiency and combustion
efficiency values. DOE notes that while
section 5.2.1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 includes rounding
requirements to the nearest tenth of a
percent for thermal and combustion
efficiency, DOE proposes to clarify in its
regulations that values used for
purposes of DOE compliance
certification (representative values)
must be values rounded to the nearest
tenth of a percent.
With respect to the requirements for
testing and certifying commercial
packaged boiler models capable of
supplying either steam or hot water,
DOE notes that commercial packaged
boilers that are capable of producing
steam and commercial packaged boilers
that are capable of producing hot water
are subject to different energy
conservation standards. However, DOE
is also aware that some commercial
packaged boiler models are capable of
supplying both steam and hot water.
DOE notes that such commercial
packaged boiler models span two
equipment classes (both the steam and
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these commercial packaged boilers
operating in hot water mode.
However, to further validate the
proposed procedure, DOE seeks
comments, as well as sample stack
temperature data, sample calculations
and estimates of the impact of this
methodology. This is identified as Issue
31 in section V.E.
Relatedly, DOE proposes additional
provisions for enforcement testing of
commercial packaged boilers that are
capable of producing both steam and
hot water. Specifically, DOE is
proposing that DOE could choose to test
a given model that is capable of
producing both steam and hot water in
either mode for the purposes of
assessing compliance with the
applicable standard. DOE seeks
comment regarding this proposed
provision, and this is identified as Issue
32 in section V.E.
2. Testing at Part Load
In response to the September 2013
Framework document, ACEEE, ASAP,
and NRDC asserted that the existing
DOE test procedure for commercial
packaged boilers, which is based on
BTS–2000 and measures efficiency at
peak load, is obsolete and that the rating
method for boilers with modulating
burners (including high/low fire) must
incorporate some part-load efficiency
measure. (Docket EERE–2013–BT–STD–
0030, Joint Advocates, No. 16 at p. 2)
In the February 2014 RFI, DOE
requested additional public comment,
data, and information about adopting
methodologies and measurements to
determine part-load efficiency of
commercial packaged boilers, including
appropriate inlet and outlet water
temperatures under part-load testing
conditions, number of hours a
modulating burner would operate under
part-load and full-load conditions over
the course of a year, and any added test
burden to account for part-load
operation (e.g., measurement of jacket,
sensible, and infiltration losses). 79 FR
9643, 9644.
ACEEE stated that whether for a fixed
capacity or modulating boiler, the lower
the inlet water temperature the higher
the efficiency, and suggested that a
boiler be rated at the lowest inlet water
temperature permissible under a
manufacturer’s warranty. Also, in
response to expected hours that
modulating burners would operate
under part-load and full-load
conditions, ACEEE advocated for a
review of industry designs, operational
data, and simulations for boiler
operation over the course of a year.
(Docket EERE–2014–BT–TP–0006,
ACEEE, No. 2 at pp. 2 and 3)
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Burnham suggested using the same
inlet/outlet water temperatures for partload testing as for full [load] input
testing because the design of modulating
burners is indifferent to operating at full
load or part load, and actual operation
would vary according to the application.
As for added test burden associated
with part-load operation, Burnham
asserted that test costs would double
and that additional testing equipment
would be needed to accommodate more
precise control of lower flows and
measurement. (Docket EERE–2013–BT–
STD–0030, Burnham, No. 4 at pp. 1 and
2)
HTP stated that part-load testing
would burden manufacturers when
multiple operating conditions are
required and, given possible
misunderstanding of the systems-level
aspects of efficiency, there may be
market confusion over multiple
efficiency ratings. HTP posited that DOE
should only regulate single-point
minimum efficiencies for commercial
packaged boilers to maintain
consistency with historical use of ‘‘high
fire rate.’’ (Docket EERE–2014–BT–TP–
0006, HTP, No. 5 at p. 2)
Although ACEEE suggested that DOE
require enough testing to describe the
entire performance map of the boiler
(Docket EERE–2014–BT–TP–0006,
ACEEE, No. 2 at p. 1), several parties
expressed the concern that additional
test points would greatly increase the
testing burden for minimal added
benefit. (Docket EERE–2013–BT–STD–
0030, ABMA, No. 39 at p. 68; Docket
EERE–2014–BT–TP–0006, Burnham,
No. 4 at p. 1; Docket EERE–2014–BT–
TP–0006, HTP, No. 5 at p. 2)
DOE understands that while a
modulating burner can greatly reduce
the annual energy consumption of a
condensing commercial packaged
boiler, the effect of a modulating burner
on the measured steady-state efficiency
of a non-condensing commercial
packaged boiler is small.15 Thus, DOE
has tentatively determined that small
increases in steady-state efficiency of
non-condensing commercial packaged
boilers at reduced firing rates do not
warrant additional test procedures or
efficiency metrics for non-condensing
commercial packaged boilers operating
at reduced firing rates. DOE also
acknowledges the concerns from
manufacturers (testing at different input
ratings would require tests to be
repeated, at least in part, multiple
times). Therefore, DOE tentatively
15 See Lochinvar Web site for example efficiency
curves at various firing rates: https://
www.lochinvar.com/products/
documentation.aspx?mode=filetype&filetypeid=25.
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14659
concludes that additional part-load
testing for any commercial packaged
boiler is not warranted at this time, but
seeks further comment about part-load
testing. This is identified as Issue 33 in
section V.E.
3. Other Industry Test Procedures
Instead of using BTS–2000 to measure
commercial packaged boiler efficiencies,
Cleaver-Brooks suggested using the
American Society of Mechanical
Engineers (ASME) PTC 4.1–1964
(Reaffirmed 1991), ‘‘Power Test Codes:
Test Code for Steam Generating Units’’
(with 1968 and 1969 Addenda) (ASME
PTC 4.1), particularly the abbreviated
test form and the heat loss method
incorporated therein. Cleaver-Brooks
added that ASME PTC 4.1 is the most
common standard used by
manufacturers of larger commercial
packaged boilers (i.e., boilers greater
than 2,500,000 Btu/h rated input), and
that the heat loss method in that
standard essentially provides the same
efficiency values as BTS–2000
combustion efficiency if radiation losses
are included. (Docket EERE–2013–BT–
STD–0030, Cleaver-Brooks, No. 12 at p.
2) ABMA agreed that ASME PTC–4.1 is
the more appropriate testing standard
for larger boilers. ABMA cited general
concerns about BTS–2000 from its
member manufacturers, including (1)
the high cost of testing larger boilers; (2)
the 0–2 psig test pressure requirement
that causes high steam velocity and poor
steam quality; (3) large temperature rises
causing high strain and fatigue in larger
boilers; (4) the custom-built nature of
larger combustion equipment; and (5)
safety compliance requirements of other
entities such as the National Board of
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors.
(Docket EERE–2013–BT–STD–0030,
ABMA, No. 14 at pp. 2, 3) ABMA
suggested in its comments responding to
the November 2014 Preliminary
Analysis that ASME PTC 4 (note: not
PTC–4.1) should be used for testing.
(Docket EERE–2013–BT–STD–0030,
ABMA No. 33 at p. 2)
As part of the energy conservation
standards and test procedure
rulemaking for commercial packaged
boilers that concluded with the final
rule published in the Federal Register
on October 21, 2004 (69 FR 61949), DOE
evaluated five other industry test
procedures for potential incorporation
by reference under 10 CFR 431.85.16 At
16 The version of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 in effect
on June 30, 1992, referenced five industry test
standards that apply to gas-fired boilers or oil-fired
boilers or both. These are the ANSI Standard
Z21.13–1987 for gas-fired boilers (revised as ANSI
Z21.13–1991 with Addendum ANSI Z21.13–1993a);
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that time, DOE considered both ASME
PTC 4–1998, ‘‘Fired Steam Generators
Test Codes,’’ and ASME PTC 4.1–1964,
‘‘Steam Generating Units Power Test
Codes,’’ as potential alternatives to
BTS–2000. However, DOE adoptedBTS–2000 for testing all covered
commercial packaged boilers
manufactured after October 21, 2006.
Prior to that date, a manufacturer could
use either BTS–2000 or the alternative
test method ASME PTC 4.1–1964 for
steel commercial packaged boilers. 69
FR 61949, 61961.
For this NOPR, DOE re-examined the
test procedures and public comments
addressed in the October 21, 2004 final
rule and the rationale behind each. For
example, public comments from GAMA
about ASME PTC 4.1 included the
following observations and critiques: (1)
It lacks ‘‘tolerances for input, pressure,
number of tests required, and when the
boiler has achieved steady-state
conditions;’’ (2) test duration of 4 hours
is too long for a combustion test, and the
locations ‘‘of temperature, pressure, flue
sampling, and stack configuration are
not specified;’’ (3) it is a test standard
for the acceptance test of a boiler after
it is installed where the test conditions
are less controllable than a laboratory
test; and (4) it has been replaced by the
standard ASME PTC 4–1998 which is
vastly different from the original ASME
PTC 4.1. As such, DOE believed then
and continues to believe that ASME
PTC 4.1 would be too burdensome, that
hours of testing are longer than needed,
and that there are differences in results
between PTC 4.1 and BTS–2000. In the
October 2004 final rule, DOE found that
ASME PTC 4.1–1964 (PTC 4.1) and its
successor ASME PTC 4–1998 (PTC 4)
were not fit for adoption as the required
test procedure for the following reasons:
• The abbreviated test form of PTC
4.1, while a sound test, was removed in
the PTC 4 version and its use was
discouraged by the PTC 4 standard.
• Since the abbreviated test form of
PTC 4.1 was not part of PTC 4, the test
burden of the new standard was
excessive for the purposes of rating
smaller commercial packaged boilers.
• DOE believed there may be some
differences in efficiency ratings between
the PTC 4.1 and BTS–2000 tests, and,
the HI Testing and Rating Standard for Heating
Boilers, sixth edition, 1989, for gas and oil-fired
boilers (HI 1989); ASME Power Test Codes (PTC)
4.1–1964 (reaffirmed R1991) for Steam Generating
Units for fossil fuel boilers (revised in 1998 as
ASME PTC 4–1998, Fired Steam Generators, issued
on December 31, 1999); the Underwriters
Laboratory Standard 795–1973 for gas heating
equipment (UL 795, revised in 1994 as UL 795–94);
and the Underwriters Laboratory Standard UL
Standard 726–1990 for oil-fired boilers (UL 726).
See 69 FR 61955 (October 21, 2004).
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therefore, only one test method would
be adopted.17
• BTS–2000 was simple to conduct,
and converting from the abbreviated test
form of PTC 4.1 to BTS–2000 would not
be overly burdensome.
69 FR 61949, 61954–57.
DOE notes that these findings from
the October 2004 final rule concerning
BTS–2000 continue to apply to ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015 because
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015 is an
updated version of BTS–2000.
On July 22, 2009, DOE published a
final rule adopting the thermal
efficiency metric as the energy
efficiency descriptor for eight of ten
equipment classes of commercial
packaged boilers in order to conform to
ASHRAE Standard 90.1–2007. 74 FR
36314. The thermal efficiency metric
was required for purposes of
compliance starting March 2, 2012. DOE
notes that BTS–2000 was incorporated
by reference as the foundation of the
DOE test procedure on October 21,
2004. 69 FR 61949. Manufacturers have
been required to use BTS–2000 for
purposes of compliance since October
24, 2006. 69 FR 61961. DOE has not
been provided with new data that
substantiate claims from ABMA or
manufacturers regarding possible test
complications or burden since these
previous rulemakings were undertaken.
With regard to ABMA’s specific
claims concerning the BTS–2000
methodology (Docket EERE–2013–BT–
STD–0030, ABMA, No. 14 at p. 2, 3),
DOE proposes modified inlet and outlet
water temperatures for hot water
commercial packaged boiler tests
(section III.D) and a wider allowable
range of steam operating pressures for
steam commercial packaged boiler tests
(see section III.C.4), as provided in
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015. DOE
believes these proposals would alleviate
ABMA’s concerns regarding excessive
commercial packaged boiler stresses and
steam quality and are consistent with
ABMA’s suggestions. (Docket EERE–
2013–BT–STD–0030, ABMA, No. 14 at
p. 4)
AHRI commented that ASHRAE
Standard 155, ‘‘Method of Testing for
Rating Commercial Space Heating Boiler
Systems,’’ is being developed as a
replacement for BTS–2000 (and ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015) and that
DOE could adopt this new standard as
a new reference for the commercial
packaged boiler test procedure. (Docket
EERE–2014–BT–TP–0006, AHRI, No. 6
at pp. 2–3) AHRI suggested that DOE
should defer considering alterations to
its test procedure until ASHRAE
Standard 155 is published. PGE and
SCE also urged DOE to consider using
the ASHRAE Standard 155, which is
currently under development, as the
basis for the Federal test procedure.
(Docket EERE–2013–BT–STD–0030,
Joint Utilities, No. 38 at p. 3) DOE
understands that the development of
ASHRAE Standard 155 is currently a
proposed standards project.18 DOE is
not aware of any scheduled publication
date, and is now subject to a statutory
requirement to review the test
procedure. As stated previously, DOE
last reviewed the test procedures for
commercial packaged boilers in a final
rule published in the Federal Register
on July 22, 2009 (74 FR 36312), and thus
is required to re-evaluate the test
procedures no later than July 22, 2016.
Consequently, DOE plans to move
forward with this test procedure
rulemaking for commercial packaged
boilers. However, DOE will monitor
developments related to ASHRAE
Standard 155 and may consider
incorporation of that standard in a
future test procedure rulemaking. As
noted previously, in this NOPR, DOE
proposes to incorporate by reference the
recently published ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 that supersedes the
BTS–2000 standard and corrects some
minor issues therein.
17 The analysis conducted at the time of the
NOPR used the document’s previous version, HI–
1989. 65 FR 48838 (August 9, 2000). At the time of
final rule, DOE was provided with the updated
BTS–2000 and found sufficient similarity such that
BTS–2000 could be adopted as the test procedure
without further analysis. 69 FR 61949, 61955–56
(October 21, 2004).
18 ASHRAE Standard 155 (currently identified as
SPC 155P) is a proposed standards project, the
purpose of which is to develop procedures for
determining the steady-state thermal efficiency,
part-load efficiency, and idling energy input rate of
space heating boilers. See https://www.ashrae.org/
standards-research—technology/standards—
guidelines/titles-purposes-and-scopes#SPC155P.
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IV. Procedural Issues and Regulatory
Review
A. Review Under Executive Order 12866
The Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) has determined that test
procedure rulemakings do not constitute
‘‘significant regulatory actions’’ under
section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866,
‘‘Regulatory Planning and Review,’’ 58
FR 51735 (October 4, 1993).
Accordingly, this regulatory action was
not subject to review under the
Executive Order by the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs
(OIRA) in OMB.
B. Review Under the Regulatory
Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.) requires preparation
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of an initial regulatory flexibility
analysis (IFRA) for any rule that by law
must be proposed for public comment,
unless the agency certifies that the rule,
if promulgated, will not have a
significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities. As
required by Executive Order 13272,
‘‘Proper Consideration of Small Entities
in Agency Rulemaking,’’ 67 FR 53461
(August 16, 2002), DOE published
procedures and policies on February 19,
2003, to ensure that the potential
impacts of its rules on small entities are
properly considered during the DOE
rulemaking process. 68 FR 7990. DOE
has made its procedures and policies
available on the Office of the General
Counsel’s Web site: https://energy.gov/
gc/office-general-counsel.
This proposed rule prescribes test
procedure amendments that would be
used to determine compliance with
energy conservation standards for
commercial packaged boilers. The
proposed amendments modify the inlet
and outlet water temperatures for hot
water tests, increase the allowable steam
pressure for steam tests, implement
more specific criteria for determining
when steady-state has been reached
during testing, and establish room
temperature and relative humidity
limits.
DOE reviewed this proposed rule
under the provisions of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act and DOE’s own
procedures and policies published on
February 19, 2003. DOE has concluded
that the proposed rule would not have
a significant impact on a substantial
number of small entities. The factual
basis for this certification is as follows.
The Small Business Administration
(SBA) considers a business entity to be
a small business, if, together with its
affiliates, it employs less than a
threshold number of workers specified
in 13 CFR part 121. These size standards
and codes are established by the North
American Industry Classification
System (NAICS). The threshold number
for NAICS classification code 333414,
which applies to ‘‘heating equipment
(except warm air furnaces)
manufacturing’ and includes
commercial packaged boilers, is 500
employees.
To estimate the number of companies
that could be small business
manufacturers of the equipment affected
by this rulemaking, DOE conducted a
market survey using available public
information to identify potential small
manufacturers. DOE’s research involved
reviewing the AHRI directory (a product
database), individual company Web
sites, and marketing research tools (e.g.,
Hoover’s reports) to create a list of all
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domestic small business manufacturers
of equipment affected by this
rulemaking. DOE identified 23
manufacturers of commercial packaged
boilers as domestic small business
manufacturers. DOE was able to discuss
the DOE test procedures with 5 of these
small businesses. DOE also obtained
information about small businesses and
potential impacts on small businesses
while interviewing manufacturers in the
context of the standards rulemaking.
However, DOE did not receive any
detailed quantifications about the
incremental burden small businesses
would face as compared to larger
businesses in light of the proposed
methods.
The proposed amendments would
alter water temperatures for hot water
commercial packaged boilers tests,
increase the allowable steam pressure
for steam tests, add specific criteria for
establishing steady-state, and place
limits on the ambient temperature and
relative humidity during testing. DOE
recognizes that by reducing the
temperature rise across the commercial
packaged boiler, the water flow rate will
necessarily increase proportionally. The
required flow rate for a 10 million Btu/
h fuel input rate commercial packaged
boiler with a 100 °F minimum
temperature rise (as is the case currently
for non-condensing commercial
packaged boilers) would be
approximately 200 gallons per minute
(gpm). Reducing the temperature rise
across the commercial packaged boiler
to 40 °F would increase the water flow
rate requirement to approximately 500
gpm for a 10 million Btu/h fuel input
rate commercial packaged boiler. If a
laboratory or manufacturer does not
currently have a pump capable of
handling the flow rates of the
commercial packaged boilers they are
testing, they may need to purchase a
pump rated for a higher flow rate. Based
on internet research of several HVAC
equipment vendors, DOE estimates that
the cost of a pump capable of 500 gpm
is $3,000. The number of models for
which this investment would be
required would vary by manufacturer
and laboratory; however, DOE estimates
the average to be 15 models.19
Therefore, DOE estimates the cost per
model of this investment to be
approximately $200, which DOE
believes to be a modest amount
compared to the total product
development and certification costs of a
19 Based on product model listing compiled for
commercial packaged boilers standards rulemaking
using the AHRI directory, docket EERE–2013–BT–
STD–0030.
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model, which can be in the tens of
thousands of dollars.20
Regarding the increase in allowable
steam pressure for steam commercial
packaged boiler tests, manufacturers
will likely initiate a test at low pressure
(much less than 15 psi) and increase as
necessary (up to 15 psi) to achieve the
necessary steam quality. While the
setup and operation of the test is
unchanged, this process may increase
the amount of time necessary to perform
the test. DOE estimates that this would
increase test time by, at most, 2 hours.
For a 10 million Btu/h fuel input rate
commercial packaged boiler, and
assuming a rate of $40 per hour for a
laboratory technician, $8.89 per
thousand cubic feet of natural gas, and
1,025 Btu per cubic foot high heating
value (HHV), DOE estimates the
additional testing cost to be $253.46.21
DOE believes this amount is modest in
comparison to the overall cost of
product development and certification.
In the case of the criteria for
establishing steady-state, DOE believes
that the requirements do not add to the
time or cost necessary to conduct the
test. The test procedure already requires
a period of 30 minutes prior to starting
the test, during which steady-state is
established. DOE is clarifying the
conditions that must be satisfied to meet
steady-state, and does not believe any
additional time is required to meet such
conditions.
With regard to the test room ambient
temperature and relative humidity
limits, DOE notes that the limits are
intended to prevent the test from being
conducted in extreme ambient
conditions, and that the allowable
temperature and relative humidity
ranges are typical for building heating,
ventilating, and air-conditioning
systems in normal operating conditions.
DOE is aware that the proposed
constraints may in some cases require
laboratories to move testing from an
uncontrolled environment (i.e.,
outdoors or facilities open to the
outdoors) to a controlled environment.
However, DOE believes this to be a
20 Based on information obtained during
confidential manufacturer interviews as part of the
commercial packaged boilers standards rulemaking,
docket EERE–2013–BT–STD–0030.
21 The laboratory technician hourly wage is based
on mean hourly wage of $26.67 from the Bureau of
Labor Statistics for a Mechanical Engineering
Technician, occupational code 17–3027: https://
www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes173027.htm. (Last
accessed January 21, 2016.) Mean hourly wage is
multiplied by 1.5 to estimate associated benefits
and overhead. The price of natural gas is the 5-year
average (May 2009 to May 2014) obtained from the
‘‘U.S. Price of Natural Gas Sold to Commercial
Consumers’’ from U.S. Energy Information
Administration (EIA) (Available at: https://
www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/hist/n3020us3m.htm).
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small number of cases, and that
typically testing is performed in a
laboratory setting with typical heating,
ventilating, and air-conditioning
systems and controls. DOE notes that
the limits are intended to prevent the
test from being conducted in extreme
ambient conditions, and that the
ambient temperature requirements are
typical for building heating, ventilating,
and air-conditioning systems in normal
operating condition. However, if the
ambient temperature or relative
humidity in the testing area do not
already meet these tolerances, the
manufacturer may need to improve
climate regulation of the test
environment, possibly by improving the
controls of their thermostats, or
preventing hot or cold drafts from
entering the testing environment. DOE
estimates that improving the controls of
the thermostat and preventing hot or
cold drafts from entering the testing
environment could involve four to eight
hours of labor by a general technician.
At a rate of $40 per hour for a laboratory
technician, DOE estimates the cost for
this amount of labor to be between $160
and $320, which DOE believes is
modest in comparison to the overall cost
of product development and
certification.
Finally, DOE acknowledges that the
proposal to require digital data
acquisition may add additional test
burden. DOE has estimated the
following costs associated with digital
data acquisition:
of factual basis to the Chief Counsel for
Advocacy of the SBA for review under
5 U.S.C. 605(b).
DOE seeks comment on whether the
proposed test procedure changes will
have a significant impact on a
substantial number of small entities.
This is identified as Issue 34 in section
V.E.
C. Review Under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995
Manufacturers of commercial
packaged boilers must certify to DOE
that their equipment complies with all
applicable energy conservation
standards. In certifying compliance,
manufacturers must test their
equipment according to the DOE test
procedure for commercial packaged
boilers under 10 CFR 431.86, including
any amendments adopted for those test
procedures, on the date that compliance
is required. DOE has established
regulations for the certification and
recordkeeping requirements for all
covered consumer products and
commercial equipment, including
commercial packaged boilers. See 10
CFR part 429, subpart B. The collectionof-information requirement for
certification and recordkeeping is
subject to review and approval by OMB
under the Paperwork Reduction Act
(PRA). This requirement has been
approved by OMB under OMB Control
Number 1910–1400. Public reporting
burden for the certification is estimated
to average 30 hours per response,
including the time for reviewing
TABLE IV.1—ESTIMATED ONE-TIME instructions, searching existing data
COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH DIGITAL sources, gathering and maintaining the
data needed, and completing and
DATA ACQUISITION
reviewing the collection of information.
Notwithstanding any other provision
Description
Cost
of the law, no person is required to
Laptop ...................................
$1,500 respond to, nor shall any person be
Data Acquisition Module .......
2,000 subject to a penalty for failure to comply
Data Acquisition Software ....
3,000 with, a collection of information subject
Installation and Setup (16
to the requirements of the PRA, unless
hours laboratory technician
time × $40/hour) ................
640 that collection of information displays a
currently valid OMB Control Number.
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Total ...............................
7,140
The data acquisition system could be
used by the manufacturer or laboratory
to test all commercial packaged boiler
models. Again, DOE believes these costs
are modest in comparison to the overall
cost of product development and
certification.
For the reasons stated previously,
DOE concludes that this proposed rule
would not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small
entities, so DOE has not prepared a
regulatory flexibility analysis for this
rulemaking. DOE will provide its
certification and supporting statement
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D. Review Under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
In this proposed rule, DOE proposes
test procedure amendments that it
expects will be used to develop and
implement future energy conservation
standards for commercial packaged
boilers. DOE has determined that this
rule falls into a class of actions that are
categorically excluded from review
under the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.) and DOE’s implementing
regulations at 10 CFR part 1021.
Specifically, this proposed rule would
amend the existing test procedures
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without affecting the amount, quality, or
distribution of energy usage, and,
therefore, would not result in any
environmental impacts. Thus, this
rulemaking is covered by Categorical
Exclusion A5 under 10 CFR part 1021,
subpart D, which applies to any
rulemaking that interprets or amends an
existing rule without changing the
environmental effect of that rule.
Accordingly, neither an environmental
assessment nor an environmental
impact statement is required.
E. Review Under Executive Order 13132
Executive Order 13132, ‘‘Federalism,’’
64 FR 43255 (August 10, 1999), imposes
certain requirements on Federal
agencies formulating and implementing
policies or regulations that preempt
State law or that have Federalism
implications. The Executive Order
requires agencies to examine the
constitutional and statutory authority
supporting any action that would limit
the policymaking discretion of the
States, and to carefully assess the
necessity for such actions. The
Executive Order also requires agencies
to have an accountability process to
ensure meaningful and timely input by
State and local officials in the
development of regulatory policies that
have Federalism implications. On
March 14, 2000, DOE published a
statement of policy describing the
intergovernmental consultation process
it will follow in the development of
such regulations. 65 FR 13735. DOE has
examined this proposed rule and has
determined that it would not have a
substantial direct effect on the States, on
the relationship between the national
government and the States, or on the
distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
levels of government. EPCA governs and
prescribes Federal preemption of State
regulations as to energy conservation for
the equipment that is the subject of this
proposed rule. States can petition DOE
for exemption from such preemption to
the extent, and based on criteria, set
forth in EPCA. (42 U.S.C. 6297(d); 42
U.S.C. 6316(a)) No further action is
required by Executive Order 13132.
F. Review Under Executive Order 12988
Regarding the review of existing
regulations and the promulgation of
new regulations, section 3(a) of
Executive Order 12988, ‘‘Civil Justice
Reform,’’ 61 FR 4729 (Feb. 7, 1996),
imposes on Federal agencies the general
duty to adhere to the following
requirements: (1) eliminate drafting
errors and ambiguity; (2) write
regulations to minimize litigation; (3)
provide a clear legal standard for
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affected conduct rather than a general
standard; and (4) promote simplification
and burden reduction. Section 3(b) of
Executive Order 12988 specifically
requires that Executive agencies make
every reasonable effort to ensure that the
regulation: (1) clearly specifies the
preemptive effect, if any; (2) clearly
specifies any effect on existing Federal
law or regulation; (3) provides a clear
legal standard for affected conduct
while promoting simplification and
burden reduction; (4) specifies the
retroactive effect, if any; (5) adequately
defines key terms; and (6) addresses
other important issues affecting clarity
and general draftsmanship under any
guidelines issued by the Attorney
General. Section 3(c) of Executive Order
12988 requires Executive agencies to
review regulations in light of applicable
standards in sections 3(a) and 3(b) to
determine whether they are met or it is
unreasonable to meet one or more of
them. DOE has completed the required
review and determined that, to the
extent permitted by law, the proposed
rule meets the relevant standards of
Executive Order 12988.
G. Review Under the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995
Title II of the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) requires
each Federal agency to assess the effects
of Federal regulatory actions on State,
local, and Tribal governments and the
private sector. Pub. L. 104–4, sec. 201
(codified at 2 U.S.C. 1531). For a
proposed regulatory action likely to
result in a rule that may cause the
expenditure by State, local, and Tribal
governments, in the aggregate, or by the
private sector of $100 million or more
in any one year (adjusted annually for
inflation), section 202 of UMRA requires
a Federal agency to publish a written
statement that estimates the resulting
costs, benefits, and other effects on the
national economy. (2 U.S.C. 1532(a), (b))
The UMRA also requires a Federal
agency to develop an effective process
to permit timely input by elected
officers of State, local, and Tribal
governments on a proposed ‘‘significant
intergovernmental mandate,’’ and
requires an agency plan for giving notice
and opportunity for timely input to
potentially affected small governments
before establishing any requirements
that might significantly or uniquely
affect small governments. On March 18,
1997, DOE published a statement of
policy on its process for
intergovernmental consultation under
UMRA. 62 FR 12820; also available at
https://energy.gov/gc/office-generalcounsel. DOE examined this proposed
rule according to UMRA and its
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statement of policy and determined that
the rule contains neither an
intergovernmental mandate, nor a
mandate that may result in the
expenditure of $100 million or more in
any year, so these requirements do not
apply.
H. Review Under the Treasury and
General Government Appropriations
Act, 1999
Section 654 of the Treasury and
General Government Appropriations
Act, 1999 (Pub. L. 105–277) requires
Federal agencies to issue a Family
Policymaking Assessment for any rule
that may affect family well-being. This
rule would not have any impact on the
autonomy or integrity of the family as
an institution. Accordingly, DOE has
concluded that it is not necessary to
prepare a Family Policymaking
Assessment.
I. Review Under Executive Order 12630
DOE has determined, under Executive
Order 12630, ‘‘Governmental Actions
and Interference with Constitutionally
Protected Property Rights’’ 53 FR 8859
(March 18, 1988), that this regulation
would not result in any takings that
might require compensation under the
Fifth Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution.
J. Review Under Treasury and General
Government Appropriations Act, 2001
Section 515 of the Treasury and
General Government Appropriations
Act, 2001 (44 U.S.C. 3516 note) provides
for agencies to review most
disseminations of information to the
public under guidelines established by
each agency pursuant to general
guidelines issued by OMB. OMB’s
guidelines were published at 67 FR
8452 (Feb. 22, 2002), and DOE’s
guidelines were published at 67 FR
62446 (Oct. 7, 2002). DOE has reviewed
this proposed rule under the OMB and
DOE guidelines and has concluded that
it is consistent with applicable policies
in those guidelines.
K. Review Under Executive Order 13211
Executive Order 13211, ‘‘Actions
Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution, or Use,’’ 66 FR 28355 (May
22, 2001), requires Federal agencies to
prepare and submit to OMB, a
Statement of Energy Effects for any
proposed significant energy action. A
‘‘significant energy action’’ is defined as
any action by an agency that
promulgated or is expected to lead to
promulgation of a final rule, and that:
(1) is a significant regulatory action
under Executive Order 12866, or any
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14663
successor order; and (2) is likely to have
a significant adverse effect on the
supply, distribution, or use of energy; or
(3) is designated by the Administrator of
OIRA as a significant energy action. For
any proposed significant energy action,
the agency must give a detailed
statement of any adverse effects on
energy supply, distribution, or use
should the proposal be implemented,
and of reasonable alternatives to the
action and their expected benefits on
energy supply, distribution, and use.
The proposed regulatory action to
amend the test procedure for measuring
the energy efficiency of commercial
packaged boilers is not a significant
regulatory action under Executive Order
12866. Moreover, it would not have a
significant adverse effect on the supply,
distribution, or use of energy, nor has it
been designated as a significant energy
action by the Administrator of OIRA.
Therefore, it is not a significant energy
action, and, accordingly, DOE has not
prepared a Statement of Energy Effects.
L. Review Under Section 32 of the
Federal Energy Administration Act of
1974
Under section 301 of the Department
of Energy Organization Act (Pub. L. 95–
91; 42 U.S.C. 7101), DOE must comply
with section 32 of the Federal Energy
Administration Act of 1974, as amended
by the Federal Energy Administration
Authorization Act of 1977. (15 U.S.C.
788; FEAA) Section 32 essentially
provides in relevant part that, where a
proposed rule authorizes or requires use
of commercial standards, the notice of
proposed rulemaking must inform the
public of the use and background of
such standards. In addition, section
32(c) requires DOE to consult with the
Attorney General and the Chairman of
the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
concerning the impact of the
commercial or industry standards on
competition.
This proposed rule incorporates
testing methods contained in the
commercial standard ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015, ‘‘2015 Standard
for Performance Rating of Commercial
Space Heating Boilers.’’ While this
NOPR proposes amendments that
supplant various provisions of that
industry standard, the test procedure is
largely adopted directly from the
commercial standard without
amendment. DOE has evaluated this
standard and is unable to conclude
whether it fully complies with the
requirements of section 32(b) of the
FEAA, (i.e., that it was developed in a
manner that fully provides for public
participation, comment, and review).
DOE will consult with the Attorney
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General and the Chairwoman of the FTC
concerning the impact on competition
of requiring manufacturers to use the
test methods contained in this industry
standard prior to prescribing a final
rule.
M. Description of Materials
Incorporated by Reference
In this NOPR, DOE proposes to
incorporate by reference certain sections
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015,
‘‘2015 Standard for Performance Rating
of Commercial Space Heating Boilers.’’
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015 is an
industry-accepted test procedure that
provides methods, requirements, and
calculations for determining the thermal
and/or combustion efficiency of a
commercial space heating boiler. ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015 is available
at https://www.ahrinet.org/App_Content/
ahri/files/standards%20pdfs/
ANSI%20standards%20pdfs/
ANSI.AHRI_Standard_1500-2015.pdf.
V. Public Participation
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A. Attendance at the Public Meeting
The time, date, and location of the
public meeting are listed in the DATES
and ADDRESSES sections at the beginning
of this document. If you plan to attend
the public meeting, please notify Ms.
Brenda Edwards at (202) 586–2945 or
Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov.
Please note that foreign nationals
participating in the public meeting are
subject to advance security screening
procedures which require advance
notice prior to attendance at the public
meeting. Any foreign national wishing
to participate in the public meeting
should inform DOE as soon as possible
by contacting Ms. Regina Washington at
(202) 586–1214 or by email:
Regina.Washington@ee.doe.gov so that
the necessary procedures can be
completed.
DOE requires visitors with laptop
computers and other devices, such as
tablets, to be checked upon entry into
the building. Any person wishing to
bring these devices into the Forrestal
Building will be required to obtain a
property pass. Visitors should avoid
bringing these devices, or allow an extra
45 minutes to check in. Please report to
the visitor’s desk to have devices
checked before proceeding through
security.
Due to the REAL ID Act implemented
by the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS), there have been recent
changes regarding identification (ID)
requirements for individuals wishing to
enter Federal buildings from specific
states and U.S. territories. As a result,
driver’s licenses from the following
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states or territory will not be accepted
for building entry and one of the
alternate forms of ID listed below will
be required. DHS has determined that
regular driver’s licenses (and ID cards)
from the following jurisdictions are not
acceptable for entry into DOE facilities:
Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona,
Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts,
Minnesota, New York, Oklahoma, and
Washington. Acceptable alternate forms
of Photo-ID include: U.S. Passport or
Passport Card; an Enhanced Driver’s
License or Enhanced ID-Card issued by
the states of Minnesota, New York or
Washington (Enhanced licenses issued
by these states are clearly marked
Enhanced or Enhanced Driver’s
License); a military ID or other Federal
government issued Photo-ID card.
In addition, you can attend the public
meeting via webinar. Webinar
registration information, participant
instructions, and information about the
capabilities available to webinar
participants will be published on DOE’s
Web site at: https://
www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/
rulemaking.aspx?ruleid=87. Participants
are responsible for ensuring their
systems are compatible with the
webinar software.
B. Procedure for Submitting Prepared
General Statements for Distribution
Any person who has plans to present
a prepared general statement may
request that copies of his or her
statement be made available at the
public meeting. Such persons may
submit requests, along with an advance
electronic copy of their statement in
PDF (preferred), Microsoft Word or
Excel, WordPerfect, or text (ASCII) file
format, to the appropriate address
shown in the ADDRESSES section at the
beginning of this NOPR. The request
and advance copy of statements must be
received at least one week before the
public meeting and may be emailed,
hand-delivered, or sent by mail. DOE
prefers to receive requests and advance
copies via email. Please include a
telephone number to enable DOE staff to
make a follow-up contact, if needed.
C. Conduct of the Public Meeting
DOE will designate a DOE official to
preside at the public meeting and may
also use a professional facilitator to aid
discussion. The meeting will not be a
judicial or evidentiary-type public
hearing, but DOE will conduct it in
accordance with section 336 of EPCA
(42 U.S.C. 6306). A court reporter will
be present to record the proceedings and
prepare a transcript. DOE reserves the
right to schedule the order of
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presentations and to establish the
procedures governing the conduct of the
public meeting. After the public
meeting, interested parties may submit
further comments on the proceedings, as
well as on any aspect of the rulemaking,
until the end of the comment period.
The public meeting will be conducted
in an informal, conference style. DOE
will present summaries of comments
received before the public meeting,
allow time for prepared general
statements by participants, and
encourage all interested parties to share
their views on issues affecting this
rulemaking. Each participant will be
allowed to make a general statement
(within time limits determined by DOE),
before the discussion of specific topics.
DOE will allow, as time permits, other
participants to comment briefly on any
general statements.
At the end of all prepared statements
on a topic, DOE will permit participants
to clarify their statements briefly and
comment on statements made by others.
Participants should be prepared to
answer questions by DOE and by other
participants concerning these issues.
DOE representatives may also ask
questions of participants concerning
other matters relevant to this
rulemaking. The official conducting the
public meeting will accept additional
comments or questions from those
attending, as time permits. The
presiding official will announce any
further procedural rules or modification
of the above procedures that may be
needed for the proper conduct of the
public meeting.
A transcript of the public meeting will
be included in the docket, which can be
viewed as described in the Docket
section at the beginning of this notice.
In addition, any person may buy a copy
of the transcript from the transcribing
reporter.
D. Submission of Comments
DOE will accept comments, data, and
information regarding this proposed
rule before or after the public meeting,
but no later than the date provided in
the DATES section at the beginning of
this proposed rule. Interested parties
may submit comments using any of the
methods described in the ADDRESSES
section at the beginning of this proposed
rule.
Submitting comments via
www.regulations.gov. The
www.regulations.gov Web page will
require you to provide your name and
contact information. Your contact
information will be viewable to DOE
Building Technologies staff only. Your
contact information will not be publicly
viewable except for your first and last
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names, organization name (if any), and
submitter representative name (if any).
If your comment is not processed
properly because of technical
difficulties, DOE will use this
information to contact you. If DOE
cannot read your comment due to
technical difficulties and cannot contact
you for clarification, DOE may not be
able to consider your comment.
However, your contact information
will be publicly viewable if you include
it in the comment itself or in any
documents attached to your comment.
Any information that you do not want
to be publicly viewable should not be
included in your comment, nor in any
document attached to your comment.
Persons viewing comments will see only
first and last names, organization
names, correspondence containing
comments, and any documents
submitted with the comments.
Do not submit to www.regulations.gov
information for which disclosure is
restricted by statute, such as trade
secrets and commercial or financial
information (hereinafter referred to as
Confidential Business Information
(CBI)). Comments submitted through
www.regulations.gov cannot be claimed
as CBI. Comments received through the
Web site will waive any CBI claims for
the information submitted. For
information on submitting CBI, see the
Confidential Business Information
section.
DOE processes submissions made
through www.regulations.gov before
posting. Normally, comments will be
posted within a few days of being
submitted. However, if large volumes of
comments are being processed
simultaneously, your comment may not
be viewable for up to several weeks.
Please keep the comment tracking
number that www.regulations.gov
provides after you have successfully
uploaded your comment.
Submitting comments via email, hand
delivery/courier, or mail. Comments and
documents submitted via email, hand
delivery/courier, or mail also will be
posted to www.regulations.gov. If you
do not want your personal contact
information to be publicly viewable, do
not include it in your comment or any
accompanying documents. Instead,
provide your contact information in a
cover letter. Include your first and last
names, email address, telephone
number, and optional mailing address.
The cover letter will not be publicly
viewable as long as it does not include
any comments.
Include contact information each time
you submit comments, data, documents,
and other information to DOE. If you
submit via mail or hand delivery/
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courier, please provide all items on a
compact disc (CD), if feasible, in which
case it is not necessary to submit
printed copies. No telefacsimiles (faxes)
will be accepted.
Comments, data, and other
information submitted to DOE
electronically should be provided in
PDF (preferred), Microsoft Word or
Excel, WordPerfect, or text (ASCII) file
format. Provide documents that are not
secured, written in English, and are free
of any defects or viruses. Documents
should not contain special characters or
any form of encryption and, if possible,
they should carry the electronic
signature of the author.
Campaign form letters. Please submit
campaign form letters by the originating
organization in batches of between 50 to
500 form letters per PDF or as one form
letter with a list of supporters’ names
compiled into one or more PDFs. This
reduces comment processing and
posting time.
Confidential Business Information.
Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, any person
submitting information that he or she
believes to be confidential and exempt
by law from public disclosure should
submit via email, postal mail, or hand
delivery/courier two well-marked
copies: one copy of the document
marked ‘‘confidential’’ including all the
information believed to be confidential,
and one copy of the document marked
‘‘non-confidential’’ with the information
believed to be confidential deleted.
Submit these documents via email or on
a CD, if feasible. DOE will make its own
determination about the confidential
status of the information and treat it
according to its determination.
Factors of interest to DOE when
evaluating requests to treat submitted
information as confidential include: (1)
a description of the items; (2) whether
and why such items are customarily
treated as confidential within the
industry; (3) whether the information is
generally known by or available from
other sources; (4) whether the
information has previously been made
available to others without obligation
concerning its confidentiality; (5) an
explanation of the competitive injury to
the submitting person which would
result from public disclosure; (6) when
such information might lose its
confidential character due to the
passage of time; and (7) why disclosure
of the information would be contrary to
the public interest.
It is DOE’s policy that all comments
may be included in the public docket,
without change and as received,
including any personal information
provided in the comments (except
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14665
information deemed to be exempt from
public disclosure).
E. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Comment
Although DOE welcomes comments
on any aspect of this proposal, DOE is
particularly interested in receiving
comments and views of interested
parties concerning the following issues:
1. DOE seeks comment on its proposal
to replace BTS–2000 with ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 in its test
procedure for commercial packaged
boilers (section III.A).
2. DOE seeks comment on its proposal
to remove its definition for packaged
low pressure boiler and modify its
definitions for commercial packaged
boiler (section III.B.1).
3. DOE seeks comment on its
proposed definition for ‘‘fieldconstructed.’’ (section III.B.2)
4. DOE seeks comment on the
feasibility of conducting a combustion
efficiency test in the field for steam and
hot water commercial packaged boilers
with fuel input rate greater than
5,000,000 Btu/h (section III.C.1).
5. DOE seeks comment on whether
the thermal efficiency test can be
conducted for steam commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate
greater than 2,500,000 Btu/h and less
than or equal to 5,000,000 Btu/h
(section III.C.1).
6. DOE seeks comment on the specific
limitations, if they exist, that preclude
combustion efficiency testing in a
laboratory setting for steam commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate
greater than 2,500,000 Btu/h and less
than or equal to 5,000,000 Btu/h
(section III.C.1).
7. DOE seeks comment on the specific
additional equipment or facilities and
their associated cost that would be
required to accommodate testing
commercial packaged boilers with fuel
input rate greater than 2,500,000 Btu/h
and less than or equal to 5,000,000 Btu/
h in a laboratory setting (section III.C.1).
8. DOE seeks comment on whether
the 5,000,000 Btu/h fuel input rate is an
adequate threshold for the allowance of
the field combustion test and
conversion methodology, and if not,
what threshold should be used (section
III.C.1).
9. DOE seeks comment on whether
certification should be permitted for
field tested units after distribution in
commerce and after commissioning, in
particular the impact of this approach
on building inspectors (section III.C.1).
10. DOE seeks comment on its
proposed conversion method for
calculating thermal efficiency based on
combustion efficiency for steam
commercial packaged boilers with fuel
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input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h
(section III.C.2).
11. DOE seeks comment on the
proposed value for the difference
between the combustion efficiency and
thermal efficiency in the conversion
method (proposed value of 2 percent of
the combustion efficiency), whether the
value would result in conservative
ratings, and what number DOE should
use instead if the proposed value is not
adequate (section III.C.2).
12. DOE seeks comment on whether
the 5,000,000 Btu/h fuel input rate is an
adequate threshold for the allowance of
the field combustion test and/or
conversion methodology, and if not,
what threshold should be used (section
III.C.2).
13. DOE seeks comment on if the field
combustion test (for hot water and
steam commercial packaged boilers) and
conversion methodology (for steam
commercial packaged boilers) do not
adequately accommodate commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate
greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h, what
procedure should DOE implement in
order to do so (section III.C.2).
14. DOE seeks comments, data, and
information about pressures
recommended by manufacturers and
relevance to actual operating conditions
in buildings (section III.C.4).
15. DOE seeks comment on whether
DOE should require testing to be
performed at the lowest possible steam
pressure where steam quality
requirements can be met (section
III.C.4).
16. DOE also requests comment on if
there are any commercial packaged
boilers that require steam pressures
greater than 15 psig to maintain 2
percent moisture in the produced steam
(see section III.C.4).
17. DOE seeks comments, data, and
information about whether the proposed
testing conditions related to water
temperatures are appropriate both for a
non-condensing commercial packaged
boiler and a condensing commercial
packaged boiler (section III.D.2).
18. DOE also requests comment on the
proposed test provisions to
accommodate commercial packaged
boilers that cannot be tested with a
temperature rise of 40 °F across the
commercial packaged boiler (Point B to
Point C); (section III.D.2).
19. DOE seeks additional comments,
data, and analysis concerning thermal
efficiency test measurement uncertainty
(section III.D.2).
20. DOE seeks comment regarding the
current prevalence of using recirculating
loops in testing; specifically, DOE
requests comment about the kinds of
commercial packaged boilers utilizing
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recirculation loops and the conditions at
which these commercial packaged
boilers and recirculating loops operate
(section III.D.4).
21. DOE seeks further comments,
data, and information concerning the
capabilities of test laboratories,
particularly in light of the specific
proposed conditions contained in this
NOPR (section III.D.4).
22. DOE seeks comments, data, and
information about room ambient relative
humidity, whether the proposed
constraints are appropriate, and if not,
what are appropriate constraints on
room ambient relative humidity when
testing commercial packaged boilers
(section III.E).
23. DOE seeks comment, data, and
information about the aforementioned
proposed room ambient temperatures,
whether the proposed constraints are
appropriate and if not, what are
appropriate constraints on room
ambient temperature (section III.E)
24. DOE seeks comments based upon
the proposed changes to the steam riser,
header, and return water loop
requirements (section III.F).
25. DOE seeks comments regarding
the specification of burners for oil-fired
commercial packaged boilers (section
III.F).
26. DOE seeks additional comment,
and particularly data, about whether the
oxygen combustion analyzer produces
equivalent combustion efficiencies to
the carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon
dioxide (CO2) calculations provided by
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015 and
BTS–2000 (section III.F).
27. DOE seeks comment on the
proposal to require digital data
acquisition (section III.F).
28. DOE seeks comment as to the
proposed clarifications in set up and
instrumentation (section III.F).
29. DOE seeks comment regarding its
proposed definition and methodology
for measuring and verifying fuel input
rate and steady-state (section III.G).
30. DOE seeks comment on its
proposed clerical corrections and
clarifications (section III.H).
31. DOE seeks comments, as well as
sample stack temperature data, sample
calculations and estimates of the impact
of the stack temperature adjustment
methodology (section III.I.1).
32. DOE seeks comment regarding its
proposed provision to conduct
enforcement testing in both steam mode
and hot water mode for those
commercial packaged boilers capable of
producing both and using either result
in determining noncompliance with
energy conservation standards. (section
III.I.1)
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33. DOE seeks further comment
concerning part-load testing (section
III.I.2).
34. DOE seeks comment on whether
the proposed test procedure changes
will have a significant impact on a
substantial number of small entities
(section IV.B).
VI. Approval of the Office of the
Secretary
The Secretary of Energy has approved
publication of this notice of proposed
rulemaking.
List of Subjects
10 CFR Part 429
Administrative practice and
procedure, Confidential business
information, Energy conservation,
Household appliances, Imports,
Incorporation by reference, Reporting
and recordkeeping requirements.
10 CFR Part 431
Administrative practice and
procedure, Confidential business
information, Energy conservation,
Incorporation by reference, Reporting
and recordkeeping requirements, Test
procedures.
Issued in Washington, DC, on February 22,
2016.
Kathleen B. Hogan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy
Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy.
For the reasons stated in the
preamble, DOE proposes to amend parts
429 and 431 of chapter II, subchapter D
of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations,
as set forth below:
PART 429—CERTIFICATION,
COMPLIANCE, AND ENFORCEMENT
FOR CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND
COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL
EQUIPMENT
1. The authority citation for part 429
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6291–6317.
2. Section 429.4 is amended by adding
paragraph (c)(2) to read as follows:
■
§ 429.4 Materials incorporated by
reference.
*
*
*
*
*
(c) * * *
(2) AHRI Standard 1500–2015, ‘‘2015
Standard for Performance Rating of
Commercial Space Heating Boilers,’’
approved November 28, 2014: Section 3
‘‘Definitions;’’; Section 5 ‘‘Rating
Requirements;’’ Appendix C ‘‘Methods
of Testing for Rating Commercial Space
Heating Boilers—Normative,’’ excluding
Figures C5 and C7; Appendix D
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‘‘Properties of Saturated Steam—
Normative;’’ and Appendix E
‘‘Correction Factors for Heating Values
of Fuel Gases—Normative;’’ IBR
approved for § 429.60.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 3. Section 429.11 is amended by
revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:
§ 429.11 General sampling requirements
for selecting units to be tested.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) The minimum number of units
tested shall be no less than two, except
where:
(1) A different minimum limit is
specified in §§ 429.14 through 429.65;
or
(2) Only one unit of the basic model
is produced, in which case, that unit
must be tested and the test results must
demonstrate that the basic model
performs at or better than the applicable
standard(s). If one or more units of the
basic model are manufactured
subsequently, compliance with the
default sampling and representations
provisions is required.
■ 4. Section 429.60 is amended by:
■ a. Revising paragraph (a)(1)(i);
■ b. Adding paragraphs (a)(3), (4), and
(5);
■ c. Revising paragraph (b)(2); and
■ d. Adding paragraphs (b)(3)(iii) and
(b)(5).
The revisions and additions read as
follows:
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§ 429.60
Commercial packaged boilers.
(a) * * *
(1) * * *
(i) If the represented value is
determined through testing, the general
requirements of § 429.11 are applicable,
except that, if the represented value is
determined through testing pursuant to
§ 431.86(c) of this chapter, the number
of units selected for testing may be one;
and
*
*
*
*
*
(3) The representative value of fuel
input rate of a basic model reported in
accordance with paragraph (b)(2) of this
section must be either the mean of the
fuel input rate(s) measured for each
tested unit of the basic model and
determined in accordance with the test
procedure in § 431.86 of this chapter, or
the value determined with an AEDM,
and rounded to the nearest 1,000 Btu/
h.
(4) The representative value of
thermal or combustion efficiency of a
basic model reported in accordance
with paragraph (b)(2) of this section
must be either the mean of the thermal
or combustion efficiency measured for
each tested unit of the basic model and
determined in accordance with the test
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procedure in § 431.86 of this chapter, or
the value determined with an AEDM,
and rounded to the nearest tenth of one
percent.
(5) For a model of commercial
packaged boiler capable of supplying
either steam or hot water, representative
values for steam mode must be based on
performance in steam mode and
representative values for hot water
mode must be based on either the
efficiency in hot water mode or steam
mode in accordance with the test
procedure in § 431.86 of this chapter
and the provisions of this section.
(b) * * *
(2) Pursuant to § 429.12(b)(13), a
certification report must include the
following public, equipment-specific
information:
(i) The manufacturer (including
brand, if applicable) and model number
of the burner;
(ii) The fuel input rate in British
thermal units per hour (Btu/h) rounded
to the nearest 1,000 Btu/h;
(iii) The representative value of
combustion efficiency in percent (%) to
the nearest tenth of one percent or the
representative value of thermal
efficiency in percent (%) to the nearest
one tenth of one percent, as specified in
§ 431.87 of this chapter; and
(iv) For a basic model of commercial
packaged boiler that cannot be tested
using the standard inlet temperatures
required in appendix A to subpart E of
part 431 of this chapter, the average
inlet water temperature measured at
Point B (in Figure C9 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015) (incorporated by
reference, see § 429.4) at which the
model was tested.
(3) * * *
(iii) For basic models of commercial
packaged boilers that have a certified
fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000
Btu/h, a declaration about whether the
certified rating is based on testing
conducted pursuant to § 431.86(c) of
this chapter.
*
*
*
*
*
(5) Any field tested (pursuant to
§ 431.86(c) of this chapter) basic model
of a commercial packaged boiler that
has not been previously certified
through testing or an AEDM must be
certified within 15 days of
commissioning.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 5. Section 429.70 is amended by
adding paragraph (c)(2)(iii)(D) to read as
follows:
§ 429.70 Alternative methods for
determining energy efficiency and energy
use.
*
*
*
(c) * * *
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*
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14667
(2) * * *
(iii) * * *
(D) An AEDM that is validated based
on test results obtained from one or
more field tests (commercial packaged
boilers only) can only be used to certify
the performance of basic models of
commercial packaged boilers with a
certified fuel input rate greater than
5,000,000 Btu/h.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 6. Section 429.110 is amended by:
■ a. Revising paragraph (a)(3); and
■ b. Adding paragraph (c)(1)(iii).
The addition and revision reads as
follows:
§ 429.110
Enforcement testing.
(a) * * *
(3) Testing will be conducted at a lab
accredited to the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO)/
International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC), ‘‘General
requirements ‘for the competence of
testing and calibration laboratories,’’
ISO/IEC 17025:2005(E) (incorporated by
reference; see § 429.4). If testing cannot
be completed at an independent lab,
DOE, at its discretion, may allow
enforcement testing at a manufacturer’s
lab, so long as the lab is accredited to
ISO/IEC 17025:2005(E) and DOE
representatives witness the testing. In
addition, for commercial packaged
boilers with certified fuel input rate
greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h, DOE, at its
discretion, may allow enforcement
testing of a commissioned commercial
packaged boiler in the location in which
it was commissioned for use, pursuant
to the test provisions at § 431.86(c) of
this chapter.
*
*
*
*
*
(c) * * *
(1) * * *
(iii) Of basic models of previously
commissioned commercial packaged
boilers with a certified fuel input rate
greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h, DOE may
test a sample of at least one unit in the
location in which it was commissioned
for use.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 7. Section 429.134 is amended by
adding paragraph (k) to read as follows:
§ 429.134 Product-specific enforcement
provisions.
*
*
*
*
*
(k) Commercial packaged boilers—(1)
Verification of fuel input rate. The fuel
input rate of each tested unit will be
measured pursuant to the test
requirements of § 431.86 of this chapter.
The results of the measurement(s) will
be compared to the value of fuel input
rate certified by the manufacturer. The
certified fuel input rate will be
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considered valid only if the
measurement(s) (either the measured
fuel input rate for a single unit sample
or the average of the measured fuel
input rates for a multiple unit sample)
is within two percent of the certified
fuel input rate.
(i) If the representative value of fuel
input rate is found to be valid, the
certified fuel input rate will serve as the
basis for determination of the
appropriate equipment class(es) and the
mean measured fuel input rate will be
used as the basis for calculation of
combustion and/or thermal efficiency
for the basic model.
(ii) If the representative value of fuel
input rate is not within two percent of
the certified fuel input rate, DOE will
first attempt to increase or decrease the
gas pressure within the range specified
in manufacturer’s installation and
operation manual shipped with the
commercial packaged boiler being tested
(or, if not provided in the manual, in
supplemental instructions provided by
the manufacturer pursuant to
§ 429.60(b)(4)) to achieve the certified
fuel input rate (within two percent). If
the fuel input rate is still not within two
percent of the certified fuel input rate,
DOE will attempt to modify the gas inlet
orifice. If the fuel input rate still is not
within two percent of the certified fuel
input rate, the mean measured fuel
input rate will serve as the basis for
determination of the appropriate
equipment class(es) and calculation of
combustion and/or thermal efficiency
for the basic model.
(2) Models capable of producing both
hot water and steam. For a model of
commercial packaged boiler that is
capable of producing both hot water and
steam, DOE may measure the thermal or
combustion efficiency as applicable
pursuant to § 431.87 of this chapter for
steam and/or hot water modes. DOE will
evaluate compliance based on the
measured thermal or combustion
efficiency in steam and hot water
modes, independently.
PART 431—ENERGY EFFICIENCY
PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN
COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL
EQUIPMENT
8. The authority citation for part 431
continues to read as follows:
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■
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6291–6317.
■
9. Section 431.82 is amended by:
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a. Revising the definitions for
‘‘Combustion efficiency’’ and
‘‘Commercial packaged boiler’’;
■ b. Adding in alphabetical order
definitions for ‘‘Field-constructed,’’ and
‘‘Fuel input rate’’;
■ c. Revising the definition for
‘‘Packaged boiler’’; and
■ d. Removing the definitions for
‘‘Packaged high pressure boiler’’ and
‘‘Packaged low pressure boiler’’.
The revisions and additions read as
follows:
■
§ 431.82 Definitions concerning
commercial packaged boilers.
*
*
*
*
*
Combustion efficiency for a
commercial packaged boiler is a
measurement of how much of the fuel
input energy is converted to useful heat
in combustion and is calculated as 100
percent minus percent flue loss, as
determined with the test procedures
prescribed under § 431.86.
Commercial packaged boiler means a
packaged boiler that meets all of the
following criteria:
(1) Has fuel input rate of 300,000 Btu/
h or greater;
(2) Is, to any significant extent,
distributed in commerce for space
conditioning and/or service water
heating in buildings but does not meet
the definition of ‘‘hot water supply
boiler’’ in this part;
(3) Does not meet the definition of
‘‘field-constructed’’ in this section; and
(4) Is designed to:
(i) Operate at a steam pressure at or
below 15 psig;
(ii) Operate at or below a water
pressure of 160 psig and water
temperature of 250 °F; or
(iii) Operate at the conditions
specified in both paragraphs (4)(i) and
(ii) of this definition.
*
*
*
*
*
Field-constructed means customdesigned equipment that requires
welding of structural components in the
field during installation; for the
purposes of this definition, welding
does not include attachment using
mechanical fasteners or brazing; any
jackets, shrouds, venting, burner, or
burner mounting hardware are not
structural components.
*
*
*
*
*
Fuel input rate for a commercial
packaged boiler means the maximum
rate at which the commercial packaged
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boiler uses energy and is determined
using test procedures prescribed under
§ 431.86.
*
*
*
*
*
Packaged boiler means a boiler that is
shipped complete with heating
equipment, mechanical draft
equipment, and automatic controls and
is usually shipped in one or more
sections. If the boiler is shipped in more
than one section, the sections may be
produced by more than one
manufacturer, and may be originated or
shipped at different times and from
more than one location.
*
*
*
*
*
■ 10. Section 431.85 is amended by
revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:
§ 431.85 Materials incorporated by
reference.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) AHRI. Air-Conditioning, Heating,
and Refrigeration Institute, 2111 Wilson
Blvd., Suite 500, Arlington, VA 22201,
(703) 524–8800, or go to: https://
www.ahrinet.org.
(1) AHRI Standard 1500–2015, ‘‘2015
Standard for Performance Rating of
Commercial Space Heating Boilers,’’
approved November 28, 2014: Section 3
‘‘Definitions;’’; Section 5 ‘‘Rating
Requirements;’’ Appendix C ‘‘Methods
of Testing for Rating Commercial Space
Heating Boilers—Normative,’’ excluding
Figures C5 and C7; Appendix D
‘‘Properties of Saturated Steam—
Normative;’’ and Appendix E
‘‘Correction Factors for Heating Values
of Fuel Gases—Normative;’’ IBR
approved for appendix A to subpart E.
(2) [Reserved]
■ 11. Section 431.86 is revised to read
as follows:
§ 431.86 Uniform test method for the
measurement of energy efficiency of
commercial packaged boilers.
(a) Scope. This section provides test
procedures, pursuant to the Energy
Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as
amended, which must be followed for
measuring the combustion efficiency
and/or thermal efficiency of a gas- or
oil-fired commercial packaged boiler.
(b) Testing and calculations.
Determine the thermal efficiency or
combustion efficiency of covered
commercial packaged boilers by
conducting the appropriate test
procedure(s) indicated in Table 1 of this
section.
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TABLE 1 TO § 431.86—TEST REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL PACKAGED BOILER EQUIPMENT CLASSES
Equipment Type
Subcategory
Fuel Input Rate
Btu/h
Hot Water ..........................
Hot Water ..........................
Hot Water ..........................
Hot Water ..........................
Steam ................................
Steam ................................
Gas-fired ...........................
Gas-fired ...........................
Oil-fired ..............................
Oil-fired ..............................
Gas-fired (all*) ...................
Gas-fired (all*) ...................
≥300,000 and ≤2,500,000
>2,500,000 ........................
≥300,000 and ≤2,500,000
>2,500,000 ........................
≥300,000 and ≤2,500,000
>2,500,000 and
≤5,000,000.
>5,000,000 ........................
Steam ................................
Steam ................................
Oil-fired ..............................
Oil-fired ..............................
Test procedure
(corresponding to
standards
efficiency
metric required
by § 431.87)
Standards
efficiency
rating
(§ 431.87)
≥300,000 and ≤2,500,000
>2,500,000 and
≤5,000,000.
>5,000,000 ........................
Thermal Efficiency ............
Combustion Efficiency ......
Thermal Efficiency ............
Combustion Efficiency ......
Thermal Efficiency ............
Thermal Efficiency ............
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Section
Section
Section
Section
Section
Section
2.
3.
2.
3.
2.
2.
Thermal Efficiency ............
Appendix A, Section
OR
Appendix A, Section
Section 2.4.3.2.
Appendix A, Section
Appendix A, Section
2.
Thermal Efficiency ............
Thermal Efficiency ............
Thermal Efficiency ............
A,
A,
A,
A,
A,
A,
3 with
2.
2.
Appendix A, Section 2.
OR
Appendix A, Section 3.
with Section 2.4.3.2.
* Product classes for commercial packaged boilers as of July 22, 2009 (74 FR 36355) distinguish between gas-fired natural draft and all other
gas-fired (except natural draft). The test procedure indicated in Table 1 applies to both of these equipment classes. If these equipment classes
are amended, the test procedure will continue to apply as indicated in Table 1 to all gas-fired commercial packaged boilers.
(c) Field tests. The field test
provisions of appendix A may be used
only to test a commissioned unit of
commercial packaged boiler with fuel
input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h.
12. Section 431.87 is revised to read
as follows:
■
§ 431.87 Energy conservation standards
and their effective dates.
manufactured on or after the effective
date listed must meet the indicated
energy conservation standard.
(a) Each commercial packaged boiler
listed in Table 1 of this section and
TABLE 1 TO § 431.87—COMMERCIAL PACKAGED BOILER ENERGY CONSERVATION STANDARDS
Equipment type
Subcategory
Fuel input rate*
Hot Water Commercial Packaged Boilers ................
Gas-fired .......................................
Hot Water Commercial Packaged Boilers ................
Hot Water Commercial Packaged Boilers ................
Gas-fired .......................................
Oil-fired ..........................................
Hot Water Commercial Packaged Boilers ................
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers ......................
Oil-fired ..........................................
Gas-fired—all, except natural draft
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers ......................
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers ......................
Gas-fired—all, except natural draft
Gas-fired—natural draft ................
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers ......................
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers ......................
Gas-fired—natural draft ................
Oil-fired ..........................................
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers ......................
Oil-fired ..........................................
≥300,000 Btu/h
Btu/h.
>2,500,000 Btu/h
≥300,000 Btu/h
Btu/h.
>2,500,000 Btu/h
≥300,000 Btu/h
Btu/h.
>2,500,000 Btu/h
≥300,000 Btu/h
Btu/h.
>2,500,000 Btu/h
≥300,000 Btu/h
Btu/h.
>2,500,000 Btu/h
Efficiency
level—
effective date:
March 2, 2012 *
and ≤2,500,000
80.0% ET.
...........................
and ≤2,500,000
82.0% EC.
82.0% ET.
...........................
and ≤2,500,000
84.0% EC.
79.0% ET.
...........................
and ≤2,500,000
79.0% ET.
77.0% ET.
...........................
and ≤2,500,000
77.0% ET.
81.0% ET.
...........................
81.0% ET.
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* ‘‘Fuel Input Rate’’ is the representative value of input (Btu/h) of the commercial packaged boiler model.
* Where EC is combustion efficiency and ET is thermal efficiency.
(b) Each commercial packaged boiler
listed in Table 2 of this section and
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manufactured on or after the effective
date listed in Table 2 of this section
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must meet the indicated energy
conservation standard.
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TABLE 2 TO § 431.87—COMMERCIAL PACKAGED BOILER ENERGY CONSERVATION STANDARDS
Equipment type
Subcategory
Fuel input rate *
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers .....
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers .....
Gas-fired—natural draft ...........................
Gas-fired—natural draft ...........................
≥300,000 Btu/h and ≤2,500,000 Btu/h .....
>2,500,000 Btu/h .....................................
Efficiency
level—
effective date:
March 2,
2022 *
79.0% ET.
79.0% ET.
* ‘‘Fuel Input Rate’’ is the representative value of input (Btu/h) of the commercial packaged boiler model
* Where ET is thermal efficiency.
13. Add appendix A to subpart E of
part 431 to read as follows:
■
Appendix A to Subpart E of Part 431—
Uniform Test Method for the
Measurement of Thermal Efficiency of
Commercial Packaged Boilers.
Note: Prior to [DATE 360 DAYS AFTER
PUBLICATION OF THE FINAL RULE IN
THE Federal Register], manufacturers must
make any representations with respect to the
energy use or efficiency of commercial
packaged boilers in accordance with the
results of testing pursuant to appendix A to
subpart E of part 431 or the test procedures
as they appeared in 10 CFR 431.86, revised
as of January 1, 2016. After [DATE 360 DAYS
AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE
FINAL RULE], manufacturers must make any
representations with respect to energy use or
efficiency in accordance with the results of
testing pursuant to this appendix.
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1. Definitions
For purposes of this appendix, the
Department of Energy incorporates by
reference the definitions established in
section 3 of the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) and Air-Conditioning,
Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)
Standard 1500, ‘‘2015 Standard for
Performance Rating of Commercial Space
Heating Boilers,’’ beginning with 3.1 and
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ending with 3.35 (incorporated by reference,
see § 431.85; hereafter ‘‘ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015’’), excluding section 3.23, ‘‘Input
Rating’’; section 3.24, ‘‘Net Rating’’; and
section 3.26, ‘‘Published Rating,’’ and section
3.26.1 ‘‘Standard Rating.’’ In cases where
there is a conflict, the language of the test
procedure in this appendix takes precedence
over ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015.
1.1. In all incorporated sections of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015, references to the
manufacturer’s ‘‘specifications,’’
‘‘recommendations,’’ ‘‘directions,’’ or
‘‘requests’’ mean the manufacturer’s
instructions in the installation and operation
manual shipped with the commercial
packaged boiler being tested or in
supplemental instructions provided by the
manufacturer pursuant to § 429.60(b)(4) of
this chapter. For parameters or
considerations not specified in this
appendix, refer to the manual shipped with
the commercial packaged boiler. Should the
manual shipped with the commercial
packaged boiler not provide the necessary
information, refer to the supplemental
instructions for the basic model pursuant to
§ 429.60(b)(4) of this chapter. The
supplemental instructions provided pursuant
to § 429.60(b)(4) of this chapter do not
replace or alter any requirements in this
appendix nor do they override the manual
shipped with the commercial packaged
boiler. In cases where these supplemental
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instructions conflict with any instructions or
provisions provided in the manual shipped
with the commercial packaged boiler, use the
manual shipped with the commercial
packaged boiler.
1.2. Unless otherwise noted, in all
incorporated sections of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015, the term ‘‘boiler’’
means a commercial packaged boiler as
defined in § 431.82.
2. Thermal Efficiency Test
2.1. Test Setup.
2.1.1. Instrumentation. Use
instrumentation meeting the minimum
requirements found in Table C1 of Appendix
C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
(incorporated by reference, see § 431.85).
2.1.2. Data collection and sampling.
Unless otherwise specified in Table 2.1 to
this appendix, obtain all data digitally and
conduct sampling at a rate not less frequently
than once per 30 seconds. Digital data
representing a flow, rate, or flux must be
integrated over 15-minute periods (pursuant
to Table 2.1 to this appendix) with the
resulting values recorded. All other digital
data must be averaged over 15-minute
periods with the resulting values recorded.
Table 2.1 to this appendix specifies the data
recording interval for all relevant measured
quantities and replaces Table C4 of Appendix
C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015.
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Table 2.1. to Appendix A to Subpart E of Part 431-Data to be Recorded Before and
During Testing
Item Recorded
Before Test
Date of Test
X
Boiler Model Number
X
Burner Model Number &
Manufacturer
X
Nozzle description and oil pressure
X
Oil Analysis- H, C, API Gravity,
lb/gal and Btu/lb
Every 15 Minutes 1
X
Manufacturer
Every 30 Seconds
X
Start and End
only
Gas Manifold Pressure
Gas line pressure at meter
x2
Gas temperature
x2
Barometric Pressure (Steam and
Natural Gas Only)
x2
Start and End
only
Gas Heating Value, Btu/fe
Time, minutes/seconds
X
Flue Gas Temperature, °F
x3
Pressure in Firebox, in H 20 (if
required per Section C3 .4)
x3
Flue Gas Smoke Spot Reading (oil)
x2
x3
Room Air Temperature
Fuel Weight or volume, lb (oil) or
fe (gas)
Inlet Water Temperature at Point
A4, oF
x4
x3
x3
Test Air Temperature, °F
Draft in Vent, in H 20 (oil and nonatmospheric gas)
x3
Flue Gas C0 2 or 0 2, %
x2
Start and End only 2
Relative Humidity, %
X
2.1.3. Instrument Calibration.
Instruments must be calibrated at least once
per year and a calibration record containing
the date of calibration and the method of
calibration must be maintained as part of the
data underlying each basic model
certification, pursuant to § 429.71 of this
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chapter. Combustion measurement
equipment (instruments listed in the ‘‘Gas
Chemistry’’ row of Table C1 in ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015) must be calibrated
using standard gases with purities of greater
than 99.9995 percent for all constituents
analyzed.
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2.1.4. Test Setup and Apparatus. Set up
the commercial packaged boiler for thermal
efficiency testing according to the provisions
of section C2 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015.
2.1.4.1. For tests of oil-fired commercial
packaged boilers, determine the weight of
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fuel consumed using one of the methods
specified in paragraph 2.1.4.1.1. or 2.1.4.1.2.
of this appendix:
2.1.4.1.1. If using a scale, determine the
weight of fuel consumed as the difference
between the weight of the oil vessel before
and after each measurement period, as
specified in paragraph 2.1.4.1.3.1. or
2.1.4.1.3.2. of this appendix, determined
using a scale meeting the accuracy
requirements of Table C1 of Appendix C of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015.
2.1.4.1.2. If using a flow meter, first
determine the volume of fuel consumed as
the total volume over the applicable
measurement period as specified in
paragraph 2.1.4.1.3.1. or 2.1.4.1.3.2. of this
appendix and as measured by a flow meter
meeting the accuracy requirements of Table
C1 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 upstream of the oil inlet port of
the commercial packaged boiler. Then
determine the weight of fuel consumed by
multiplying the total volume of fuel over the
applicable measurement period by the
density of oil, in pounds per gallon, as
determined pursuant to C3.2.1.1.3. of
Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015.
2.1.4.1.3. The applicable measurement
period for the purposes of determining fuel
input rate must be as specified in section
2.1.4.1.3.1. of this appendix for the ‘‘WarmUp Period’’ or section 2.1.4.1.3.2. of this
appendix for the ‘‘Test Period.’’
2.1.4.1.3.1. For the purposes of
confirming steady-state operation during the
‘‘Warm-Up Period,’’ the measurement period
must be 15 minutes and tT in equation C2 in
section C7.2.3.1 of Appendix A of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015 must be 0.25
hours to determine fuel input rate.
2.1.4.1.3.2. For the purposes of
determining thermal efficiency during the
‘‘Test Period,’’ the measurement period and
tT are as specified in section C4.1.1.2.3 of
Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015.
2.1.4.2 For tests of gas-fired commercial
packaged boilers, install a volumetric gas
meter meeting the accuracy requirements of
Table C1 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 upstream of the gas inlet
port of the commercial packaged boiler.
Record the accumulated gas volume
consumed for each applicable measurement
period. Use equation C7.2.3.2. of Appendix C
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015 to
calculate fuel input rate.
2.1.4.2.1. The applicable measurement
period for the purposes of determining fuel
input rate must be as specified in section
2.1.4.2.1.1. of this appendix for the ‘‘WarmUp Period’’ and 2.1.4.2.1.2. of this appendix
for the ‘‘Test Period.’’
2.1.4.2.1.1. For the purposes of
confirming steady-state operation during the
‘‘Warm-Up Period,’’ the measurement period
must be 15 minutes and tT in equation C2 in
section C7.2.3.1 of Appendix C of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015 must be 0.25
hours to determine fuel input rate.
2.1.4.2.1.2. For the purposes of
determining thermal efficiency during the
‘‘Test Period,’’ the measurement period and
tT are as specified in section C4.1.1.2.3 of
Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015.
2.1.5. Additional Requirements for
Outdoor Commercial Packaged Boilers. If the
manufacturer provides more than one
outdoor venting arrangement, the outdoor
commercial packaged boiler (as defined in
section 3.2.6 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015; must be tested with the shortest total
venting arrangement as measured by adding
the straight lengths of venting supplied with
the equipment. If the manufacturer does not
provide an outdoor venting arrangement,
install the outdoor commercial packaged
boiler venting consistent with the procedure
specified in section C2.2 of Appendix C of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015.
2.1.6. Additional Requirements for Steam
Tests. In addition to the provisions of section
C2 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015, the following requirements apply
for steam tests.
2.1.6.1. Set up steam piping according to
section C2.3 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 and using the following
general instructions:
2.1.6.1.1. Figures C5 and C7 are
prohibited from use and are not to be used
to comply with the test procedure.
2.1.6.1.2. For piping above the water level
specified in the installation and operation
manual shipped with the commercial
packaged boiler, or in manufacturer’s
supplemental instructions (pursuant to
§ 429.60(b)(4) of this chapter), if a reduction
in the piping diameter is necessary, reduce
the vertical portion of the steam condensate
return pipe diameter to no less than one half
of the riser pipe diameter.
2.1.6.1.3. Insulate all steam piping from
the commercial packaged boiler to the steam
separator, and extend insulation at least one
foot (1 ft.) beyond the steam separator, using
insulation meeting the requirements
specified in Table 2.2. of this appendix.
TABLE 2.2. TO APPENDIX A TO SUBPART E OF PART 431—MINIMUM PIPING INSULATION THICKNESS REQUIREMENTS
Insulation
conductivity
Fluid
temperature
range
°F
Conductivity
BTU×in/
(h × ft2 × °F)
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201 °F–250 °F ..................................
141 °F–200 °F ..................................
105 °F–140 °F ..................................
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Mean rating
temperature
°F
0.27–0.30
0.25–0.29
0.22–0.28
2.1.6.1.4. If a separator is used, piping
must pitch downward to the separator at a
rate of at least 1⁄4 inch per foot of pipe length.
2.1.6.2. If the pipe diameters of the
header and return loop are not specified in
the installation and operation manual
shipped with the commercial packaged boiler
or in supplemental testing instructions
provided in the unit’s basic model
certification report (pursuant to § 429.60 of
this chapter), then make the header pipe
diameter equal to the commercial packaged
boiler’s steam take-off fitting pipe diameter.
Do not reduce the diameter in any horizontal
pipe. For commercial packaged boilers with
multiple steam risers, do not reduce the
diameter in any horizontal header pipe, and
ensure that the cross-sectional area of the
header is not less than 80 percent of the total
cross-sectional area of the risers.
Nominal
pipe size
inches
150
125
100
<1
2.5
1.5
1.0
2.1.6.3. If the height of the header above
the water level is not specified by the
installation and operation manual shipped
with the commercial packaged boiler or in
supplemental testing instructions provided
in the unit’s basic model certification report
(pursuant to § 429.60 of this chapter), then
ensure that the height of the header above the
water level is not less than the larger of 24
inches or 6 times the header nominal pipe
diameter as defined in paragraph 2.1.6.2. of
this appendix.
2.1.6.4. If the minimum distance between
the last vertical steam take-off and the
condensate return pipe is not specified in the
installation and operation manual shipped
with the commercial packaged boiler or in
the manufacturer’s supplemental testing
instructions provided in the unit’s basic
model certification report (pursuant to
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1 to < 11⁄2
2.5
1.5
1.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
11⁄2 to < 4
3.0
2.0
1.5
4 to <8
3.0
2.0
1.5
§ 429.60 of this chapter), then the distance
between the vertical steam take-off leading to
the water separator and the elbow leading to
the condensate return pipe must be a
minimum of three (3) header pipe diameters.
2.1.6.5. A vented water seal must be
located between the drain and the separator.
Insulate the separator and the piping
connecting it to the commercial packaged
boiler to prevent the heat loss from separator
and piping, using the minimum piping
insulation requirements specified in Table
2.2. of this appendix. A temperature sensing
device must be installed in the insulated
steam piping prior to the water separator if
the commercial packaged boiler produces
superheated steam.
2.1.6.6. Water entrained in the steam and
water condensing within the steam piping
must be collected and used to calculate the
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quality of steam during the ‘‘Test Period.’’
Steam condensate must be collected and
measured using either a cumulative
(totalizing) flow rate or by measuring the
mass of the steam condensate.
Instrumentation used to determine the
amount of steam condensate must meet the
requirements identified in Table C1 in
Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015.
2.1.6.7. All steam commercial packaged
boiler setups must include a steam
condensate return pipe as shown in Figures
C6 and C8 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015; labeled ‘‘Return Loop Connection’’).
This setup may also be used for commercial
packaged boilers with multiple or single
steam risers (take-offs) from the commercial
packaged boiler.
2.1.6.8. Section C2.7.2.2.2 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 is not to be used for
water meter calibration.
2.1.7. Additional Requirements for Water
Tests. In addition to the provisions of section
C2 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015, the following requirements apply
for water tests.
2.1.7.1 Insulate all water piping between
the commercial packaged boiler and the
location of the temperature measuring
equipment, including one foot (1 ft.) beyond
the sensor, using insulation meeting the
requirements specified in Table 2.2. of this
appendix.
2.1.7.2 In addition to the temperature
measuring device at Point A in Figure C9 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015, install a
temperature measuring device at Point B of
the same figure.
2.2. Test Conditions.
2.2.1. General. Use the test conditions from
section 5 and section C3 of Appendix C of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015 for thermal
efficiency testing but do not use section 5.1,
5.2, 5.3.5, 5.3.8, 5.3.9, or C3.1.3 of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015.
2.2.2. Burners for Oil-Fired Commercial
Packaged Boilers. In addition to section C3.3
of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015, the following applies: for oilfired commercial packaged boilers, test the
unit with the particular make and model of
burner as certified by the manufacturer. If
multiple burners are specified in the
certification report for that basic model, then
use any of the listed burners for testing.
2.2.3. Non-condensing Commercial
Packaged Boiler Water Temperatures. For
tests of non-condensing boilers (as defined in
section 3.2.5 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015, maintain the outlet temperature
measured at Point C in Figure C9 at 180 °F
± 1 °F and maintain the inlet temperature
measured at Point B at 140 °F ± 1 °F during
the ‘‘Warm-up Period’’ and ‘‘Test Period’’ as
indicated by 30-second interval data
pursuant to Table 2.1. of this appendix. If the
commercial packaged boiler cannot be tested
at the standard inlet water temperature of
140 °F ± 1 °F, as indicated in the
manufacturer literature, test the equipment at
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the temperature closest to the standard
140 °F ± 1 °F that the equipment is capable
of operating, as indicated in the manufacturer
literature. Use the inlet temperature
measured at Point A in Figure C9 of
Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015 for calculation of thermal efficiency.
2.2.4. Condensing Commercial Packaged
Boiler Water Temperatures. For tests of
condensing boilers (as defined in section
3.2.2 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015);
maintain the outlet temperature measured at
Point C in Figure C9 of Appendix C of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015 to 120 °F ± 1 °F,
and maintain the commercial packaged boiler
inlet temperature at Point B to 80 °F ± 1 °F
during the ‘‘Warm-up Period’’ and ‘‘Test
Period’’ as indicated by 30-second interval
data pursuant to Table 2.1. of this appendix.
If the commercial packaged boiler cannot be
tested at the standard inlet water temperature
of 80 °F ± 1 °F, as indicated in the
manufacturer literature, test the equipment at
the temperature closest to the standard 80 °F
± 1 °F that the equipment is capable of
operating, as indicated in the manufacturer
literature. Use the inlet temperature
measured at Point A in Figure C9 of
Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015 for calculation of thermal efficiency.
2.2.5 Air Temperature. Maintain ambient
room temperature at 75 °F ± 5 °F at all times
during the ‘‘Warm-up Period’’ and ‘‘Test
Period’’ (as described in section C4 of
Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015; as indicated by 30-second interval data
pursuant to Table 2.1. of this appendix. The
ambient room temperature may not differ by
more than ± 2 °F from the average ambient
room temperature during the entire ‘‘Test
Period’’ at any reading.
2.2.6. Ambient Humidity. Maintain
ambient room relative humidity at 60 ± 5
percent relative humidity at all times during
both the ‘‘Warm-up Period’’ and ‘‘Test
Period’’ (as described in section C4 of
Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015; as indicated by 30-second interval data
pursuant to Table 2.1. of this appendix.
2.3. Test Method.
2.3.1. General. Conduct the thermal
efficiency test as prescribed in section C4.1
of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015.
2.3.1.1. Do not use section C4.1.1.1.2 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015. Instead,
adjust oil or non-atmospheric gas to produce
the required firebox pressure and CO2 or O2
concentration in the flue gas, as described in
section 5.3.1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015. Conduct steam tests with steam
pressure at the pressure specified in the
manufacturer literature shipped with the
commercial packaged boiler or in the
manufacturer’s supplemental testing
instructions pursuant to § 429.60(b)(4) of this
chapter, but not exceeding 15 psig. If no
pressure is specified in the manufacturer
literature shipped with the commercial
packaged boiler or in the manufacturer’s
supplemental testing instructions (pursuant
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14673
to § 429.60(b)(4)) of this chapter, or if a range
of operating pressures is specified, conduct
testing at a steam pressure equal to
atmospheric pressure. If necessary to
maintain steam quality as required by section
5.3.7 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015,
increase steam pressure in 1 psig increments
by throttling with a valve beyond the
separator until the test is completed and the
steam quality requirements have been
satisfied, but do not increase the steam
pressure to greater than 15 psig.
2.3.2. Steam Test Steady-State. Replace
section C4.1.1.1.4 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 with the following: Ensure that a
steady-state is reached by confirming that
three consecutive readings have been
recorded at 15-minute intervals that indicate
that:
2.3.2.1. The measured fuel input rate does
not vary by more than ± 2 percent between
any two readings; and
2.3.2.2. The steam pressure varies by no
more than ± 5 percent between any two
readings.
2.3.3. Water Test Steady-State. Replace
section C4.1.2.1.5 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 with the following: Ensure that a
steady-state is reached by confirming that
three consecutive readings have been
recorded at 15-minute intervals that indicate
that the measured fuel input rate does not
vary by more than ± 2 percent between any
two readings.
2.3.4. Condensate Collection for
Condensing Commercial Packaged Boilers.
Collect condensate in a covered vessel so as
to prevent evaporation.
2.3.5. Total Fuel Input. In sections
C4.1.1.2.3 and C4.1.2.2.3 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015, do not use the last
sentence which reads: ‘‘The total Heat Input
measured during the Test Period shall be
within ± 2% of the boiler Input Rating.’’
2.4. Calculations.
2.4.1. General. To determine the thermal
efficiency of commercial packaged boilers,
use the calculation procedure for the thermal
efficiency test specified in section C7 of
Appendix C of the ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015. For water tests as described in
section C4.1.2 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015, if a recirculating loop is used, use the
average temperature during the ‘‘Test Period’’
measured at Point A for the inlet water
temperature for all calculations.
2.4.2. Use of Steam Properties Table. If the
average measured temperature of the steam is
higher than the value in Table D in Appendix
D1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015 that
corresponds to the average measured steam
pressure, then use Table 2.3 of this appendix
to determine the latent heat of superheated
steam in (Btu/lb). Use linear interpolation for
determining the latent heat of steam in Btu/
lb if the measured steam pressure is between
two values listed in Table D in Appendix D1
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015 or in
Table 2.3.
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Table 2.3. to Appendix A to Subpart E of Part 431-Latent Heat (Btu/lb) of Superheated
Steam.
Temperature
Average Measured
Steam Pressure
OF
.tlli
220
240
260
280
300
320
340
360
13
1155.1
1164.7
1174.3
1183.8
1193.2
1202.6
1212.0
1221.4
14
1154.6
1164.4
1174.0
1183.5
1193.0
1202.4
1211.8
1221.2
14.696
1154.4
1164.2
1173.8
1183.3
1192.8
1202.3
1211.7
1221.1
15
1154.3
1164.1
1173.7
1183.2
1192.8
1202.2
1211.7
1221.1
16
1153.8
1163.7
1173.4
1183.0
1192.5
1202.0
1211.5
1220.9
17
1153.4
1163.4
1173.1
1182.7
1192.3
1201.8
1211.3
1220.7
18
1163.0
1172.8
1182.5
1192.1
1201.6
1211.1
1220.6
19
1162.7
1172.5
1182.2
1191.9
1201.4
1210.9
1220.4
20
1162.3
1172.2
1182.0
1191.6
1201.2
1210.8
1220.3
21
1162.0
1171.9
1181.7
1191.4
1201.0
1210.6
1220.1
22
1161.6
1171.6
1181.4
1191.2
1200.8
1210.4
1219.9
23
1161.2
1171.3
1181.2
1190.9
1200.6
1210.2
1219.8
24
1160.9
1171.0
1180.9
1190.7
1200.4
1210.0
1219.6
25
1170.7
1180.6
1190.5
1200.2
1209.8
1219.4
26
1170.4
1180.4
1190.2
1200.0
1209.7
1219.3
27
1170.1
1180.1
1190.0
1199.8
1209.5
1219.1
28
1169.7
1179.8
1189.8
1199.6
1209.3
1218.9
29
1169.4
1179.6
1189.5
1199.3
1209.1
1218.8
30
1169.1
1179.3
1189.3
1199.1
1208.9
1218.6
31
Absolute Pressure
1168.8
1179.0
1189.0
Temperature
1198.9
1208.7
1218.4
OF
]!Si
440
460
480
500
600
1230.8
1240.2
1249.5
1258.9
1268.4
1277.8
1287.3
1334.9
1230.6
1240.0
1249.4
1258.8
1268.3
1277.7
1287.2
1334.8
14.696
1230.5
1239.9
1249.3
1258.8
1268.2
1277.6
1287.1
1334.8
15
1230.5
1239.9
1249.3
1258.7
1268.2
1277.6
1287.1
1334.8
16
1230.3
1239.8
1249.2
1258.6
1268.0
1277.5
1287.0
1334.7
17
1230.2
1239.6
1249.1
1258.5
1267.9
1277.4
1286.9
1334.6
18
1230.0
1239.5
1248.9
1258.4
1267.8
1277.3
1286.8
1334.6
19
1229.9
1239.4
1248.8
1258.3
1267.7
1277.2
1286.7
1334.5
20
1229.7
1239.2
1248.7
1258.2
1267.6
1277.1
1286.6
1334.4
21
1229.6
1239.1
1248.6
1258.1
1267.5
1277.0
1286.5
1334.4
22
1229.5
1239.0
1248.4
1257.9
1267.4
1276.9
1286.4
1334.3
23
1229.3
1238.8
1248.3
1257.8
1267.3
1276.8
1286.7
1334.2
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380
2.4.3. Alternative Thermal Efficiency
Calculation for Large Steam Commercial
Packaged Boilers. To determine the thermal
efficiency of commercial packaged boilers
with a fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000
Btu/h according to the steam test (pursuant
to section C4.1.1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015, either:
2.4.3.1. Calculate the thermal efficiency of
commercial packaged boiler models in steam
mode in accordance with the provisions of
section 2.4.1. of this appendix; or
2.4.3.2. Measure and calculate combustion
efficiency EffySS in steam mode according to
section 3. Combustion Efficiency Test of this
appendix and convert to thermal efficiency
using the following equation:
EffyG + EffySS ¥ 2.0
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where EffyT is the thermal efficiency and
EffySS is the combustion efficiency as defined
in C6 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015.
The combustion efficiency EffySS is as
calculated in section C7.2.14 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015.
2.4.4. Rounding. Round the final thermal
efficiency value to nearest one tenth of one
percent. Round fuel input rate to nearest
1,000 Btu/h.
3. Combustion Efficiency Test.
3.1. Test Setup.
3.1.1. Instrumentation. Use
instrumentation meeting the minimum
requirements found in Table C1 of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015 (incorporated by
reference, see § 431.85).
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3.1.2. Data collection and sampling. Unless
otherwise specified, obtain all data digitally
with the exception of measuring the weight
of the combustion condensate and steam
condensation, and conduct sampling at a rate
not less than once per 30 seconds. Digital
data representing a flow, rate, or flux must
be integrated over 15-minute periods
(pursuant to Table 3.1 of this appendix) with
the resulting values recorded. All other
digital data must be averaged over 15-minute
periods with the resulting values recorded.
Table 3.1. of this appendix specifies the data
recording interval for all relevant measured
quantities and replaces Table C4 of Appendix
C in ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015.
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Table 3.1. to Appendix A to Subpart E of Part 431- Data to be Recorded Before and
D urmg T estmg
Item Recorded
Every 30
Seconds
Before Test
Date of Test
X
Manufacturer
X
Commercial Packaged Boiler
Model Number
Burner Model Number &
Manufacturer
Every 15 Minutes 1
X
X
X
Nozzle description and oil pressure
Oil Analysis- H, C, API Gravity,
lb/gal and Btu/lb
X
Start and End
Gas Manifold Pressure
only
x2
Gas line pressure at meter
x2
Gas temperature
x2
Barometric Pressure (Steam and
Natural Gas Only)
Start and End
Gas Heating Value, Btu/fe
only
Time, minutes/seconds
X
x3
Flue Gas Temperature, °F
Pressure in Firebox, in H 20 (if
required per Section C3 .4)
x3
Flue Gas Smoke Spot Reading (oil)
x2
X
Room Air Temperature
Fuel Weight or volume, lb (oil) or
fe (gas)
Inlet Water Temperature at Point
A4, oF
x4
X
X
Test Air Temperature, °F
x3
Flue Gas C0 2 or 0 2, %
x2
Start and End only 2
Flue Gas CO, ppm
Relative Humidity, %
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X
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Draft in Vent, in H 20 (oil and nonatmospheric gas)
3.1.3. Instrument Calibration. Instruments
must be calibrated at least once per year and
a record must be kept as part of the data
underlying each basic model certification,
pursuant to § 429.71 of this chapter,
containing, at least, the date of calibration
and the method of calibration. Combustion
measurement equipment (instruments listed
in the ‘‘Gas Chemistry’’ row of Table C1 in
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015) must be
calibrated using standard gasses with purities
of greater than 99.9995 percent for all
constituents analyzed.
3.1.4. Test Setup and Apparatus. Set up
the commercial packaged boiler for
combustion efficiency testing according to
the provisions of section C2 of Appendix C
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015.
3.1.4.1. For tests of oil-fired commercial
packaged boilers, determine the weight of
fuel consumed using one of the methods
specified in paragraph 3.1.4.1.1. or 3.1.4.1.2.
of this appendix:
3.1.4.1.1. If using a scale, determine the
weight of fuel consumed as the difference
between the weight of the oil vessel before
and after each measurement period, as
specified in paragraph 3.1.4.1.3.1. or
3.1.4.1.3.2. of this appendix, determined
using a scale meeting the accuracy
requirements of Table C1 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015.
3.1.4.1.2. If using a flow meter, first
determine the volume of fuel consumed as
the total volume over the applicable
measurement period, as specified in
paragraphs 3.1.4.1.3.1. or 3.1.4.1.3.2. of this
appendix, and as measured by a flow meter
meeting the accuracy requirements of Table
C1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
upstream of the oil inlet port of the
commercial packaged boiler. Then determine
the weight of fuel consumed by multiplying
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the total volume of fuel over the applicable
measurement period by the density of oil, in
pounds per gallon, as determined pursuant to
section C3.2.1.1.3. of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015.
3.1.4.1.3. The applicable measurement
period for the purposes of determining fuel
input rate must be as specified in section
3.1.4.1.3.1. of this appendix for the ‘‘WarmUp Period’’ or 3.1.4.1.3.2. of this appendix
for the ‘‘Test Period.’’
3.1.4.1.3.1. For the purposes of confirming
steady-state operation during the ‘‘Warm-Up
Period,’’ the measurement period must be 15
minutes and tT in equation C2 in section
C7.2.3.1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
must be 0.25 hours to determine fuel input
rate.
3.1.4.1.3.2. For the purposes of
determining combustion efficiency during
the ‘‘Test Period,’’ the measurement period
and tT are 0.5 hours pursuant to section
3.3.1.1. of section 3. Combustion Efficiency of
this appendix.
3.1.4.2 For tests of gas-fired commercial
packaged boilers, install a volumetric gas
meter meeting the accuracy requirements of
Table C1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
upstream of the gas inlet port of the
commercial packaged boiler. Record the
accumulated gas volume consumed for each
applicable measurement period. Use
equation C7.2.3.2. of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 to calculate fuel input rate.
3.1.4.2.1. The applicable measurement
period for the purposes of determining fuel
input rate must be as specified in section
3.1.4.2.1.1. of this appendix for the ‘‘WarmUp Period’’ and 3.1.4.2.1.2. of this appendix
for the ‘‘Test Period.’’
3.1.4.2.1.1. For the purposes of confirming
steady-state operation during the ‘‘Warm-Up
Period,’’ the measurement period must be 15
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minutes and tT in equation C2 in section
C7.2.3.1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
must be 0.25 hours to determine fuel input
rate.
3.1.4.2.1.2. For the purposes of
determining combustion efficiency during
the ‘‘Test Period,’’ the measurement period
and tT are 0.5 hours pursuant to section
3.3.1.1. of this appendix.
3.1.5. Additional Requirements for
Outdoor Commercial Packaged Boilers. If the
manufacturer provides more than one
outdoor venting arrangement, the outdoor
commercial packaged boiler (as defined in
section 3.2.6 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015; must be tested with the shortest total
venting arrangement as measured by adding
the straight lengths of venting supplied with
the equipment.
3.1.6. Additional Requirements for Field
Tests.
3.1.6.1 Field tests are exempt from the
requirements of section C2.2 of Appendix C
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015. Measure
the flue gas temperature according to section
C2.5.1 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 and the thermocouple
grids identified in Figure C12 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015, with the following
modification: the thermocouple grid may be
staggered vertically by up to 1.5 inches to
allow the use of instrumented rods to be
inserted through holes drilled in the venting.
3.1.6.3. Field tests are exempt from the
requirements of section C2.6.3 of Appendix
C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015.
3.1.7. Additional Requirements for Water
Tests. In addition to the provisions of section
C2 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 (incorporated by reference, see
§ 431.85) and to the temperature measuring
device at Point A in Figure C9 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015, install a temperature
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measuring device at Point B of the same
figure.
3.2. Test Conditions.
3.2.1. General. Use the test conditions from
sections 5 and C3 of Appendix C of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500–2015 for combustion
efficiency testing but do not use section 5.1,
5.3.5, 5.3.7 (excluded for field tests only),
5.3.8, 5.3.9, or C3.1.3 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015.
3.2.2. Burners for Oil-Fired Commercial
Packaged Boilers. In addition to section C3.3
of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015, the following applies: for oilfired commercial packaged boilers, test the
unit with the particular make and model of
burner as certified by the manufacturer. If
multiple burners are specified in the
certification report for that basic model, then
use any of the listed burners for testing.
3.2.3. Non-condensing Commercial
Packaged Boiler Water Temperatures. For
tests of non-condensing boilers (as defined in
section 3.2.5 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015; maintain the outlet temperature
measured at Point C in Figure C9 to 180 °F
± 1 °F and maintain the inlet temperature
measured at Point B at 140 °F ± 1 °F during
the ‘‘Warm-up Period’’ and ‘‘Test Period’’ as
verified by 30-second interval data pursuant
to Table 3.1. of this appendix. If the
commercial packaged boiler cannot be tested
at the standard inlet water temperature of
140 °F ± 1 °F at Point B, as indicated in the
manufacturer literature, test the equipment at
the temperature closest to the standard
140 °F ± 1 °F that the equipment is capable
of operating, as indicated in the manufacturer
literature. Field tests are exempt from this
requirement and instead must comply with
the requirements of section 3.2.3.1 of this
appendix.
3.2.3.1. For field tests, the inlet
temperature measured at Point B in Figure C9
and the outlet temperature measured and
Point C in Figure C9 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 must be recorded in the data
underlying that model’s certification
pursuant to § 429.71 of this chapter, and the
difference between the inlet (measured at
Point B) and outlet temperature (measured at
Point C) must not be less than 20 °F at any
point during the ‘‘Warm-up Period’’ and
‘‘Test Period,’’ after stabilization has been
achieved, as indicated by 30-second interval
data pursuant to Table 3.1. of this appendix.
3.2.4. Condensing Commercial Packaged
Boiler Water Temperatures. For tests of
condensing boilers (as defined in section
3.2.2 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015;
maintain the outlet temperature measured at
Point C in Figure C9 to 120 °F ± 1 °F, and
maintain the commercial packaged boiler
inlet temperature to 80 °F ± 1 °F during the
‘‘Warm-up Period’’ and ‘‘Test Period’’ as
verified by 30-second interval data pursuant
to Table 3.1. of this appendix. If the
commercial packaged boiler cannot be tested
at the standard inlet water temperature of
80 °F ± 1 °F at Point B, as indicated in the
manufacturer literature, test the equipment at
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the temperature closest to the standard 80 °F
± 1 °F that the equipment is capable of
operating, as indicated in the manufacturer
literature. Field tests are exempt from this
requirement and instead must comply with
the requirements of section 3.2.4.1 of this
appendix.
3.2.4.1. For field tests, the inlet
temperature measured at Point B in Figure C9
and the outlet temperature measured and
Point C in Figure C9 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 must be recorded in the data
underlying that model’s certification
pursuant to § 429.71 of this chapter, and the
difference between the inlet (measured at
Point B) and outlet temperature (measured at
Point C) must not be less than 20 °F at any
point during the ‘‘Warm-up Period’’ or ‘‘Test
Period,’’ after stabilization has been
achieved, as verified by 30-second interval
data pursuant to Table 3.1. of this appendix.
3.2.5. Air Temperature. Maintain ambient
room temperature at 75 °F ± 5 °F at all times
during the ‘‘Warm-up Period’’ and ‘‘Test
Period’’ (as described in section C4 of
Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015; as indicated by 30-second interval data
pursuant to Table 3.1. of this appendix. The
ambient room temperature may not differ by
more than ± 2 °F from the average ambient
room temperature during the entire ‘‘Test
Period’’ at any reading. Field tests are exempt
from this requirement, but ambient room
temperature must be recorded (using 30second interval data) as part of the test data
underlying that model’s certification
pursuant to § 429.71 of this chapter.
3.2.6. Ambient Humidity. Maintain
ambient room relative humidity at 60 percent
± 5 percent relative humidity at all times
during both the ‘‘Warm-up Period’’ and ‘‘Test
Period’’ (as described in section C4 of
Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–
2015; as indicated by 30-second interval data
pursuant to Table 3.1. of this appendix. Field
tests are exempt from this requirement, but
ambient room relative humidity must be
recorded (using 30-second interval data) as
part of the test data underlying that model’s
certification pursuant to § 429.71 of this
chapter.
3.3. Test Method.
3.3.1. General. Conduct the combustion
efficiency test using the test method
prescribed in section C4.1 ‘‘Thermal
Efficiency,’’ of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015. Do not use section
C4.2.1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
and make the following exceptions:
3.3.1.1. The duration of the ‘‘Test Period’’
outlined in sections C4.1.1.2 of Appendix C
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015
(incorporated by reference, see § 431.85) and
C4.1.2.2 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 is 30 minutes.
3.3.1.2. In section C4.1.1.1.2 of Appendix
C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015,
replace ‘‘Section 5.3.5’’ with ‘‘Section 5.3.6.’’
3.3.2. Steam Test Steady-State. Replace
section C4.1.1.1.4 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 with the following: Ensure that a
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steady-state is reached by confirming that
three consecutive readings have been
recorded at 15-minute intervals that indicate
that:
3.3.2.1. The measured fuel input rate does
not vary by more than ± 2 percent between
any two readings; and
3.3.2.2. The steam pressure varies by no
more than ± 5 percent between any two
readings.
3.3.3. Water Test Steady-State. Replace
section C4.1.2.1.5 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500–2015 with the following: Ensure that a
steady-state is reached by confirming that
three consecutive readings have been
recorded at 15-minute intervals that indicate
that the measured fuel input rate does not
vary by more than ± 2 percent between any
two readings.
3.3.4. Procedure for the Measurement of
Condensate for a Condensing Commercial
Packaged Boiler. Collect flue condensate as
specified in section C4.2.2 of Appendix C of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015 using a
covered vessel so as to prevent evaporation.
Measure the condensate from the flue gas
during the ‘‘Test Period.’’ Flue condensate
mass must be measured within 5 minutes
after the end of the ‘‘Test Period’’ (defined in
C4.1.1.2 and C4.1.2.2 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015; to prevent evaporation
loss from the sample. Determine the mass of
flue condensate for the ‘‘Test Period’’ by
subtracting the tare container weight from the
total weight of the container and flue
condensate measured at the end of the
’’Warm-up Period.’’
3.3.5. Total Fuel Input. In sections
C4.1.1.2.3 and C4.1.2.2.3 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015, do not use the last
sentence which reads: ‘‘The total Heat Input
measured during the Test Period shall be
within ± 2% of the boiler Input Rating.’’
3.4. Calculations.
3.4.1. General. Use the calculation
procedure for the combustion efficiency test
specified in section C7.3 of Appendix C
(including the specified subsections of C7.2)
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015. If a
recirculating loop is used, use the
temperature at Point A for the inlet water
temperature for all calculations.
3.4.2. Adjustment to Steady-State Flue
Temperature for Using Steam Mode
Combustion Efficiency to Represent Hot
Water Mode. For commercial packaged
boilers with fuel input rate greater than
2,500,000 Btu/h and using combustion
efficiency in steam mode to represent
combustion efficiency in hot water mode
pursuant to § 429.60(a)(5) through (6) of this
chapter, adjust the steady-state stack
temperature TF,SS (as defined in section C6 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500–2015; using the
following equation before calculating
combustion efficiency. Replace TF,SS with
TF,SS,adjusted as calculated below for all
calculations in deriving combustion
efficiency.
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TF,SS,adjusted = TF,SS ¥ Tsat + 180
Where:
TF,SS,adjusted is the adjusted steady-state flue
temperature used for subsequent
calculations of combustion efficiency,
TF,SS is the measured steady-state flue
temperature during combustion
efficiency testing in steam mode,
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Tsat is the saturated steam temperature from
Table D1 in Appendix D of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500–2015 that corresponds to
the measured steam pressure, and
180 is the required hot water outlet
temperature pursuant to section 3.2.3.
3.4.3. Rounding. Round combustion
efficiency to nearest one tenth of a percent.
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Round fuel input rate to nearest 1,000
Btu/h.
[FR Doc. 2016–05138 Filed 3–16–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 52 (Thursday, March 17, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 14641-14679]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05138]
[[Page 14641]]
Vol. 81
Thursday,
No. 52
March 17, 2016
Part IV
Department of Energy
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10 CFR Parts 429 and 431
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Energy Conservation Program for Certain Commercial and Industrial
Equipment: Test Procedures for Commercial Packaged Boilers; Proposed
Rule
Federal Register / Vol. 81 , No. 52 / Thursday, March 17, 2016 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 14642]]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Parts 429 and 431
[Docket Number EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006]
RIN 1904-AD16
Energy Conservation Program for Certain Commercial and Industrial
Equipment: Test Procedures for Commercial Packaged Boilers
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking and public meeting.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to amend the test
procedure and applicable definitions for commercial packaged boilers,
as well as modify the sampling plans for commercial packaged boilers in
its regulations pertaining to energy efficiency programs for certain
programs for commercial and industrial equipment. This rulemaking will
fulfill DOE's statutory obligations to make its test procedure
consistent with the applicable industry test procedure and to review
its test procedures for covered equipment at least once every seven
years. In this notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR), DOE proposes to
incorporate by reference certain sections of the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI)/Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration
Institute (AHRI) Standard 1500, ``2015 Standard for Performance Rating
of Commercial Space Heating Boilers,'' and, in addition, incorporate
amendments that clarify the coverage for field-constructed commercial
packaged boilers and the applicability of DOE's test procedure and
standards for this category of commercial packaged boilers, provide an
optional field test for commercial packaged boilers with fuel input
rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h, provide a conversion method to
calculate thermal efficiency based on combustion efficiency testing for
steam commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than
5,000,000 Btu/h, modify the inlet and outlet water temperatures during
tests of hot water commercial packaged boilers, establish limits on the
ambient temperature and relative humidity conditions during testing,
modify setup and instrumentation requirements to remove ambiguity, and
standardize terminology and provisions for ``fuel input rate.'' This
NOPR also announces a public meeting to discuss and invite comments,
data, and information about the issues and proposed amendments
presented in this test procedure rulemaking for commercial packaged
boilers.
DATES: Meeting: DOE will hold a public meeting on Monday, April 4,
2016, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Washington, DC. The meeting will also
be broadcast as a webinar. See section V, ``Public Participation,'' for
webinar registration information, participant instructions, and
information about the capabilities available to webinar participants.
Comments: DOE will accept written comments, data, and information
regarding this NOPR before and after the public meeting, but not later
than May 31, 2016. See section V, ``Public Participation,'' for
details.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of
Energy, Forrestal Building, Room 6E-069, 1000 Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585-0121. Persons may also attend the public meeting
via webinar. To attend, please notify Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-
2945. For more information, refer to section V, ``Public
Participation,'' near the end of this notice.
Interested parties are encouraged to submit comments using the
Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov. Interested parties
may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments.
Email: CommPackagedBoilers2014TP0006@ee.doe.gov. Include
docket number EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006 and/or regulation identifier number
(RIN) 1904-AD16 in the subject line of the message. Submit electronic
comments in WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PDF, or ASCII file format, and
avoid the use of special characters or any form of encryption.
Postal Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of
Energy, Building Technologies Office, Mailstop EE-5B, Test Procedure
for Commercial and Industrial Packaged Boilers, Docket No. EERE-2014-
BT-TP-0006 and/or RIN 1904-AD16, 1000 Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585-0121. If possible, please submit all items on a
compact disc (CD), in which case it is not necessary to include printed
copies.
Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department
of Energy, Building Technologies Office, 950 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., Suite
600, Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: (202) 586-2945. If possible,
please submit all items on a CD, in which case it is not necessary to
include printed copies.
No telefacsimiles (faxes) will be accepted. For detailed
instructions on submitting comments and additional information on the
rulemaking process, see section V, ``Public Participation,'' of this
document.
Docket: The docket, which includes Federal Register notices, public
meeting attendee lists and transcripts, comments, and other supporting
documents/materials, is available for review at www.regulations.gov.
All documents in the docket are listed in the www.regulations.gov
index. However, not all documents listed in the index may be publicly
available, such as those containing information that is exempt from
public disclosure.
A link to the docket Web page can be found at: https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006. This Web
page contains a link to the docket for this NOPR on the
www.regulations.gov site. The www.regulations.gov Web page contains
simple instructions on how to access all documents, including public
comments, in the docket. See section V, ``Public Participation,'' for
information on how to submit comments through www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. James Raba, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies Office, EE-5B, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington,
DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 586-8654. Email:
commercial_packaged_boilers@ee.doe.gov.
Mr. Peter Cochran, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General
Counsel, GC-33, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-
0121. Telephone: (202) 586-9496. Email: Peter.Cochran@hq.doe.gov.
For further information on how to submit a comment, review other
public comments and the docket, or participate in the public meeting,
contact Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-2945 or by email:
Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
This proposed rule would incorporate by reference into 10 CFR parts
429 and 431 the testing methods contained in the following commercial
standard:
AHRI/ANSI Standard 1500-2015, ``Performance Rating of Commercial
Space Heating Boilers,'' Section 3 ``Definitions,'' Section 5 ``Rating
Requirements,'' Appendix C ``Methods of Testing for Rating Commercial
Space Heating Boilers--Normative,'' excluding Figures C5 and C7,
Appendix D ``Properties of Saturated Steam--Normative,'' and Appendix E
[[Page 14643]]
``Correction Factors for Heating Values of Fuel Gases--Normative,''
ANSI approved November 28, 2014.
Copies of AHRI standards may be purchased from the Air-
Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute, 2111 Wilson Blvd.,
Suite 500, Arlington, VA 22201, or by visiting https://www.ahrinet.org/site/686/Standards/HVACR-Industry-Standards/Search-Standards.
See section IV.M for additional information on this standard.
Table of Contents
I. Authority and Background
II. Synopsis of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
III. Discussion
A. Proposing to Adopt Certain Sections of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015
B. Scope and Definitions
1. Definition of Commercial Packaged Boiler
2. Field-Constructed Commercial Packaged Boilers
C. Testing of Large Commercial Packaged Boilers
1. Field Tests for Commercial Packaged Boilers
2. Method To Convert Combustion Efficiency to Thermal Efficiency
for Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers
3. Alternative Efficiency Determination Methods
4. Steam Commercial Packaged Boiler Operating Pressure
D. Hot Water Commercial Packaged Boiler Operating Temperatures
1. Existing Requirements
2. Issues With Water Temperature Requirements and Proposed
Changes
3. Allowable Uncertainty in Water Temperature Measurement
4. Water Flow Rate During Testing
E. Testing Conditions
F. Setup and Instrumentation
G. Fuel Input Rate
H. Clerical Issues
I. Other Issues
1. Stack Temperature Adjustment for Using Combustion Efficiency
in Steam Mode To Represent Hot Water Mode
2. Testing at Part Load
3. Other Industry Test Procedures
IV. Procedural Issues and Regulatory Review
A. Review Under Executive Order 12866
B. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act
C. Review Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
D. Review Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
E. Review Under Executive Order 13132
F. Review Under Executive Order 12988
G. Review Under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
H. Review Under the Treasury and General Government
Appropriations Act, 1999
I. Review Under Executive Order 12630
J. Review Under Treasury and General Government Appropriations
Act, 2001
K. Review Under Executive Order 13211
L. Review Under Section 32 of the Federal Energy Administration
Act of 1974
M. Description of Materials Incorporated by Reference
V. Public Participation
A. Attendance at the Public Meeting
B. Procedure for Submitting Prepared General Statements for
Distribution
C. Conduct of the Public Meeting
D. Submission of Comments
E. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Comment
VI. Approval of the Office of the Secretary
I. Authority and Background
Title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (42
U.S.C. 6311, et seq.; ``EPCA'' or, ``the Act'') sets forth a variety of
provisions designed to improve energy efficiency.\1\ Part C of Title
III establishes the ``Energy Conservation Program for Certain
Industrial Equipment,'' which covers certain industrial equipment
(hereafter referred to as ``covered equipment''), including commercial
packaged boilers.\2\ (42 U.S.C. 6311(1)(J))
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\1\ All references to EPCA in this document refer to the statute
as amended through the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015
(April 30, 2015).
\2\ For editorial reasons, Part C was codified as Part A-1 in
the U.S. Code.
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Under EPCA, the energy conservation program consists essentially of
four parts: (1) Testing, (2) labeling, (3) Federal energy conservation
standards, and (4) certification and enforcement procedures. The
testing requirements consist of test procedures that manufacturers of
covered equipment must use as the basis for (1) certifying to the
Department of Energy (DOE) that their equipment complies with
applicable energy conservation standards adopted under EPCA, and (2)
making representations about the efficiency of the equipment.
Similarly, DOE must use these test procedures to determine whether the
equipment complies with any relevant standards promulgated under EPCA.
With respect to commercial packaged boilers (CPB), EPCA requires
DOE to use industry test procedures developed or recognized by the Air-
Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) or the
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning
Engineers (ASHRAE), as referenced in ASHRAE/IES \3\ Standard 90.1,
``Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential
Buildings.'' (42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(4)(A)) Further, if such an industry
test procedure is amended, DOE is required to amend its test procedure
to be consistent with the amended industry test procedure, unless it
determines, by rule published in the Federal Register and supported by
clear and convincing evidence, that the amended test procedure would be
unduly burdensome to conduct or would not produce test results that
reflect the energy efficiency, energy use, and estimated operating
costs of that equipment during a representative average use cycle. (42
U.S.C. 6314(a)(4)(B))
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\3\ Illuminating Engineering Society.
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EPCA also requires that, at least once every 7 years, DOE evaluate
test procedures for each type of covered equipment, including
commercial packaged boilers, to determine whether amended test
procedures would more accurately or fully comply with the requirements
for the test procedures to not be unduly burdensome to conduct and be
reasonably designed to produce test results that reflect energy
efficiency, energy use, and estimated operating costs during a
representative average use cycle. (42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(1)(A)) DOE last
reviewed the test procedures for commercial packaged boilers on July
22, 2009. 74 FR 36312. Therefore, DOE is required to re-evaluate the
test procedures no later than July 22, 2016, and this rulemaking
satisfies that requirement. As the industry standard for commercial
packaged boilers was recently updated, this rulemaking will also
fulfill DOE's statutory obligations to make its test procedure
consistent with the applicable industry test procedure.
On September 3, 2013, DOE initiated a test procedure and energy
conservation standards rulemaking for commercial packaged boilers and
published a notice of public meeting and availability of the Framework
document (September 2013 Framework document). 78 FR 54197. Both in the
September 2013 Framework document and during the October 1, 2013 public
meeting, DOE solicited public comments, data, and information on all
aspects of, and any issues or problems with, the existing DOE test
procedure, including whether the test procedure is in need of updates
or revisions. More recently, DOE also received comments on the test
procedure in response to the notice of availability of the preliminary
technical support document (TSD) for the standards rulemaking, which
was published in the Federal Register on November 20, 2014 (November
2014 Preliminary Analysis). 79 FR 69066.
Additionally, on February 20, 2014, DOE published in the Federal
Register a request for information (February 2014 RFI) seeking comments
on the existing DOE test procedure for commercial packaged boilers,
which incorporates by reference Hydronics Institute (HI)/AHRI Standard
BTS-2000 (Rev 06.07), ``Method to Determine Efficiency of Commercial
Space Heating Boilers'' (BTS-2000). 79 FR 9643. BTS-2000
[[Page 14644]]
provides test procedures for measuring steady-state combustion and
thermal efficiency of a gas-fired or oil-fired commercial packaged
boiler capable of producing hot water and/or steam and operating at
full load only. In the February 2014 RFI, DOE requested comments,
information, and data about a number of issues, including (1) part-load
testing and part-load efficiency rating, (2) typical inlet and outlet
water temperatures for hot water commercial packaged boilers, (3) the
steam pressure for steam commercial packaged boilers operating at full
load, and (4) design characteristics of commercial packaged boilers
that are difficult to test under the existing DOE test procedure.
Subsequently, on April 29, 2015, AHRI, together with the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI), published the ``2015 Standard for
Performance Rating of Commercial Space Heating Boilers'' (ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015). ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 states ``this
standard supersedes AHRI Hydronics Institute Standard BTS-2000 Rev.
06.07'' in the front matter of the document. DOE believes that ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500-2015 is consistent with the existing metrics and
approach incorporated in BTS-2000 but also incorporates provisions that
improve the accuracy and repeatability of the test procedure over the
BTS-2000 standard. ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 also adopts several
changes that were suggested in public comments submitted by interested
parties in response to DOE's September 2013 Framework document,
November 2014 Preliminary Analysis, and February 2014 RFI.\4\
Therefore, as required by 42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(4)(B), DOE is replacing
BTS-2000 with the updated industry standard, ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-
2015, as the basis for the DOE test procedure. Section III.A contains a
more detailed discussion of the basis for transitioning to the
commercial packaged boiler test procedures outlined in ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015.
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\4\ Comments received as part of the February 2014 RFI about
test procedures for commercial packaged boilers are in Docket Number
EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006. In some cases, earlier comments that address
or are relevant to test procedures for commercial packaged boilers
are in the energy conservation standards docket, Docket Number EERE-
2013-BT-STD-0030. These comments in response to the September 2013
Framework Document relevant to the test procedure are also placed in
the test procedure rulemaking docket, Docket Number EERE-2014-BT-TP-
0006
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II. Synopsis of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
In this notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR), DOE proposes to amend
its existing test procedures for commercial packaged boilers at 10 CFR
431.86. DOE proposes to incorporate by reference certain sections of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 as a direct replacement for BTS-2000
since, as discussed in section I, ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015
supersedes BTS -2000 and DOE has found ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 to
be more accurate compared to BTS-2000 and not unduly burdensome to
conduct for the purposes of testing commercial packaged boilers.
To obtain information and data regarding its current test
procedures for commercial packaged boilers, DOE sought public comment
in the September 2013 Framework document, February 2014 RFI, and
November 2014 Preliminary Analysis. In response to the September 2013
Framework document, DOE received comments from the American Boiler
Manufacturers Association (ABMA), AHRI, Burnham Holdings (Burnham),
Cleaver-Brooks, HTP Incorporated (HTP), and a joint submission \5\ from
the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), the
Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP), and the National
Resources Defense Council (NRDC). In response to the February 2014 RFI,
DOE received comments from ACEEE, AHRI, Burnham, HTP, the National
Propane Gas Association (NPGA), and Sidel Systems (Sidel) (three
submittals). Sidel submitted two comments prior to the publication of
the February 2014 RFI that also pertain to commercial packaged boilers.
In response to the November 2014 Preliminary Analysis, DOE received
comments from ABMA, AHRI, Lochinvar LLC (Lochinvar), Raypak, and joint
submissions \6\ from Pacific Gas and Electric (PGE) and Southern
California Edison (SCE), and ACEEE, ASAP, and NRDC.
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\5\ The joint submission by ACEEE, ASAP, and NRDC is referred to
as the ``Joint Advocates'' comment in references to the documents
submitted to the docket.
\6\ The joint submission by PGE and SCE is referred to as the
``Joint Utilities'' comment in references to the documents submitted
to the docket.
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The comments received from stakeholders typically concern BTS-2000
since ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 had not yet been published at the
time DOE solicited comments. Some of the comments received from
stakeholders that concerned BTS-2000 apply equally to ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015, whereas other comments are not applicable to ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500-2015.
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 updates several provisions from BTS-
2000 to: (1) Improve repeatability of testing; (2) further clarify the
test procedure; and (3) increase the allowable operating steam pressure
during steam commercial packaged boiler testing. ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015 also incorporates provisions that accommodate the testing of
large commercial packaged boilers that have difficulty meeting the
requirements in the existing DOE test procedure.
In addition to adopting ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 as a
replacement for BTS-2000 in the DOE test procedure, DOE further
proposes several modifications to its test procedure that are not
captured in ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015. The additional proposed
amendments include the following:
Clarifying the coverage of field constructed commercial
packaged boilers under DOE's regulations;
incorporating an optional field test for commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h;
incorporating an optional conversion method to calculate
thermal efficiency based on combustion efficiency test for steam
commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000
Btu/h;
modifying the inlet and outlet water temperatures required
during tests of hot water commercial packaged boilers to be more
representative of field conditions;
requiring additional limits on the room ambient
temperature and relative humidity during testing;
modifying setup and instrumentation requirements to remove
ambiguity; and
standardizing terminology and provisions in regulatory
text related to ``fuel input rate.''
These proposed amendments are intended to improve the repeatability
of the test and to accommodate some commercial packaged boilers for
which testing has previously been difficult or burdensome. DOE reviewed
these additional proposed amendments as well as the proposal to
incorporate by reference ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 under 42 U.S.C.
6314(a)(4)(C) and, in aggregate, DOE has tentatively concluded that
there would not be an overall effect on efficiency ratings.
Accordingly, DOE proposes that the amended test procedure would be
effective 30 days after publication of any final rule in the Federal
Register and would be required for any representations made with regard
to the energy efficiency of commercial packaged boilers 360 days
following publication of any final rule in the Federal Register. (42
U.S.C. 6314(d))
[[Page 14645]]
DOE's rationale regarding the impact of the proposed test procedure
amendments on measured energy efficiency of commercial packaged boilers
is discussed in the subsequent sections.
III. Discussion
Based on DOE's review of the existing test procedure for commercial
packaged boilers and comments submitted by interested parties, DOE has
determined that certain amendments and clarifications are necessary in
order to improve the repeatability of the DOE test procedure,
accommodate certain commercial packaged boilers for which manufacturers
have expressed difficulty testing under the provisions of the existing
test procedure, and clarify the applicability of DOE's test procedure
and energy conservation standards to field-constructed equipment. The
following sections address comments received and propose specific
improvements for DOE's test procedures for commercial packaged boilers.
A. Proposing To Adopt Certain Sections of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015
The existing DOE test procedure for commercial packaged boilers
incorporates by reference BTS-2000 to determine the steady-state
efficiency of steam or hot water commercial packaged boilers while
operating at full load. As described in section I, on April 29, 2015,
AHRI published a new ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 (ANSI approved
November 28, 2014), which supersedes BTS-2000. On May 29, 2015, AHRI
submitted a request directly to DOE to update the incorporation by
reference in the DOE test procedure to reference the new ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015. (Docket EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006, AHRI, No. 29 at p. 1)
\7\ DOE reviewed both documents and DOE believes that the recently
published ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 standard is not unduly
burdensome to conduct and represents an improvement over BTS-2000 while
retaining the general testing methodology and metrics (i.e., thermal
and combustion efficiency) of the existing test procedure.\8\
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\7\ A notation in this form provides a reference for information
that is in Docket No. EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006. This particular notation
refers to a comment from AHRI on p. 1 of document number 29 in the
docket.
\8\ Thermal efficiency is measured for all commercial packaged
boilers except for oil-fired and gas-fired commercial packaged
boilers that provide hot water and have greater than 2,500,000 Btu/h
in fuel input rate, for which combustion efficiency is used. See 10
CFR 431.87(b).
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Specifically, ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 contains the following
key substantive changes as compared to BTS-2000:
Improvements in instrumentation accuracy specifications,
including removing outdated instrumentation; use of more appropriate
measurement units; and revising gas chemistry instrumentation accuracy
requirements to reflect those of commonly used devices;
more specific instructions for establishing test procedure
configuration, particularly for water piping and positioning of
temperature measurement devices in fluid stream;
establishment of criteria that indicate when a steady-
state condition is met; \9\
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\9\ BTS 2000 noted in section 9.1.1.1.6 that ``a state of
equilibrium shall have been reached when consistent readings are
obtained during a 30 minute period,'' but did not explicitly define
what ``consistent'' meant. ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 incorporates
specific thresholds for steam pressure and percent CO2 or
O2 in the flue gas to specify the maximum allowable
fluctuations that may occur during ``steady-state'' operation.
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allowance of steam operating pressure up to 15 psig; and
instructions addressing how to conduct testing when
manufacturers do not provide sufficient information within their
installation materials shipped with the commercial packaged boiler.
DOE notes that several of the changes incorporated into ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015 were also suggested by interested parties in public
comments responding to DOE's September 2013 Framework document,
November 2014 Preliminary Analysis, and February 2014 RFI.
DOE seeks comment on its proposal to replace BTS-2000 with ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500-2015 in its test procedure for commercial packaged
boilers. This is identified as Issue 1 in section V.E.
B. Scope and Definitions
DOE proposes to incorporate several new definitions that help
clarify the scope and applicability of DOE's commercial packaged boiler
test procedure. DOE notes that any changes or amendments to DOE's
definitions at 10 CFR 431.82, if adopted, would also apply to DOE's
energy conservation standards for commercial packaged boilers.
1. Definition of Commercial Packaged Boiler
While EPCA authorizes DOE to establish, subject to certain
criteria, test procedures and energy conservation standards for
packaged boilers, to date, DOE has only established test procedures and
standards for commercial packaged boilers, a subset of packaged
boilers. In 2004, DOE published a final rule (October 2004 final rule)
establishing definitions, test procedures, and energy conservation
standards for commercial packaged boilers. 69 FR 61949 (Oct. 21, 2004).
In the October 2004 final rule, DOE defined ``commercial packaged
boiler'' as a type of packaged low pressure boiler that is industrial
equipment with a capacity (fuel input rate) of 300,000 Btu per hour
(Btu/h) or more which, to any significant extent, is distributed in
commerce: (1) For heating or space conditioning applications in
buildings; or (2) for service water heating in buildings but does not
meet the definition of ``hot water supply boiler.'' DOE also defined
``packaged low pressure boiler'' as a packaged boiler that is: (1) A
steam boiler designed to operate at or below a steam pressure of 15
psig; or (2) a hot water commercial packaged boiler designed to operate
at or below a water pressure of 160 psig and a temperature of
250[emsp14][deg]F; or (3) a boiler that is designed to be capable of
supplying either steam or hot water, and designed to operate under the
conditions in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this definition. 69 FR 61960.
DOE notes that, because commercial packaged boilers are currently
defined as a subset of packaged low pressure boilers, all commercial
packaged boilers have to meet the pressure and temperature criteria
established in the definition of a ``packaged low pressure boiler.''
Consequently, DOE is proposing to modify DOE's definition of
``commercial packaged boiler'' to explicitly include the pressure and
temperature criteria established by the ``packaged low pressure
boiler'' definition. DOE believes such a modification will clarify the
characteristics of the equipment to which DOE's test procedure and
energy conservation standards apply. As a result, DOE proposes to
remove its definition for packaged low pressure boiler, as it is no
longer necessary. DOE notes that the term ``packaged high pressure
boiler'' also is no longer used in the commercial packaged boiler
subpart, and therefore proposes to remove its definition. DOE seeks
comment on these proposals. This is identified as Issue 2 in section
V.E.
2. Field-Constructed Commercial Packaged Boilers
EPCA establishes the statutory authority by which DOE may regulate
``packaged boilers'' and defines a ``packaged boiler'' as a boiler that
is shipped complete with heating equipment, mechanical draft
[[Page 14646]]
equipment, and automatic controls; usually shipped in one or more
sections. (42 U.S.C. 6311(11)(B)) In adopting the EPCA definition for a
``packaged boiler,'' DOE amended the definition to: (1) Include
language to address the various ways in which packaged boilers are
distributed in commerce; and (2) explicitly exclude custom-designed,
field-constructed boilers. 69 FR 61949, 61952. ``Custom-designed,
field-constructed'' boilers were excluded because DOE believed the
statutory standards for ``packaged boilers'' were not intended to apply
to these boiler systems, which generally require alteration, cutting,
drilling, threading, welding or similar tasks by the installer. As a
result, DOE defined a ``packaged boiler'' as a boiler that is shipped
complete with heating equipment, mechanical draft equipment and
automatic controls; usually shipped in one or more sections and does
not include a boiler that is custom designed and field constructed. If
the boiler is shipped in more than one section, the sections may be
produced by more than one manufacturer, and may be originated or
shipped at different times and from more than one location. 10 CFR
431.82.
In this NOPR, DOE wishes to further clarify the differentiation
between field-constructed commercial packaged boilers, which are
excluded from DOE's commercial packaged boiler regulations, and field-
assembled commercial packaged boilers, which are subject to DOE's
regulations. A field-constructed commercial packaged boiler is a
custom-designed commercial packaged boiler that requires welding of
structural components in the field during installation. Specifically,
DOE considers structural components to include heat exchanger sections,
flue tube bundles and internal heat exchanger surfaces, external piping
to one or more heat exchanger sections or locations, and the mechanical
supporting structure the heat exchanger rests upon in the case where a
support structure is not provided with the commercial packaged boiler.
For the purposes of this clarification, welding does not include
attachment using mechanical fasteners or brazing; and any jackets,
shrouds, venting, burner, or burner mounting hardware are not
structural components.
Conversely, a field-assembled commercial packaged boiler can be
assembled in the field without the welding of the structural components
that were previously listed. DOE reiterates that field-assembled
equipment is covered, is required to be tested using the DOE test
procedure, and is required to comply with the applicable energy
conservation standards and certification requirements.
In this NOPR, DOE also proposes to clarify that the field-
constructed exemption pertains to commercial packaged boilers
specifically, not the broader definition of packaged boiler. Therefore,
DOE proposes to remove this exclusionary language from its definition
for ``packaged boiler'' and to incorporate the exclusion for field-
constructed equipment into its definition for commercial packaged
boiler.
DOE seeks comment on its proposed definition for ``field-
constructed'' and this is identified as Issue 3 in section V.E.
C. Testing of Large Commercial Packaged Boilers
In response to the energy conservation standards September 2013
Framework document, Cleaver-Brooks, Burnham, and ABMA stated that for
practical reasons, testing requirements should be limited to boilers
with rated maximum input capacities less than 2,500,000 Btu/h. These
commenters raised concerns regarding the time and expense of testing
larger boilers, and the ability of some independent testing
laboratories and manufacturers to test larger boilers due to heat sink
requirements for the hot water generated. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-
0030, Cleaver-Brooks, No. 12 at p. 1; Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030,
Burnham, No. 15 at p. 2; Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, ABMA, No. 14 at
p. 3) ABMA reiterated these concerns in response to the November 2014
Preliminary Analysis. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, ABMA, No. 33 at
pp. 1-2) Lochinvar, in response to the November 2014 Preliminary
Analysis, stated that alternative efficiency determination method
(AEDM) rules mitigated test burden concerns for large boilers. (Docket
EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, Lochinvar, No. 34 at p. 1)
In response, DOE notes that neither the statutory definition for
``packaged boiler'' at 42 U.S.C. 6311(11)(B) nor the definition for
``commercial packaged boiler'' at 10 CFR 431.82 set an upper limit on
the maximum fuel input rate of covered equipment. The energy
conservation standards for commercial packaged boilers at 10 CFR 431.87
also do not establish any limitations based on the fuel input rate of
equipment. Consequently, commercial packaged boiler models with high
fuel input rates are subject to DOE's existing standards for commercial
packaged boilers, and to establish such a fuel input rate limit for
covered equipment with existing standards would violate the anti-
backsliding provisions of EPCA found at 42 U.S.C. 6313(a)(6)(B)(iii)(I)
for those equipment larger than the limit. Additionally, both BTS-2000
(incorporated by reference in the existing DOE test procedure) and
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 (proposed to be incorporated by reference)
include any commercial packaged boiler with fuel input rate of 300,000
Btu/h or greater.
DOE recognizes the commenters' concerns that it may be difficult to
test thermal efficiency for large commercial packaged boilers and notes
that EPCA requires that test procedures shall not be unduly burdensome
to conduct. (42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(2)) Specifically, DOE recognizes that
large commercial packaged boilers may not be fully assembled until they
are installed at the field site, which may preclude them from being
tested in a laboratory setting. DOE also recognizes that, as the size
of the equipment increases, testing costs incurred to condition the
incoming water and air to the test procedure rating conditions, as well
as management of the hot water generated during testing, also
increases.
In this NOPR, DOE proposes several amendments to the DOE test
procedure in order to provide greater flexibility for testing certain
large commercial packaged boilers and field-assembled commercial
packaged boilers. Specifically, DOE proposes the following provisions:
A field test of combustion efficiency for commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h;
a calculation method to convert combustion efficiency to
thermal efficiency for steam commercial packaged boilers with fuel
input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h; and
an increase in allowable steam pressure to 15 psi (by
incorporating by reference AHRI Standard 1500-2015).
DOE notes that the continued allowance for the use of an AEDM also
facilitates the ability to ascertain the efficiency of large commercial
packaged boilers. These proposed amendments for providing greater
flexibility in the testing of large commercial packaged boilers are
discussed in the following subsections.
1. Field Tests for Commercial Packaged Boilers
DOE proposes to adopt an optional test method for commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h
which would allow for: (1) Measuring a steam or hot water commercial
packaged boiler's
[[Page 14647]]
combustion efficiency in the field; and (2) converting the measured
combustion efficiency to thermal efficiency via a calculation method
for steam commercial packaged boilers (discussed in section III.C.2).
DOE understands ``field test'' to mean a combustion efficiency test
that is conducted at the location in which a given commercial packaged
boiler is or will be installed and commissioned for use. DOE
understands that the combustion efficiency test is less burdensome to
conduct on large commercial packaged boilers than the thermal
efficiency test and is more feasible to conduct in the field than the
thermal efficiency test. Specifically, the test setup required for
obtaining the combustion efficiency according to ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015 is less involved and requires less instrumentation in the
working fluid stream (flow meters are not required) than the thermal
efficiency test, and involves calculations using primarily the flue gas
temperature and constituents. The combustion efficiency test also
requires less time to run than the thermal efficiency test and
therefore requires less fuel and water, which must be managed and
disposed of as part of the test. DOE believes that allowance for
testing commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rates greater than
5,000,000 Btu/h in the field would reduce the burden associated with
testing this equipment and would mitigate the concerns of interested
parties regarding laboratory limitations. However, DOE notes that
changes to the test procedure are necessary to account for the
following issues associated with testing in the field:
Ambient conditions in the field may be difficult to
control (see section III.E of this NOPR).
Setup requirements of thermal efficiency test (both ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500-2015 and proposed DOE test procedure amendments) may
not be possible to achieve in field (see section III.F of this NOPR).
Maintaining inlet and outlet water temperatures or steam
quality (as applicable) may not be possible in the field (see section
III.D of this NOPR).
Consequently, DOE proposes that the aforementioned requirements for
ambient conditions, certain setup requirements, steam quality, and
inlet and outlet water temperatures not apply for field tests. While
DOE believes such flexibility is necessary to limit burden when testing
large commercial packaged boilers in the field, DOE recognizes that
eliminating these requirements regarding testing conditions may
decrease the accuracy and repeatability of the test. As such, DOE is
proposing that the optional field test only be available for commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rates greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h,
for which testing in a laboratory setting is difficult, expensive, or
impractical.
To help improve the consistency and repeatability of field tests,
DOE also proposes that manufacturers measure these values (inlet water
temperature, outlet water temperature, ambient relative humidity, and
ambient temperature) and maintain the records of these measurements as
part of the test data underlying the manufacturer's compliance
certification in accordance with the requirements in 10 CFR 429.71. If
a manufacturer elects to use the field test option in the test
procedure, the manufacturer would also be required to report that the
rated efficiency is based on a field test.
Since DOE proposes this optional methodology primarily to
accommodate commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater
than 5,000,000 Btu/h, DOE proposes to allow certification based on a
sample size of one for manufacturers utilizing the field test and
conversion methodology. DOE has never intended that a manufacturer
build more than one unit solely for the purposes of testing and
clarified this during the Commercial Certification Working Group
meetings (Docket No. EERE-2013-BT-NOC-0023). Additionally, 10 CFR
429.12(a) requires that certification of equipment occur before
distribution in commerce. With respect to commercial packaged boilers
that are not field assembled, distribution in commerce would be
determined, similar to other covered equipment, using the factors
specified in the certification, compliance, and enforcement final rule
published on March 7, 2011. 76 FR 12422, 12426-12427. Any field tested
basic model of a commercial packaged boiler that has not been
previously certified through testing or an AEDM would be required to be
certified by the manufacturer to DOE within 15 days of commissioning.
(Note: by ``commissioning,'' DOE means adapting the boiler operating
conditions and parameters to those required for the building space
heating load.) DOE proposes to adopt this exception in recognition of
the high test burden and practical limitations of testing these boilers
prior to distributing them in commerce; however, DOE notes that, if the
field test demonstrates that the unit does not meet the applicable
standard, then the manufacturer would have to decommission the unit
until it can be modified and retested to demonstrate compliance with
the standard. Failure to decommission the unit immediately (i.e.,
allowing the unit to be used during any time period while the unit is
being redesigned, parts are being built or ordered, etc. to make the
unit compliant) would constitute a violation of the standards and the
certification requirements. DOE also notes that, when a single unit is
tested, there is no tolerance on the performance; the tested unit must
meet the standard.
Since commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rates greater
than 5,000,000 Btu/h would not be easily transported between
manufacturer, laboratory, and consumer facilities, DOE also proposes
that, at its discretion, assessment and enforcement testing of
commissioned units could also be conducted as field tests. The location
at which the enforcement field test is performed may or may not be the
same location at which the manufacturer conducted its field test. DOE
recognizes that a field test could not meet the existing laboratory
accreditation requirements found at 10 CFR 429.110(a)(3) and there
proposes an exception in this section specifically for field tests of
commercial packaged boilers.
DOE seeks comments on the following issues, and these are also
listed in section V.E:
The feasibility of conducting a combustion efficiency test
in the field for steam and hot water commercial packaged boilers with
fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h (Issue 4).
Whether the thermal efficiency test can be conducted for
steam commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than
2,500,000 Btu/h and less than or equal to 5,000,000 Btu/h (Issue 5).
The specific limitations, if any, that preclude combustion
efficiency testing in a laboratory setting for steam commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than 2,500,000 Btu/h and
less than or equal to 5,000,000 Btu/h (Issue 6).
The specific additional equipment or facilities and their
associated cost that would be required to accommodate testing
commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than 2,500,000
Btu/h and less than or equal to 5,000,000 Btu/h in a laboratory setting
(Issue 7).
Whether the 5,000,000 Btu/h fuel input rate is an adequate
threshold for the allowance of the field combustion test and conversion
methodology, and if not, what threshold should be used (Issue 8).
Whether certification should be permitted for field tested
units after distribution in commerce and after
[[Page 14648]]
commissioning, in particular the impact of this approach on building
inspectors (Issue 9).
2. Method To Convert Combustion Efficiency to Thermal Efficiency for
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers
DOE also proposes a method for converting the combustion efficiency
of a steam commercial packaged boiler to thermal efficiency. Such a
conversion would be necessary for steam commercial packaged boilers
because the efficiency metric for this equipment at 10 CFR 431.86 is
thermal efficiency. DOE proposes this conversion method only for those
steam commercial packaged boilers with a fuel input rate greater than
5,000,000 Btu/h based on the concerns presented in section III.C. This
conversion methodology would be available to manufacturers or
laboratories to perform a combustion efficiency test in a laboratory
setting or as a field test as described in III.C.1.
The proposed conversion method calculates thermal efficiency by
subtracting a constant value from the combustion efficiency, which must
be measured in accordance with ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015. Thermal
efficiency includes heat exchanger effectiveness and jacket losses
which are not captured in the combustion efficiency. The constant value
subtracted from the tested combustion efficiency value represents those
additional losses. In order to determine such a value, DOE analyzed the
AHRI directory (as of January 2015).\10\ DOE looked at the difference
between rated combustion and thermal efficiency for all steam
commercial packaged boilers with rated input larger than 5,000,000 Btu/
h. DOE found 52 basic models of steam commercial packaged boilers with
a rated input larger than 5,000,000 Btu/h and the difference between
rated combustion and thermal efficiency ranged between 0.5 percent and
2.0 percent. Based on these values, DOE proposes subtracting 2.0
percent from the measured combustion efficiency of steam commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rating 5,000,000 Btu/h or greater in
order to calculate a rated thermal efficiency. DOE believes that
subtracting 2.0 percent from the measured combustion efficiency
determined during the field test would result in conservative thermal
efficiency ratings of models, thereby encouraging manufacturers to
conduct thermal efficiency tests.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ Available at: https://www.ahridirectory.org/ahridirectory/pages/home.aspx.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manufacturers must use the certified rating for any representation
of efficiency no matter which methodology is used. That is, for
equipment certified under the calculation procedure, any
representations of the energy efficiency must be made based on the
calculated value and any equipment certified using the tested value of
thermal efficiency must be made based on the results of that testing.
DOE seeks comments on the following issues, which are also listed
in section V.E:
The proposed conversion method for calculating thermal
efficiency based on measured combustion efficiency for steam commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h
(Issue 10);
The proposed value for the difference between the
combustion efficiency and thermal efficiency in the conversion method
(proposed value of 2.0 percent of the combustion efficiency), whether
the value would result in conservative ratings, and what number DOE
should use instead if the proposed value is not adequate (Issue 11);
Whether the 5,000,000 Btu/h fuel input rate is an adequate
threshold for the allowance of the field test (for combustion
efficiency) and/or conversion methodology, and if not, what threshold
should be used (Issue 12); and
If the field test (for hot water and steam commercial
packaged boilers) and conversion methodologies (for steam commercial
packaged boilers) do not adequately accommodate commercial packaged
boilers with fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h, what
procedure should DOE implement in order to do so (Issue 13).
3. Alternative Efficiency Determination Methods
The provisions under 10 CFR 429.70 provide for alternative methods
for determining energy efficiency and energy use of certain equipment,
including commercial packaged boilers. An AEDM must first be validated
for a particular validation class in accordance with the requirements
of 10 CFR 429.70(c) using the applicable test procedure (e.g., the test
procedure under 10 CFR 431.86 for commercial packaged boilers). For
each validation class of commercial packaged boilers, at least two (2)
distinct basic models must be tested in order to validate the AEDM
before using the AEDM to predict the fuel input rate or efficiency of a
commercial packaged boiler. 10 CFR 429.70(c)(2)(iv). Such a test may be
performed on any individual models in a validation class that meet or
exceed the current applicable Federal energy conservation standard,
regardless of size. As noted by Lochinvar in response to the November
2014 Preliminary Analysis, the AEDM process mitigates test burden
concerns for large commercial packaged boilers. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-
STD-0030, Lochinvar, No. 34 at p. 1)
However, in light of DOE's proposal to allow field tests for
commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rates than 5,000,000 Btu/h
(described in section III.C.1), DOE proposes to limit the cases in
which field tests may be used for AEDM validation pursuant to 10 CFR
429.70(c)(2). Specifically, DOE proposes that AEDMs validated using
data derived from field tests may only be used to rate commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h. As
discussed in section III.C.1, DOE proposes a field test option for
commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rates greater than
5,000,000 Btu/h that disregards certain testing requirements, measures
combustion efficiency, and applies a calculation method to convert
combustion efficiency to thermal efficiency (for steam commercial
packaged boilers). While this field test option reduces testing burden,
it also leads to more variability and uncertainty in the test results.
As such, DOE believes that the proposed allowances for field tests of
commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000
Btu/h would not provide sufficient validation of an AEDM for use on
smaller units that must undergo laboratory tests. Therefore, DOE
proposes that AEDMs validated based on field test data may only be used
for commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rates greater than
5,000,000 Btu/h. Laboratory tests of commercial packaged boilers of any
size (i.e., not field tested) can continue to be used to validate an
AEDM that is used to rate commercial packaged boilers of any size,
including those with fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h.
4. Steam Commercial Packaged Boiler Operating Pressure
Section 8.6.1 of BTS-2000 provides that tests may be made at
atmospheric pressure or at pressure not exceeding 2 psi gauge, and
section 8.6.3 of BTS-2000 requires that the moisture in steam not
exceed 2 percent of the water fed to the commercial packaged boiler
during the test. These provisions are incorporated by reference in the
existing DOE test procedure for commercial packaged boilers. DOE
solicited public comments on test pressure and steam moisture content
in the September 2013 Framework document; during the October 1, 2013
energy conservation
[[Page 14649]]
standards Framework document public meeting; and in the February 2014
RFI. In particular, DOE requested comments about (1) the appropriate
steam pressure for steam commercial packaged boilers operating at full
load, (2) the effect of different steam pressures on steady-state
efficiency (thermal or combustion), and (3) the impacts of the steam
pressure testing requirements on the amount of water carryover and the
system operation.
ABMA expressed concern that the steam pressure requirements in BTS-
2000 may be suitable for certain boilers but not for some larger-
capacity models. For example, ABMA indicated that a fire-tube boiler
cannot operate successfully at 2 psig steam pressure. Instead, ABMA
argued that a fire-tube boiler should be operated at 10 to 12 psig
steam pressure to achieve acceptable steam quality. (Docket EERE-2013-
BT-STD-0030, ABMA, No. 13 at p. 31) ABMA also commented that while
steam pressure not greater than 0-2 psig has been adequate for the
majority of boilers, the 0-2 psig test pressure is unrealistic for
larger-capacity steam boilers, as it causes high steam velocity at the
steam/water interface and the steam outlet nozzle, which results in
excessive water entrainment and carryover (i.e., poor steam quality).
(Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, ABMA, No. 14 at p. 2) Cleaver-Brooks
commented that it cannot test its steam boilers at such low operating
pressures because its boilers are designed to operate near or at 10
psig. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, Cleaver-Brooks, No. 12 at p. 1)
Burnham encouraged DOE to raise the limit of the required steam test
pressure to give manufacturers flexibility for equipment designed to
operate at pressures above 2 psig. (Docket EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006,
Burnham, No. 4 at p. 2) AHRI opined that an alternative steam pressure
requirement may have an effect on the steady-state measurement, but
that such change would be minimal. (Docket EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006, AHRI,
No. 6 at p. 2)
DOE notes that it has also received several requests for test
procedure waivers, citing the inability to simultaneously meet the
maximum steam pressure requirement (of between 0 and 2 psig) and the
steam moisture requirement (of less than or equal to 2 percent
moisture). Based on the public comments and the waiver requests DOE has
received to date, DOE understands that larger commercial packaged
boilers are designed for operating pressures greater than 2 psig and
have difficulty being tested in accordance with the DOE existing test
procedure for commercial packaged boilers; that is, at a pressure not
exceeding 2 psig and also not exceeding 2 percent moisture in the
produced steam.
DOE notes that, to accommodate testing of these commercial packaged
boilers, section 5.3.6 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 requires that
tests shall be made at atmospheric pressure or at the pressure required
to comply with Section 5.3.7 [of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015], not
exceeding 15 psi gauge. Therefore, DOE recognizes that amending 10 CFR
431.86 to replace BTS-2000 with ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 would
permit steam operating pressures up to but not exceeding 15 psig and
therefore resolve the issues associated with testing large commercial
packaged boilers designed to operate at higher pressures. DOE does not
anticipate this change would have an effect on measured efficiency
ratings because it is being made to accommodate only certain large
commercial packaged boilers that manufacturers have claimed cannot be
tested under the existing DOE test procedure and for which
manufacturers submitted waiver requests under 10 CFR 431.401.
DOE also notes that ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 allows for any
steam pressure from 0-15 psig to be used for testing. However, DOE
believes that it is important to maintain consistency and repeatability
within the CPB test procedure and subsequent ratings. Therefore, DOE
proposes that only those commercial packaged boilers that cannot
operate at a steam pressure below 2 psig would be able to apply such a
provision in order to also meet the steam quality requirement. However,
DOE recognizes that, theoretically, variation in steam pressure would
result in changes in both thermal and combustion efficiency. Therefore,
to ensure commercial packaged boilers that cannot be tested at the
prescribed 0-2 psig steam pressure are tested in a consistent manner,
DOE proposes that such equipment be tested at the steam pressure
closest to 2 psig that it can maintain while also maintaining the
requirement of less than 2 percent moisture in the steam, not exceeding
15 psig. DOE notes that a manufacturer may need to incrementally
increase steam test pressure above atmospheric pressure or the 2 psig
requirement to meet the moisture requirement, thereby maintaining steam
quality. DOE is not aware of any commercial packaged boilers that would
require higher operating pressures than 15 psig to maintain the steam
quality requirements.
DOE seeks comments, data, and information about pressures
recommended by manufacturers and relevance to actual operating
conditions in buildings. This is identified as Issue 14 in section V.E.
DOE also seeks comment on whether DOE should require testing to be
performed at the lowest possible steam pressure where steam quality
requirements can be met. This is identified as Issue 15 in section V.E.
DOE also requests comment on if there are any commercial packaged
boilers that require steam pressures greater than 15 psig to maintain 2
percent moisture in the produced steam. This is identified as Issue 16
in section V.E.
D. Hot Water Commercial Packaged Boiler Operating Temperatures
In the energy conservation standards September 2013 Framework
document, the February 2014 RFI, and the November 2014 Preliminary
Analysis DOE requested comments, data, and information about the
appropriate inlet and outlet water temperatures for part-load and full-
load testing conditions of hot water commercial packaged boilers, and
information about how these equipment are currently tested. Issues
pertaining to the inlet water temperature and the temperature rise
required by the test procedure were also raised during the public
meeting regarding the energy conservation standards September 2013
Framework document. In addition to the comments solicited in response
to the September 2013 Framework document, February 2014 RFI, and the
November 2014 Preliminary Analysis; DOE conducted confidential
manufacturer interviews as part of the energy conservation standards
rulemaking process for commercial packaged boilers (manufacturer
interviews), during which manufacturers also discussed issues regarding
the commercial packaged boiler test procedure. In the subsequent
sections, DOE discusses the existing requirements regarding hot water
temperatures, issues identified by interested parties, proposed changes
to the hot water temperature requirements, and potential impacts of
those proposed changes.
1. Existing Requirements
The existing DOE test procedure for commercial packaged boilers
incorporates by reference BTS-2000 which includes test requirements for
inlet and outlet water temperatures for non-condensing and condensing
commercial packaged boilers. For a non-condensing commercial packaged
boiler, section 8.5.1.1 of BTS-2000 requires inlet water temperature to
be
[[Page 14650]]
between 35[emsp14][deg]F and 80[emsp14][deg]F (at Point A in Figure
III.1), and outlet water temperature to be 180[emsp14][deg]F 2[emsp14][deg]F (at Point C in Figure III.1). For a condensing
commercial packaged boiler, section 8.5.1.2 of BTS-2000 requires inlet
water temperature to be 80[emsp14][deg]F 5[emsp14][deg]F
(at Point A in Figure III.1 and outlet water temperature to be
180[emsp14][deg]F 2[emsp14][deg]F (at Point C in Figure
III.1). These temperature requirements are consistent with those in
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015. Specifically, Figure III.1 (taken from
Figure C9 in ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015) identifies the location of
the measurement of the inlet water temperature (Point A:
TIN) and the outlet water temperature (Point C:
TOUT).
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP17MR16.001
The difference between the inlet and outlet water temperatures
describes the temperature rise across the commercial packaged boiler.
BTS-2000 also includes an allowance in section 8.5.1.1.1 for tubular
commercial packaged boilers to use a recirculating loop, which reduces
the temperature rise across the commercial packaged boiler itself
(Point B to Point C), while maintaining the inlet water temperature
requirements specified in the DOE test procedure as measured at Point
A. That is, in cases where a recirculating loop is used, BTS-2000
requires that the temperature requirements described previously must
still be met at Point A in Figure III.1 prior to mixing with the warmer
recirculating loop water. BTS-2000 (and ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 at
section 5.3.5.3) also limits the temperature rise between Point B and
Point C to not less than 20[emsp14][deg]F for commercial packaged
boilers tested using a recirculating loop. ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015
expands the allowable use of a recirculating loop to all commercial
packaged boilers in section 5.3.5.3, where previously it was allowed
for commercial packaged boilers with tubular heat exchangers only.
The measurements of inlet and outlet water temperature at Points A
and C are used in Equation 1 to calculate the amount of energy
transferred into the heated water, as described by item C7.2.11.3 in
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 (also in 11.1.11.3 of BTS-2000). This
equation is given by
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP17MR16.002
where QS is the rate of heat transferred in Btu/h, W is the
weight of heated water in pounds (lb) measured during the test,
CP,H2O is the specific heat of water in Btu/lb/[deg]F,
TOUT is the outlet water temperature at Point C ([deg]F),
TIN is the inlet water temperature at Point A ([deg]F), and
tT is the test duration in hours.
In general, the efficiency of a commercial packaged boiler is
proportional to the amount of water heated and the amount of heat
energy added to this amount of water. As shown in Equation 1, the
amount of heat energy transferred is proportional to the product of the
weight of the water fed (W) and the temperature rise across the
commercial packaged boiler (TOUT-TIN). The
efficiency is therefore dependent on the inlet water temperature,
whereby lower inlet temperatures result in greater amounts of heat
energy transferred and therefore higher thermal efficiencies. As the
energy from the flue gases is only transferred to the hot water in the
heat exchanger, the first law of thermodynamics establishes a lower
limit on the temperature the flue gas can achieve, which is the lowest
water temperature within the commercial packaged boiler. Therefore as
the inlet water temperature is reduced, more energy may be extracted
from the combustion gases, resulting in potentially higher efficiency.
These conditions hold true for both non-condensing and condensing
commercial packaged boilers.
[[Page 14651]]
2. Issues With Water Temperature Requirements and Proposed Changes
Through the October 2013 Framework document, February 2014 RFI, the
November 2014 Preliminary Analysis, manufacturer interviews, and a
review of the existing DOE test procedure, DOE identified the following
concerns regarding its existing water temperature requirements for
commercial packaged boilers:
The current temperature rise is unrepresentative of actual
operating conditions.
The current temperature rise may induce excessive stresses
on some commercial packaged boilers.
The presence of recirculating loops during testing leads
to significant variability in the actual temperature rise across the
commercial packaged boiler (Point B to Point C in Figure III.1).
These issues are discussed in detail in this section.
During the manufacturer interviews, a number of manufacturers
indicated that the 100[emsp14][deg]F temperature rise in BTS-2000 (for
both condensing or non-condensing commercial packaged boilers) was
unrepresentative of real-world conditions, and instead indicated that
commercial packaged boilers are typically designed for a
20[emsp14][deg]F to 40[emsp14][deg]F temperature rise. These
manufacturers suggested that testing with a 20[emsp14][deg]F to
40[emsp14][deg]F temperature rise would better reflect conditions found
in typical building applications. DOE understands this to mean the
actual temperature rise across the commercial packaged boiler itself
(i.e., between Point B and Point C in Figure III.1).
During the public meeting regarding the September 2013 energy
conservation standards Framework document, ACEEE asserted that a
100[emsp14][deg]F temperature rise is an inadequate way to characterize
modern boilers, does not provide sufficient information about
performance of a boiler with a 20[emsp14][deg]F temperature rise
between inlet and outlet water temperature at part-load conditions, and
is essentially irrelevant for comparing efficiencies among a range of
boiler sizes. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, ACEEE, No. 13 at pp. 20,
36) In later comments, ACEEE recommended a 20[emsp14][deg]F temperature
rise, arguing that it is within the range of the most common
temperature rise and provides the most conservative value for full-
load, steady-state efficiency. ACEEE also commented that a manufacturer
should be able to publish ``application ratings'' (informational
ratings obtained at different operating conditions) for different
temperature rise values. In addition, whether for a fixed capacity or
modulating boiler, ACEEE observed that the lower inlet water
temperatures result in higher efficiencies, and ACEEE stated its
understanding that almost all the efficiency gain is due to the release
of latent energy at inlet water temperatures less than
140[emsp14][deg]F. ACEEE then suggested that a commercial packaged
boiler should be rated at the lowest inlet water temperature that
remains under the manufacturer's warranty for continuous service,
whether for a fixed capacity or modulating boiler. (Docket EERE-2014-
BT-TP-0006, ACEEE, No. 2 at p. 2.)
A joint comment from ACEEE, ASAP, and NRDC suggested that the
existing DOE test procedure for commercial packaged boilers is obsolete
because it obscures the annual energy savings potential of condensing
boilers in commercial building applications. BTS-2000 measures
efficiency at peak load, using a minimum 100[emsp14][deg]F temperature
rise between inlet and outlet (note: BTS-2000 defines inlet temperature
at a location preceding the reentry of any recirculating loop water),
and requires 180[emsp14][deg]F outlet temperature. (This continues to
be the case in ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015.) However, the commenters
argued that the existing test procedure does not consider condensing
boilers that can operate at part load with greater efficiency if the
system design allows for inlet water at condensing temperatures
(<140[emsp14][deg]F). (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, Joint Advocates,
No. 16 at p. 2)
In response to the November 2014 Preliminary Analysis, Raypak
suggested that the wide range in allowable inlet water temperatures in
BTS-2000 is to accommodate the wide range of ground water temperatures
throughout the year. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, Raypak, No. 35 at
p. 3)
ABMA expressed concerns on behalf of its members that (1) water
temperatures required by BTS-2000 are obsolete or do not represent
installed boilers; (2) the temperature rise resulting from the required
inlet and outlet water temperatures set forth in BTS-2000 can place
excessive stress on the boiler pressure vessel, thereby leading to
shorter boiler life; and (3) the considerable cost of testing larger
boilers could approach $1 million. ABMA added that test pressures and
temperatures should be more realistic in terms of normal system
operating conditions and that an appropriate inlet temperature would be
140[emsp14][deg]F or the manufacturer's recommended minimum. (Docket
EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, ABMA, No. 14 at p. 1-3) DOE notes that these
concerns continue to apply to ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 since these
temperatures are the same as those found in BTS-2000.
Cleaver-Brooks stated that BTS-2000 specifies an outlet temperature
of 180[emsp14][deg]F and an inlet water temperature of 38[emsp14][deg]F
[sic] to 80[emsp14][deg]F for non-condensing boilers. (Note: BTS-2000
prescribes an inlet water temperature of 35[emsp14][deg]F.) Instead,
for much of its equipment, Cleaver-Brooks stated that it specifies a
minimum inlet water temperature of 140[emsp14][deg]F to reduce damage
from thermally induced stresses. Cleaver-Brooks asserted that neither
the required steam nor the hot water test conditions set forth in the
existing DOE test procedure for commercial packaged boilers reflect
actual conditions in buildings, and that test conditions overestimate
boiler efficiency compared to what an end-user would be expected to
experience in actual applications. The commenter suggested modifying
the test procedure to require an outlet water temperature of
180[emsp14][deg]F and an inlet water temperature of 140[emsp14][deg]F
or, at a minimum, to allow such test conditions as an alternative.
(Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, Cleaver-Brooks, No. 12 at p. 1) Again,
DOE notes that these concerns also apply to ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-
2015, as the standard maintains the same inlet and outlet water
temperature requirements as BTS-2000. DOE also believes that the inlet
water temperatures described by Cleaver-Brooks and ABMA are intended to
mean the inlet water temperature in the absence of a recirculating
loop. As noted earlier, the existing DOE test procedure (section
8.5.1.1.1 of BTS-2000) allows for the use of a recirculating loop for
tubular commercial packaged boilers, thereby increasing the inlet water
temperature seen by the commercial packaged boiler (shown as Point B in
Figure III.1) and reducing the actual temperature rise across the
commercial packaged boiler.
Similarly, Lochinvar stated in response to the November 2014
Preliminary Analysis that the allowance in BTS-2000 for a recirculation
loop in some instances would result in higher water temperature going
into the commercial packaged boiler. Lochinvar noted that efficiency
curves that present the efficiency of a commercial packaged boiler as a
function of return (inlet) water temperature (and are sometimes
provided in marketing literature) are not based on the methodology of
BTS-2000. Lochinvar further recommended that DOE not attempt to correct
the efficiency of commercial packaged boilers for inlet water
temperature. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, No. 34 at p. 3)
In order to address the issues presented in section III.D.2, DOE
[[Page 14652]]
proposes amendments to the inlet and outlet water temperatures for both
condensing and non-condensing commercial packaged boilers. Upon
consideration of the above comments about inlet and outlet water
temperatures; review of commercial packaged boiler manufacturer
literature; and consideration of results of testing of commercial
packaged boilers at temperatures that, according to commercial packaged
boiler manufacturers, would reflect normal system operating conditions;
DOE agrees with interested parties that a 100[emsp14][deg]F to
145[emsp14][deg]F nominal temperature rise does not necessarily reflect
conditions typically associated with installed non-condensing or
condensing commercial packaged boilers.
Further, DOE acknowledges that the presence of recirculating loops
in testing obscures the actual inlet water temperature entering the
commercial packaged boiler at Point B in Figure III.1 (and therefore
the actual temperature rise experienced by the commercial packaged
boiler) because the inlet water temperature is measured and maintained
at Point A only, under the existing procedure. Specifically, DOE
observed that, based on the permissible inlet and outlet temperatures,
the tolerances on those temperatures, and the use of recirculating
loops, the temperature rises between Point B and Point C in Figure
III.1 allowable by both BTS-2000 and ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 can
range from 20[emsp14][deg]F to 147[emsp14][deg]F for non-condensing
commercial packaged boilers (section 8.5.1.1 of BTS 2000 and section
5.3.5.1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015) and 20[emsp14][deg]F to
107[emsp14][deg]F for condensing commercial packaged boilers (section
8.5.1.2 of BTS 2000 and section 5.3.5.2 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-
2015). (Note: the minimum temperature rise of 20[emsp14][deg]F across
the commercial packaged boiler assumes that recirculating loops are
currently being used for these tests.) DOE notes that such variability
has the potential to yield variability in tested combustion efficiency
and thermal efficiency ratings.
Accordingly, to improve the consistency and repeatability of the
DOE test procedure, DOE proposes to revise the hot water temperature
requirements to require the inlet water temperature to be
140[emsp14][deg]F 1[emsp14][deg]F for non-condensing
equipment, as determined at Point B (see Figure III.1). For non-
condensing equipment, DOE is maintaining the outlet temperature of
180[emsp14][deg]F but is specifying a new tolerance for this
measurement, which is discussed further in section III.D.3). Similarly,
DOE proposes to require an outlet water temperature of
120[emsp14][deg]F 1[emsp14][deg]F for condensing equipment,
as determined at Point C (see Figure III.1). For condensing equipment,
DOE is proposing an inlet water temperature specification of
80[emsp14][deg]F as measured at Point B in Figure III.1 and updating
the measurement tolerance to 1[emsp14][deg]F, as discussed
section III.D.3. DOE believes these test temperatures will more
accurately represent the energy efficiency of commercial packaged
boilers and are more consistent with the conditions typically observed
in field installations. DOE also notes that the proposed temperature
requirements result in equivalent temperature rises across the
commercial packaged boiler for condensing and non-condensing equipment
in order to maintain comparability. The proposed temperature
requirements also incorporate inlet water temperatures that more
accurately represent the efficiencies of non-condensing and condensing
commercial packaged boilers. DOE does not believe that maintaining the
same outlet water temperature for non-condensing and condensing
commercial packaged boilers is important for maintaining comparability
of ratings.
DOE is proposing to modify the location at which the inlet water
temperature is maintained from Point A to Point B, which is immediately
preceding the commercial packaged boiler, downstream of the
recirculation loop (see Figure III.1). DOE believes that the comments
of interested parties refer to the temperature rise experienced across
the commercial packaged boiler itself (Point B to Point C) and that,
therefore, DOE's proposal is consistent with the input of interested
parties. In addition, DOE notes that specifying the inlet water
temperature at Point B, immediately prior to entering the commercial
packaged boiler would remove ambiguity and improve the consistency and
repeatability of the DOE test procedure. This temperature is more
directly related to the measured thermal or combustion efficiency than
the temperature rise determined with the inlet water upstream of the
recirculation loop (between Point C and Point A of Figure III.1).
DOE recognizes that these inlet temperatures would typically be
produced through the use of a recirculating loop to temper incoming
feedwater to the appropriate inlet temperature. In proposing to adopt
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015, DOE is proposing to allow recirculation
loops to be used on all commercial packaged boilers and, as such, DOE
clarifies that recirculation loops could be used to meet the new
proposed inlet water requirements. However, DOE proposes that the
efficiency calculations in section C7.2.11.3 in ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015 would continue to use the water temperature and flow rate
measured upstream of the recirculating loop, if present (Point A in
Figure III.1). DOE acknowledges that this would require measurements of
water temperature at both Point A and Point B for equipment tested with
recirculating loops. However, DOE notes that by continuing to use the
temperature at Point A in the calculation of thermal efficiency, the
precision of the resulting thermal efficiency will not be impacted as
compared to the current methodology.
While DOE believes that the proposed inlet and outlet temperature
requirements are applicable and representative for the majority of
commercial packaged boilers available on the market, DOE is aware that
some commercial packaged boilers are unable to operate at a temperature
rise across the commercial packaged boiler of 40[emsp14][deg]F.
Specifically, DOE is aware that some commercial packaged boilers are
only capable of operating with lower temperature differentials, such as
20[emsp14][deg]F. As such, DOE is proposing to adopt provisions for
commercial packaged boilers that cannot operate with a temperature rise
of 40[emsp14][deg]F across the boiler (Point B to Point C), as
indicated in the manufacturer literature. For non-condensing commercial
packaged boilers, DOE is proposing that, if the commercial packaged
boiler cannot operate with an inlet temperature of 140[emsp14][deg]F
1[emsp14][deg]F at Point B in Figure III.1 when the outlet
temperature is 180[emsp14][deg]F 1[emsp14][deg]F, DOE is
proposing that the inlet temperature be maintained as close to
140[emsp14][deg]F 1[emsp14][deg]F as possible, consistent
with manufacturer's instructions provided in the literature for that
basic model and that the average inlet water temperature measured at
Point B in Figure III.1 be reported as part of the certification report
for the basic model. Similarly, for condensing commercial packaged
boilers that cannot operate with a temperature rise of 40[emsp14][deg]F
across the commercial packaged boiler, DOE is proposing that the inlet
temperature at Point B in Figure III.1 be maintained as close to
80[emsp14][deg]F 1[emsp14][deg]F as possible, consistent
with manufacturer's instructions provided in the literature for that
basic model, while the outlet temperature is maintained at
120[emsp14][deg]F 1[emsp14][deg]F, consistent with the DOE
test procedure. Again, the average inlet water temperature measured at
Point B in Figure III.1 would be reported as part
[[Page 14653]]
of the certification report for the basic model
DOE seeks comments, data, and information about whether the
proposed testing conditions related to water temperatures are
appropriate both for a non-condensing commercial packaged boiler and a
condensing commercial packaged boiler. This is identified as Issue 17
in Section V.E.
DOE also requests comment on the proposed test provisions to
accommodate commercial packaged boilers that cannot be tested with a
temperature rise of 40[emsp14][deg]F across the commercial packaged
boiler (Point B to Point C). This is identified as Issue 18 in Section
V.E.
Under EPCA, DOE is required to determine what impacts, if any, its
amendments to a test procedure will have on ratings. (42 U.S.C.
6293(e); 42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(4)(C)) DOE proposes using the temperature
rise across the commercial packaged boiler itself as described in order
to improve the repeatability of the tests. Whereas the existing test
procedure (using BTS-2000, incorporated by reference) allows for a wide
range of temperature rises across the commercial packaged boiler due to
the allowance of recirculating loops and a measurement location
upstream of the recirculation loop, which obscures the actual
temperature rise across the commercial packaged boiler, DOE's proposed
amendments would remove ambiguity by standardizing this temperature
rise across all commercial packaged boilers where possible. DOE notes
that the effect on any individual commercial packaged boiler could be
to slightly increase or slightly decrease measured efficiency,
depending on how the test was previously performed. Further, based on
discussions with manufacturers, DOE believes that testing is already
performed using a recirculating loop for equipment that does not
utilize a tubular heat exchanger in order to prevent damaging the
equipment and provide the boiler with inlet water temperatures more
representative of typical field conditions. Therefore, in combination
with the other proposed amendments to the test procedure, DOE has
tentatively determined that the proposed amendments, in aggregate,
would not result in an overall measurable impact on ratings.
3. Allowable Uncertainty in Water Temperature Measurement
HTP initially expressed concern about several operating conditions
being either unspecified or unrealistic, and suggested updated test
parameters for commercial packaged boilers that would be more
reasonable. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, HTP, No. 18 at p.4) However,
in later comments and after further analysis, HTP concluded that the
test conditions should not be amended because manufacturers cannot be
confident that the DOE test method would maintain an acceptable level
of uncertainty if different test points or temperature rises were to be
used. Instead, HTP commented that an acceptable test method uncertainty
analysis should be completed to verify the Appliance Standards and
Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee (ASRAC) agreed-upon 5-percent
allowable tolerance on ratings in order to account for variations in
manufacturing and testing. (Docket EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006, HTP, No. 5 at
p. 4)
In response to HTP's concerns regarding the uncertainty of the
test, DOE proposes to reduce the tolerances for inlet and outlet water
temperatures during the test period to 1[emsp14][deg]F for
both non-condensing and condensing commercial packaged boilers so that
testing uncertainties are not increased. DOE notes that the required
minimum accuracy of the inlet and outlet water temperature measurement
instrumentation is 0.2[emsp14][deg]F (Table C1 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015 and Table 1 of BTS-2000). Therefore, the
instrumentation required by the test procedure is sufficiently precise
to accommodate this tolerance. Investigative testing performed by DOE
showed that reducing the temperature rise did not substantially
increase the variability in thermal efficiency between repeated tests
compared to the expected variability of the currently allowable
temperature rises. Furthermore, a review of the data obtained during
investigative testing showed little variation over time in the
temperatures themselves, typically less than 1[emsp14][deg]F over the course of the test. DOE seeks additional
comments, data, and analysis concerning thermal efficiency test
measurement uncertainty. This is identified as Issue 19 in section V.E.
4. Water Flow Rate During Testing
Burnham and AHRI observed that a change in the specified water
temperatures would potentially change the water flow rate and the
calculated efficiency resulting from the test procedure. Higher flow
rates and a resulting higher total volume of water are necessary to
achieve smaller temperature rises. According to the commenters,
decreasing the temperature rise would require a higher water flow rate
and may exceed the water handling, cooling, processing, and disposal
capabilities of many laboratories currently testing using the existing
DOE test procedure (i.e., BTS-2000). Further, the commenters argued
that reducing the temperature rise by lowering the outlet temperature
may result in increased measured thermal efficiency. In view of these
concerns, both AHRI and Burnham recommended that the current operating
temperatures should be retained. (Docket EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006, Burnham,
No. 4 at p. 2; Docket EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006, AHRI, No. 6 at p. 2)
DOE is aware that the water temperature rise across the commercial
packaged boiler is inversely related to the flow rate of the working
fluid (water or steam) at a given burner fuel input rate, and that
increasing water flow rates to achieve lower temperature rises may
reduce the commercial packaged boiler size that laboratories are
capable of testing. However, as stated previously, DOE also
acknowledges that, under the proposed test procedure, recirculating
loops, which reduce the temperature rise across the commercial packaged
boiler with modest flow rates of incoming feedwater and outgoing water
for disposal, would be allowed for all commercial packaged boilers, not
just commercial packaged boilers with tubular heat exchangers as is
currently allowed in section 8.5.1.1.1 of BTS-2000. This is supported
by Lochinvar's assertion that recirculating loops are used in testing
and increase the inlet water temperature to the commercial packaged
boiler. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, No. 34 at p. 3) In addition, DOE
notes that the 100[emsp14][deg]F temperature rise required by both BTS-
2000 and ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 is not directly comparable to
DOE's proposed temperature rise of 40[emsp14][deg]F due to the
difference in where the inlet temperature requirement is measured.
DOE believes that requiring the temperature to be measured and
maintained at the location downstream of the recirculation loop and
just prior to the commercial packaged boiler inlet would allow
manufacturers and laboratories to continue using incoming water at much
lower temperatures (at or near the current 35[emsp14][deg]F to
80[emsp14][deg]F of BTS-2000 and ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015). That
is, under these proposed inlet and outlet temperature conditions (when
utilizing a recirculation loop), the same temperatures and test
conditions could be established under the existing and new test
procedures (due to the different measurement locations). DOE therefore
believes that the concerns regarding an increase in water flow rate
[[Page 14654]]
(and therefore reduction in laboratory capacity) may be overstated in
view of the proposed change in location of where the inlet water
temperature would be measured under the proposed test procedure.
DOE seeks comment regarding the prevalence of using recirculating
loops in testing; specifically, DOE requests comment about the kinds of
commercial packaged boilers utilizing recirculation loops during
testing and the conditions at which these commercial packaged boilers
and recirculating loops operate. This is identified as Issue 20 in
section V.E.
DOE estimates the impact on manufacturers of requiring higher water
flow rates in section IV.B. DOE seeks further comments, data, and
information concerning the capabilities of test laboratories,
particularly in light of the specific proposed conditions contained in
this NOPR. This is identified as Issue 21 in section V.E.
E. Testing Conditions
For non-condensing commercial packaged boilers, the existing DOE
test procedure does not prescribe test room requirements for ambient
temperature or humidity. For combustion efficiency tests of condensing
commercial packaged boilers, the existing DOE test procedure requires
that the ``humidity of the room shall at no time exceed 80 percent.''
10 CFR 431.86(c)(2)(ii). Additionally, BTS-2000 requires that test air
temperature, as measured at the burner inlet, be within 5[emsp14][deg]F of the ambient temperature, where ambient
temperature is measured within 6 feet of the front of the unit at mid-
height. ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 prescribes an allowable ambient
temperature during the test between 30[emsp14][deg]F and
100[emsp14][deg]F (section 5.3.8) with the relative humidity not
exceeding 80 percent in the test room or chamber (section 5.3.9).
Section C3.6 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 also requires that test
air temperature, as measured at the burner inlet, be within 5[emsp14][deg]F of the ambient temperature (which is measured
within 6 feet of the commercial packaged boiler at mid-height; see
section C3.7 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015).
DOE understands that ambient temperature and humidity, including
test air temperature, can have a measurable effect on the tested
efficiency of commercial packaged boilers, particularly condensing
commercial packaged boilers.\11\ High humidity or any increase in
humidity over a baseline would enable a commercial packaged boiler to
capture more latent heat from combustion gases, thereby resulting in a
higher measured efficiency. DOE recognizes that this effect would be
noticeable both in tests for combustion efficiency and thermal
efficiency. Therefore, DOE proposes to amend 10 CFR 431.86 so as to
minimize this effect.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\11\ Test air temperature is defined in ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-
2015 as the temperature of the air being supplied to the burner from
the room.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
As noted previously, the existing DOE test procedure requires a
maximum of 80-percent ambient relative humidity in the test room or
chamber when testing a condensing commercial packaged boiler for
combustion efficiency only. DOE proposes to require that ambient
relative humidity at all times be 60 percent 5 percent
during thermal and combustion efficiency testing of commercial packaged
boilers.\12\ While DOE acknowledges that the effect of ambient humidity
on the efficiency of non-condensing commercial packaged boilers is less
than that for condensing commercial packaged boilers, DOE nevertheless
proposes the same ambient humidity requirements for all commercial
packaged boilers in order to maintain consistency and comparability
between ratings. Also, DOE proposes that the ambient relative humidity
be measured and recorded at each 30-second interval during the entire
test. DOE seeks comments, data, and information about room ambient
relative humidity, whether the proposed constraints are appropriate,
and if not, what are appropriate constraints on room ambient relative
humidity when testing commercial packaged boilers. This is identified
as Issue 22 in section V.E.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\ Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. Absolute
humidity is the water content of air. Relative humidity, expressed
as a percent, measures the current absolute humidity relative to the
maximum for that temperature. Specific humidity is a ratio of the
water vapor content of the mixture to the total air content on a
mass basis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to proposed limits to ambient relative humidity when
testing commercial packaged boilers, DOE proposes an ambient room
temperature of 75[emsp14][deg]F 5[emsp14][deg]F during
testing of commercial packaged boilers. The ambient temperature would
be measured and recorded at each 30-second interval during the entire
test. Additionally, DOE proposes that the ambient room temperature
cannot differ by more than 2[emsp14][deg]F from the
average ambient room temperature during the ``Test Period'' (as
described in section C4 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015;
proposed for incorporation by reference) at any reading.
DOE believes that limiting ambient room temperature and relative
humidity during testing will improve repeatability and provide for test
conditions that more closely reflect the ambient conditions that
commercial packaged boilers experience in normal operation. For non-
condensing hot water and steam commercial packaged boilers, DOE
anticipates negligible changes in the rated efficiency for a particular
commercial packaged boiler due to the proposed changes to room ambient
temperature and relative humidity requirements. Nevertheless, DOE
proposes limits to ambient conditions for non-condensing commercial
packaged boilers to prevent testing from occurring at extreme ambient
temperature or relative humidity, which would be outside the expected
range of conditions that commercial packaged boilers experience in
normal operation. In comparison, ambient room temperature and relative
humidity would have some effect on the test results for condensing
commercial packaged boilers. However, Because DOE expects that current
efficiency ratings generally have been determined at typical ambient
room temperatures and relative humidity levels, DOE also expects that
reported rating values will not change as a result of the proposed
limits on ambient room temperature and relative humidity, which fall
within the typical ambient room temperatures and relative humidity
levels.
DOE seeks comments, data, and information about the aforementioned
proposed room ambient temperatures, whether the proposed constraints
are appropriate, and if not, what are appropriate constraints on room
ambient temperature. This is identified as Issue 23 in section V.E.
F. Setup and Instrumentation
In DOE's review of the existing test procedure, DOE identified
several setup instructions and instrumentation requirements for which
clarifications are expected to improve the accuracy and repeatability
of test results. These include: (1) Additional specifications regarding
the steam riser/header geometry, (2) additional requirements regarding
the use of steam condensate return piping, and (3) additional
insulation requirements for the steam and water piping.
First, in section C2.3, ``Steam Piping,'' of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015 (section 7.3 of BTS-2000), the description of the steam
riser/header geometry may lead to different interpretations which can
impact the amount of entrained water reaching the steam separator and
result in variability
[[Page 14655]]
in the measured thermal efficiency of commercial packaged boilers.
Specifically, variations in the nominal pipe diameter or size of the
pipe of the steam riser and the height of the steam riser above the
water line may impact the amount of entrained water in the steam and
may result in exceeding the DOE test procedure's 2 percent limit for
moisture content in the steam. In order to reduce the amount of
entrained water in the steam to satisfy this steam moisture
requirement, the water level within the commercial packaged boiler is
typically lowered during testing (within the allowable tolerance for
the water level pursuant to manufacturer literature or ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015 section C4.1.1.1.3, as applicable). However,
lowering the water level inside the heat exchanger decreases the
thermal efficiency of the commercial packaged boiler because as the
water level is lowered, less heat exchanger surface area is in contact
with water. Therefore, variations in the steam riser and header
geometry can affect the amount of moisture in the steam and require
changes in the water level to meet the 2 percent moisture content
requirement, which can then result in decreased thermal efficiency
measurements for the same commercial packaged boiler model.
To decrease the variability and increase the repeatability and
precision of the DOE test procedure, DOE therefore proposes to clarify
the description of the steam riser and header geometry in its test
procedure. Specifically, DOE proposes to adopt section C2.3 of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500-2015 with additional provisions regarding the
description of the steam riser and header geometries. The proposed
additional specifications and the reason for inclusion are as follows:
No reduction in diameter shall be made in any horizontal
header piping, as a reduction in pipe diameter in the horizontal header
prevents entrained water from draining properly and typically leads to
non-steady-state operation. In the case of commercial packaged boilers
with multiple steam risers, the cross-sectional area of the header must
be no less than 80 percent of the summed total cross-sectional area of
the risers, and the header pipe must be constant in diameter along its
entire length.
The diameter of the vertical portion of the steam
condensate return pipe that is above the manufacturer's recommended
water level may be reduced to no less than one half of the header pipe
diameter to ensure adequate operation of the return loop and draining
of entrained water back into the commercial packaged boiler.
DOE notes that section C2.3 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015
specifies that the steam riser shall be connected in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions. However, in the event the
manufacturer's literature does not specify necessary height and
dimension characteristics for steam risers, headers, and return piping,
DOE proposes the following requirements to ensure consistent and
repeatable testing:
The header pipe diameter must be the same size as the
commercial packaged boiler's steam riser (steam take-off) pipe
diameter. In the case of commercial packaged boilers with multiple
steam risers, the cross-sectional area of the header must be no less
than 80 percent of the summed total cross-sectional area of the risers,
and the header pipe must be constant in diameter along its entire
length.
The height measured from the top of the header to the
manufacturer's recommended water level must be no less than the larger
of 24 inches or 6 times the header pipe diameter.
The distance between the vertical steam riser (steam take-
off) leading to the water separator and the elbow leading to the
condensate return loop must be a minimum of three (3) header pipe
diameters to prevent entrained water from entering the separator
piping.
If a water separator is used, piping must pitch downward
to the separator at a rate of at least \1/4\ inch per foot of pipe
length in order to assure proper collection of moisture content and
steady-state operation during testing.
A vented water seal is required in steam moisture
collection plumbing to prevent steam from escaping through the moisture
collection plumbing.
DOE notes that header diameters that are larger than the diameter
of the steam outlet can result in atypically low steam flow rate in the
header, affecting carryover of entrained water, while smaller diameter
headers may reduce the measured steam quality, possibly requiring tests
to be conducted at lower water levels, which may result in lower
efficiencies. Undersized headers with pipe diameters that are smaller
than the diameter of the steam outlet on the commercial packaged boiler
can also impede or prevent adequate draining of entrained water.
Second, Figure C5, ``Suggested Piping Arrangement for Steam
Boilers, Condensate Measurement,'' and Figure C7, ``Suggested Piping
Arrangement for Steam Boilers, Feedwater Measurement,'' in ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015 both allow a steam commercial packaged boiler to be
tested without a steam condensate return pipe. DOE proposes that all
steam commercial packaged boiler test setups be required to include a
steam condensate return pipe to minimize variation in tests. DOE also
proposes to prohibit use of the ``suggested'' piping arrangements in
Figures C5 and C7 for steam commercial packaged boiler testing setups.
DOE believes these changes would ensure that commercial packaged
boilers that typically require a steam condensate return pipe for
adequate operation have one installed during testing. DOE believes that
requiring a steam condensate return pipe, with the criteria specified
in this section, would ensure consistent and repeatable test results.
DOE further believes that such requirement would not have a significant
impact upon thermal efficiency or steam moisture content for a steam
commercial packaged boiler that may operate without a steam condensate
return pipe.
Third, Sections C2.3 and C2.4 in ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015
provide only minimal guidance about insulation requirements for steam
and water piping components that are used in the thermal efficiency
test. To provide for repeatability and minimize heat losses in the
piping, DOE proposes to adopt the minimum pipe insulation thickness and
conductivity requirements in ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2013, Table
6.8.3-1. DOE also believes these requirements would be more
representative of insulation requirements for outlet piping used in
most commercial applications.
In view of all the above, DOE seeks comment about its proposed
changes to the steam riser, header, and return water loop testing
requirements. This is identified as Issue 24 in section V.E.
DOE recognizes that for oil-fired commercial packaged boilers,
burners are not always included when shipped from the manufacturer. In
such cases, DOE proposes that the unit be tested with the particular
make and model of burner certified by the manufacturer. Since each
basic model distributed in commerce must be certified, DOE expects that
using a manufacturer's certification will provide the most complete
list of all burners for use with a particular boiler. Furthermore, DOE
expects all burners specified in the installation and operation manual
would be certified to the Department as part of the commercial packaged
boiler basic model. If multiple burners are specified in the
installation and operation manualor in one or more certification
reports, then DOE proposes that any of the listed burners may be
[[Page 14656]]
used for testing and all must be certified to the Department. DOE
believes these provisions provide manufacturers with ample opportunity
to specify burners that should be used with their commercial packaged
boilers for testing, and will reduce ambiguity concerning what burner a
commercial packaged boiler can be tested with. DOE believes these
changes represent a clarification in how burners are specified and
therefore does not anticipate any changes in ratings for commercial
packaged boilers. DOE seeks comment regarding the specification of
burners for oil-fired commercial packaged boilers and this is
identified as Issue 25 in section V.E.
With respect to outdoor commercial packaged boilers, units with
multiple outdoor venting arrangements provided by the manufacturer are
required by ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 section C2.2.5 to be tested
using the arrangement having the least draft loss. However, draft loss
is not defined nor are provisions provided in ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-
2015 for determining which arrangement has the least draft loss. DOE
proposes language in its test procedure to clarify how this is
determined, specifically by adding the straight lengths of venting for
each arrangement supplied with the equipment and using the one with the
shortest total length. DOE believes this is a clarification only and
does not believe ratings for commercial packaged boilers would be
affected by this clarification.
In addition to these proposed clarifications regarding the setup
and configuration of commercial packaged boilers for testing, DOE
proposes clarifications and provisions regarding the test
instrumentation and calibration. Specifically, regarding section 7.6,
``Application of Additional Instruments (Steam),'' of BTS-2000 (now
section C2.6 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015), ABMA commented that
references to mercury and use of a mercury manometer should be removed,
suggesting that mercury is no longer an industry-acceptable pressure
measuring fluid for testing steam boilers.\13\ (Docket EERE-2013-BT-
STD-0030, ABMA, No. 14 at p. 3-4) DOE has concluded that the mercury-
based instrumentation is outdated and recognizes that the ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015 does not require or reference the use of mercury
manometers. As such, DOE notes that by incorporating by reference ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500-2015 as proposed in this NOPR, the DOE test
procedure would no longer specify or reference use of mercury
manometers (or other mercury-based instrumentation).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ A ``manometer'' is an instrument that uses a column of
liquid, such as mercury or water, contained in a glass or plastic
tube and is used to measure the pressure of gases.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additionally, ABMA suggested that some other required
instrumentation prescribed in BTS-2000 is outdated and that some
calculation methods contained therein are laborious. In particular,
ABMA inquired whether an oxygen (O2) combustion analyzer may
be used to determine combustion efficiency rather than the existing
calculation procedures if it can be shown that its results are
equivalent. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, ABMA, No. 14 at pp. 3-4)
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 includes a methodology for using an
O2 combustion analyzer for measurements of combustion
efficiency, and DOE's proposal to incorporate by reference this
industry standard would adopt this methodology. DOE recognizes ABMA's
concern on this topic and seeks additional comments, and particularly
data, about whether the oxygen combustion analyzer produces equivalent
combustion efficiencies to the carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide
(CO2) calculations provided by ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015
and BTS-2000. This is identified as Issue 26 in section V.E.
DOE acknowledges that section C.1.1, ``Calibration,'' of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015 requires instruments to be calibrated to a
recognized standard at regular intervals. DOE believes that such a
requirement is sufficient for ensuring appropriate calibration
procedures for applicable test equipment. However, in order to ensure
accurate and repeatable test measurements, DOE is proposing a provision
that would require all instrumentation to be calibrated at least once
per year. For combustion measurement equipment (instruments listed in
the ``Gas Chemistry'' row of Table C1 in ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015),
DOE proposes to require calibration using standard gases with purities
of greater than 99.9995 percent for all constituents analyzed. DOE
acknowledges that manufacturers and laboratories may have existing
calibration and documentation protocols in place that already meet
these requirements.
Finally, DOE proposes to require that data obtained digitally be
sampled and recorded at 30-second intervals or less, and data related
to rates, flows, or flux be integrated over the 15-minute intervals
required throughout ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015. Data not related to
rates, flows, or fluxes shall be averaged over the 15-minute interval.
DOE proposes this requirement as a means of confirming that ambient
condition requirements and water temperatures are maintained for the
duration of the test. This requirement would apply to digital flow
meters for measuring water flow. However, DOE proposes that this
requirement would not apply to the use of a scale for measuring the
weight of feedwater collected, which would continue to be recorded in
15-minute intervals as provided in ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015. DOE
seeks comment on its proposal to require digital data acquisition, and
this is identified as Issue 27 in section V.E.
DOE seeks general comment as to the proposed clarifications to test
procedure setup and instrumentation. This is identified as Issue 28 in
section V.E.
G. Fuel Input Rate
In DOE's existing regulations, equipment classes and the standards
that apply to them are determined partly on the basis of the size of
the commercial packaged boiler. However, several terms are used
interchangeably in BTS 2000, ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015, and in the
existing DOE test procedure and energy conservation standards to
describe the size of the commercial packaged boiler, each of which is
derived from the maximum rated fuel input rate to the commercial
packaged boiler. For example, the existing DOE test procedure for
commercial packaged boilers at 10 CFR 431.86 uses the term ``rated
input capacity'' and ``fuel input'' while the energy conservation
standards for commercial packaged boilers at 10 CFR 431.87 use
``capacity,'' ``rated maximum input,'' ``maximum rated capacity,'' and
``size category (input),'' all of which are intended to mean the same
thing. BTS-2000, which is incorporated by reference in the existing DOE
test procedure for commercial packaged boiler, uses the terms
``input,'' ``input rating,'' and ``manufacturer's nameplate input.''
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 defines ``input rating'' as the maximum
Btu/h or gph [gallons per hour] input located on the Boiler rating
plate. Furthermore, neither the existing DOE regulatory text nor BTS-
2000 specify how to determine this ``rated'' or ``nameplate'' maximum
fuel input rate for a commercial packaged boiler. However, BTS-2000 and
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 require that the input be within 2 percent of the ``manufacturer's nameplate input'' (BTS-2000) or
``Input Rating'' (ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015).
To clarify how to determine the appropriate equipment class for
[[Page 14657]]
commercial packaged boilers, DOE proposes to adopt a definition for the
term ``fuel input rate.'' DOE believes this is necessary to reduce
ambiguity and standardize terminology throughout its commercial
packaged boiler regulations. The proposed definition for ``fuel input
rate'' states that it is determined using test procedures prescribed
under 10 CFR 431.86 and represents the maximum rate, or ``high fire
rate,'' at which the commercial packaged boiler uses energy. DOE
proposes to use this term in the division of equipment classes and
applicable testing provisions to determine the fuel input rate.
Manufacturers would be required to measure the fuel input rate during
certification testing and use the mean of the measured values, after
applying the applicable rounding provisions,\14\ in certification
reports pursuant to 10 CFR 429.60(b)(2). DOE also notes that, for
commercial packaged boilers certified using an AEDM, that AEDM would be
used to determine the fuel input rate and the same rounding provisions
would apply. DOE believes it is critical to clarify how the fuel input
rate is to be determined because the applicable standards for a
commercial packaged boiler are based in part on the fuel input rate of
the commercial packaged boiler. These proposed additions would clarify
for manufacturers what energy conservation standard applies to a given
basic model.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\14\ The proposed calculations for the fuel input rate include a
rounding requirement to the nearest 1,000 Btu/h; this is discussed
in this section III.G.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOE also proposes clarifications in its regulatory text that
specify precisely how the fuel input rate is to be determined when
using the DOE test procedure. DOE notes sections C4.1.1.2.3 and
C4.1.2.2.3 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 require the total measured
fuel input during the test to be within 2 percent of the ``boiler Input
Rating'' and sections C4.1.1.1.4 and C4.1.2.1.5 require the measured
fuel input rate, measured at 15-minute intervals to confirm steady-
state, to be within 2 percent of the fuel input rate listed on the
commercial packaged boiler nameplate. However, ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-
2015 does not specify the quantities and calculation procedure to be
used in determining this value. DOE's clarifications specify the amount
of oil or gas, as applicable, needed to ensure the fuel input rate is
at steady-state (which is evaluated at 15-minute intervals). Moreover,
DOE also proposes that steady-state is confirmed when the measured fuel
input rate does not vary by more than 2 percent between 15
minute interval readings rather than in comparison to the commercial
packaged boiler nameplate.
Section 5.2.2 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 specifies rounding
gross output (as defined in section 3.20 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-
2015) to the nearest 1,000 Btu/h. DOE does not propose to adopt this
section of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 because DOE regulations are not
based on gross output. Instead, DOE proposes adding a requirement to
the DOE test procedure that values of fuel input rate for each unit
tested be rounded to the nearest 1,000 Btu/h. Also, the representative
value of fuel input rate for a model would be rounded to the nearest
1,000 Btu/h for representation purposes (including certification).
Additionally, DOE proposes that, for its enforcement testing, this
rate would be measured pursuant to 10 CFR 431.86 and compared against
the fuel input rate certified by the manufacturer. If the measured fuel
input rate is within 2 percent of the certified value, then DOE will
use the certified value when determining equipment class and
calculating combustion and/or thermal efficiency for the model. If the
measured fuel input rate is not within 2 percent of the
certified value, then DOE will follow these steps to bring the fuel
input rate to within 2 percent of the certified value.
First, DOE will attempt to adjust the gas pressure in order to increase
or decrease the fuel input rate as necessary. If the fuel input rate is
still not within 2 percent of the certified value, DOE will
then attempt to modify the gas inlet orifice (e.g., drill) accordingly.
Finally, if these measures do not bring the fuel input rate to within
2 percent of the certified value, DOE will use the measured
fuel input rate when determining equipment class and the associated
combustion and/or thermal efficiency standard level for the basic
model. DOE proposes a fuel input rate tolerance of 2
percent based on the steady-state criteria already present in ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015 sections C4.1.1.1.4 and C4.1.2.1.5, and believes
that such a requirement would not impose additional testing burden or
affect ratings. DOE proposes this verification process to provide
manufacturers with additional information about how DOE will evaluate
compliance. DOE also notes that modification of the orifice to meet
these conditions would not be considered a field constructed
modification.
DOE considers these provisions to be clarifications to its test
procedure, and this is supported by the existing requirement in BTS-
2000 that the measured fuel input rate during testing must be within
2 percent of the fuel input rate listed on commercial
packaged boiler nameplates. DOE seeks comment regarding its proposed
definition and methodology for measuring and verifying fuel input rate
and steady-state, identified as Issue 29 in section V.E.
H. Clerical Issues
DOE proposes an amendment to the regulatory text to clarify those
places in AHRI/ANSI Standard 1500-2015 that refer to manufacturer's
``specifications or recommendations,'' to mean as specified or
recommended in the installation and operation manual shipped with the
commercial packaged boiler or in supplemental instructions provided by
the manufacturer pursuant to 10 CFR 429.60(b)(4). Furthermore, DOE
proposes amendments to the regulatory text that clarify the order in
which these manufacturer instructions must be used should a conflict
arise between them. For parameters or considerations not specified by
the DOE test procedure, the manual shipped with the commercial packaged
boiler must first be consulted and used. Should the manual shipped with
the commercial packaged boiler not provide the necessary information,
the supplemental instructions must be consulted and used. The
supplemental instructions provided pursuant to 10 CFR 429.60(b)(4) do
not replace or alter any requirements in the DOE test procedure and are
not meant to override the manual shipped with the commercial packaged
boiler. In cases where these supplemental instructions conflict with
any instructions or provisions provided in the manual shipped with the
commercial packaged boiler, the manual shipped with the commercial
packaged boiler must be used. DOE also proposes to clarify that unless
otherwise noted, in all incorporated sections of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015 the term ``boiler'' means ``commercial packaged boiler'' as
defined in 10 CFR 431.82.
DOE found two clerical issues in its review of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015. First, DOE notes that while section C2.3 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015 anticipates that steam could be superheated and
therefore temperature measurement of the steam would be required, it
does not provide sufficient steam property tables or provisions for
using the superheated steam temperature for calculating the thermal
efficiency. DOE therefore proposes provisions for using this
temperature and includes expanded steam property tables. Second, DOE
notes that section C4.1.1.1.2 of ANSI/
[[Page 14658]]
AHRI Standard 1500-2015 states that tests shall be conducted at
atmospheric pressure or at the minimum steam pressure required to
comply with Section 5.3.5. However, Section 5.3.5 describes the hot
water rating conditions for ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015. DOE believes
that this was intended to refer instead to Section 5.3.6, and therefore
proposes language in order to correct this.
Upon review of its definitions at 10 CFR 431.82 concerning
commercial packaged boilers, DOE determined that additional description
of the term ``combustion efficiency'' was warranted and is therefore
proposing to modify that definition. Specifically, the existing
definition for ``combustion efficiency'' does not describe what the
metric represents and so DOE is proposing additional language to
indicate that the combustion efficiency measures how much of the fuel
input energy is converted to useful heat in combustion.
DOE proposes rounding requirements for thermal efficiency and
combustion efficiency values. DOE notes that while section 5.2.1 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 includes rounding requirements to the
nearest tenth of a percent for thermal and combustion efficiency, DOE
proposes to clarify in its regulations that values used for purposes of
DOE compliance certification (representative values) must be values
rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent.
With respect to the requirements for testing and certifying
commercial packaged boiler models capable of supplying either steam or
hot water, DOE notes that commercial packaged boilers that are capable
of producing steam and commercial packaged boilers that are capable of
producing hot water are subject to different energy conservation
standards. However, DOE is also aware that some commercial packaged
boiler models are capable of supplying both steam and hot water. DOE
notes that such commercial packaged boiler models span two equipment
classes (both the steam and hot water variations of the applicable fuel
type and fuel input rate category combination) and therefore are
subject to the energy conservation standards and testing requirements
for both equipment classes. Models capable of producing both steam and
hot water must be certified as two basic models.
DOE also proposes to move the requirements related to
representative values of efficiency for such commercial packaged
boilers. For commercial packaged boiler models capable of supplying
either steam or hot water and with fuel input rate less than or equal
to 2,500,000 Btu/h, under the existing test procedure (10 CFR
431.86(c)(2)(iii)) manufacturers must:
Determine the representative value of the thermal
efficiency in steam mode based on thermal efficiency in steam mode
determined in accordance with the test procedure in Sec. 431.86 or
determined with an AEDM; and
Determine the representative value of the thermal
efficiency in hot water mode based on either:
[cir] The thermal efficiency in hot water mode determined in
accordance with the test procedure in Sec. 431.86 or determined with
an AEDM; or
[cir] The thermal efficiency in steam mode determined in accordance
with the test procedure in Sec. 431.86 or determined with an AEDM.
For commercial packaged boiler models capable of supplying either
steam or hot water and with fuel input rate greater than 2,500,000 Btu/
h, under the existing test procedure (10 CFR 431.86(c)(2)(iii))
manufacturers must:
Determine the representative value of the thermal
efficiency in steam mode based on thermal efficiency in steam mode
determined in accordance with the test procedure in Sec. 431.86 or
determined with an AEDM; and
Determine the representative value of the combustion
efficiency in hot water mode based on either:
[cir] The combustion efficiency in hot water mode determined in
accordance with the test procedure in Sec. 431.86 or determined with
an AEDM; or
[cir] The combustion efficiency in steam mode determined in
accordance with the test procedure in Sec. 431.86 or determined with
an AEDM.
DOE notes that these are existing provisions for such boilers at 10
CFR 431.86(c)(2)(iii) that establish the testing and rating
requirements for commercial packaged boiler models capable of supplying
either steam or hot water. Because provisions related to
representations are typically in 10 CFR part 429, DOE is moving and
rephrasing these requirements. Therefore, DOE notes that these
regulations do not alter testing or rating options compared to the
existing test procedure.
DOE seeks comment on its proposed clerical corrections and
clarifications, identified as Issue 30 in section V.E.
I. Other Issues
In response to the September 2013 Framework document and February
2014 RFI, DOE received several comments about other issues, not
discussed previously in this notice, concerning the test procedure for
determining the energy efficiency of a commercial packaged boiler.
These issues and comments are addressed in the following subsections.
1. Stack Temperature Adjustment for Using Combustion Efficiency in
Steam Mode To Represent Hot Water Mode
DOE's existing test procedure allows commercial packaged boilers
with fuel input rate greater than 2,500,000 Btu/h capable of producing
steam and hot water to use the combustion efficiency as measured in
steam mode to represent the combustion efficiency in hot water mode. 10
CFR 431.86(c)(2)(iii)(B). DOE has received multiple waiver requests
that asked to use an adjustment to the stack temperature for using this
rating method in order to more accurately reflect the combustion
efficiency of a commercial packaged boiler operating in hot water mode.
The adjustment is given by Equation 2:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP17MR16.003
where TF,SS,adjusted is the adjusted steady-state flue
temperature used for subsequent calculations of combustion efficiency,
TF,SS is the measured steady-state flue temperature during
combustion efficiency testing in steam mode, Tsat is the
saturated steam temperature that corresponds to the measured steam
pressure, and 180 is the hot water outlet temperature.
The proposed adjustment equation is derived by assuming that the
heat transfer properties of the heat exchanger operating in hot water
mode are roughly the same as the heat transfer properties of the heat
exchanger operating in steam mode. This assumption is already implicit
in the DOE allowance for using combustion efficiency ratings in steam
mode to represent those in hot water mode, and, thus, this methodology
is consistent with the intent of DOE's existing regulations. DOE
believes that the methodology is technically sound and may result in
more accurate representations of the performance of
[[Page 14659]]
these commercial packaged boilers operating in hot water mode.
However, to further validate the proposed procedure, DOE seeks
comments, as well as sample stack temperature data, sample calculations
and estimates of the impact of this methodology. This is identified as
Issue 31 in section V.E.
Relatedly, DOE proposes additional provisions for enforcement
testing of commercial packaged boilers that are capable of producing
both steam and hot water. Specifically, DOE is proposing that DOE could
choose to test a given model that is capable of producing both steam
and hot water in either mode for the purposes of assessing compliance
with the applicable standard. DOE seeks comment regarding this proposed
provision, and this is identified as Issue 32 in section V.E.
2. Testing at Part Load
In response to the September 2013 Framework document, ACEEE, ASAP,
and NRDC asserted that the existing DOE test procedure for commercial
packaged boilers, which is based on BTS-2000 and measures efficiency at
peak load, is obsolete and that the rating method for boilers with
modulating burners (including high/low fire) must incorporate some
part-load efficiency measure. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, Joint
Advocates, No. 16 at p. 2)
In the February 2014 RFI, DOE requested additional public comment,
data, and information about adopting methodologies and measurements to
determine part-load efficiency of commercial packaged boilers,
including appropriate inlet and outlet water temperatures under part-
load testing conditions, number of hours a modulating burner would
operate under part-load and full-load conditions over the course of a
year, and any added test burden to account for part-load operation
(e.g., measurement of jacket, sensible, and infiltration losses). 79 FR
9643, 9644.
ACEEE stated that whether for a fixed capacity or modulating
boiler, the lower the inlet water temperature the higher the
efficiency, and suggested that a boiler be rated at the lowest inlet
water temperature permissible under a manufacturer's warranty. Also, in
response to expected hours that modulating burners would operate under
part-load and full-load conditions, ACEEE advocated for a review of
industry designs, operational data, and simulations for boiler
operation over the course of a year. (Docket EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006,
ACEEE, No. 2 at pp. 2 and 3)
Burnham suggested using the same inlet/outlet water temperatures
for part-load testing as for full [load] input testing because the
design of modulating burners is indifferent to operating at full load
or part load, and actual operation would vary according to the
application. As for added test burden associated with part-load
operation, Burnham asserted that test costs would double and that
additional testing equipment would be needed to accommodate more
precise control of lower flows and measurement. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-
STD-0030, Burnham, No. 4 at pp. 1 and 2)
HTP stated that part-load testing would burden manufacturers when
multiple operating conditions are required and, given possible
misunderstanding of the systems-level aspects of efficiency, there may
be market confusion over multiple efficiency ratings. HTP posited that
DOE should only regulate single-point minimum efficiencies for
commercial packaged boilers to maintain consistency with historical use
of ``high fire rate.'' (Docket EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006, HTP, No. 5 at p.
2)
Although ACEEE suggested that DOE require enough testing to
describe the entire performance map of the boiler (Docket EERE-2014-BT-
TP-0006, ACEEE, No. 2 at p. 1), several parties expressed the concern
that additional test points would greatly increase the testing burden
for minimal added benefit. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, ABMA, No. 39
at p. 68; Docket EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006, Burnham, No. 4 at p. 1; Docket
EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006, HTP, No. 5 at p. 2)
DOE understands that while a modulating burner can greatly reduce
the annual energy consumption of a condensing commercial packaged
boiler, the effect of a modulating burner on the measured steady-state
efficiency of a non-condensing commercial packaged boiler is small.\15\
Thus, DOE has tentatively determined that small increases in steady-
state efficiency of non-condensing commercial packaged boilers at
reduced firing rates do not warrant additional test procedures or
efficiency metrics for non-condensing commercial packaged boilers
operating at reduced firing rates. DOE also acknowledges the concerns
from manufacturers (testing at different input ratings would require
tests to be repeated, at least in part, multiple times). Therefore, DOE
tentatively concludes that additional part-load testing for any
commercial packaged boiler is not warranted at this time, but seeks
further comment about part-load testing. This is identified as Issue 33
in section V.E.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\15\ See Lochinvar Web site for example efficiency curves at
various firing rates: https://www.lochinvar.com/products/documentation.aspx?mode=filetype&filetypeid=25.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Other Industry Test Procedures
Instead of using BTS-2000 to measure commercial packaged boiler
efficiencies, Cleaver-Brooks suggested using the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers (ASME) PTC 4.1-1964 (Reaffirmed 1991), ``Power
Test Codes: Test Code for Steam Generating Units'' (with 1968 and 1969
Addenda) (ASME PTC 4.1), particularly the abbreviated test form and the
heat loss method incorporated therein. Cleaver-Brooks added that ASME
PTC 4.1 is the most common standard used by manufacturers of larger
commercial packaged boilers (i.e., boilers greater than 2,500,000 Btu/h
rated input), and that the heat loss method in that standard
essentially provides the same efficiency values as BTS-2000 combustion
efficiency if radiation losses are included. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-
0030, Cleaver-Brooks, No. 12 at p. 2) ABMA agreed that ASME PTC-4.1 is
the more appropriate testing standard for larger boilers. ABMA cited
general concerns about BTS-2000 from its member manufacturers,
including (1) the high cost of testing larger boilers; (2) the 0-2 psig
test pressure requirement that causes high steam velocity and poor
steam quality; (3) large temperature rises causing high strain and
fatigue in larger boilers; (4) the custom-built nature of larger
combustion equipment; and (5) safety compliance requirements of other
entities such as the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel
Inspectors. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, ABMA, No. 14 at pp. 2, 3)
ABMA suggested in its comments responding to the November 2014
Preliminary Analysis that ASME PTC 4 (note: not PTC-4.1) should be used
for testing. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, ABMA No. 33 at p. 2)
As part of the energy conservation standards and test procedure
rulemaking for commercial packaged boilers that concluded with the
final rule published in the Federal Register on October 21, 2004 (69 FR
61949), DOE evaluated five other industry test procedures for potential
incorporation by reference under 10 CFR 431.85.\16\ At
[[Page 14660]]
that time, DOE considered both ASME PTC 4-1998, ``Fired Steam
Generators Test Codes,'' and ASME PTC 4.1-1964, ``Steam Generating
Units Power Test Codes,'' as potential alternatives to BTS-2000.
However, DOE adopted-BTS-2000 for testing all covered commercial
packaged boilers manufactured after October 21, 2006. Prior to that
date, a manufacturer could use either BTS-2000 or the alternative test
method ASME PTC 4.1-1964 for steel commercial packaged boilers. 69 FR
61949, 61961.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\16\ The version of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 in effect on June 30,
1992, referenced five industry test standards that apply to gas-
fired boilers or oil-fired boilers or both. These are the ANSI
Standard Z21.13-1987 for gas-fired boilers (revised as ANSI Z21.13-
1991 with Addendum ANSI Z21.13-1993a); the HI Testing and Rating
Standard for Heating Boilers, sixth edition, 1989, for gas and oil-
fired boilers (HI 1989); ASME Power Test Codes (PTC) 4.1-1964
(reaffirmed R1991) for Steam Generating Units for fossil fuel
boilers (revised in 1998 as ASME PTC 4-1998, Fired Steam Generators,
issued on December 31, 1999); the Underwriters Laboratory Standard
795-1973 for gas heating equipment (UL 795, revised in 1994 as UL
795-94); and the Underwriters Laboratory Standard UL Standard 726-
1990 for oil-fired boilers (UL 726). See 69 FR 61955 (October 21,
2004).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
For this NOPR, DOE re-examined the test procedures and public
comments addressed in the October 21, 2004 final rule and the rationale
behind each. For example, public comments from GAMA about ASME PTC 4.1
included the following observations and critiques: (1) It lacks
``tolerances for input, pressure, number of tests required, and when
the boiler has achieved steady-state conditions;'' (2) test duration of
4 hours is too long for a combustion test, and the locations ``of
temperature, pressure, flue sampling, and stack configuration are not
specified;'' (3) it is a test standard for the acceptance test of a
boiler after it is installed where the test conditions are less
controllable than a laboratory test; and (4) it has been replaced by
the standard ASME PTC 4-1998 which is vastly different from the
original ASME PTC 4.1. As such, DOE believed then and continues to
believe that ASME PTC 4.1 would be too burdensome, that hours of
testing are longer than needed, and that there are differences in
results between PTC 4.1 and BTS-2000. In the October 2004 final rule,
DOE found that ASME PTC 4.1-1964 (PTC 4.1) and its successor ASME PTC
4-1998 (PTC 4) were not fit for adoption as the required test procedure
for the following reasons:
The abbreviated test form of PTC 4.1, while a sound test,
was removed in the PTC 4 version and its use was discouraged by the PTC
4 standard.
Since the abbreviated test form of PTC 4.1 was not part of
PTC 4, the test burden of the new standard was excessive for the
purposes of rating smaller commercial packaged boilers.
DOE believed there may be some differences in efficiency
ratings between the PTC 4.1 and BTS-2000 tests, and, therefore, only
one test method would be adopted.\17\
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\17\ The analysis conducted at the time of the NOPR used the
document's previous version, HI-1989. 65 FR 48838 (August 9, 2000).
At the time of final rule, DOE was provided with the updated BTS-
2000 and found sufficient similarity such that BTS-2000 could be
adopted as the test procedure without further analysis. 69 FR 61949,
61955-56 (October 21, 2004).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
BTS-2000 was simple to conduct, and converting from the
abbreviated test form of PTC 4.1 to BTS-2000 would not be overly
burdensome.
69 FR 61949, 61954-57.
DOE notes that these findings from the October 2004 final rule
concerning BTS-2000 continue to apply to ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015
because ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 is an updated version of BTS-2000.
On July 22, 2009, DOE published a final rule adopting the thermal
efficiency metric as the energy efficiency descriptor for eight of ten
equipment classes of commercial packaged boilers in order to conform to
ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007. 74 FR 36314. The thermal efficiency metric
was required for purposes of compliance starting March 2, 2012. DOE
notes that BTS-2000 was incorporated by reference as the foundation of
the DOE test procedure on October 21, 2004. 69 FR 61949. Manufacturers
have been required to use BTS-2000 for purposes of compliance since
October 24, 2006. 69 FR 61961. DOE has not been provided with new data
that substantiate claims from ABMA or manufacturers regarding possible
test complications or burden since these previous rulemakings were
undertaken.
With regard to ABMA's specific claims concerning the BTS-2000
methodology (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, ABMA, No. 14 at p. 2, 3),
DOE proposes modified inlet and outlet water temperatures for hot water
commercial packaged boiler tests (section III.D) and a wider allowable
range of steam operating pressures for steam commercial packaged boiler
tests (see section III.C.4), as provided in ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-
2015. DOE believes these proposals would alleviate ABMA's concerns
regarding excessive commercial packaged boiler stresses and steam
quality and are consistent with ABMA's suggestions. (Docket EERE-2013-
BT-STD-0030, ABMA, No. 14 at p. 4)
AHRI commented that ASHRAE Standard 155, ``Method of Testing for
Rating Commercial Space Heating Boiler Systems,'' is being developed as
a replacement for BTS-2000 (and ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015) and that
DOE could adopt this new standard as a new reference for the commercial
packaged boiler test procedure. (Docket EERE-2014-BT-TP-0006, AHRI, No.
6 at pp. 2-3) AHRI suggested that DOE should defer considering
alterations to its test procedure until ASHRAE Standard 155 is
published. PGE and SCE also urged DOE to consider using the ASHRAE
Standard 155, which is currently under development, as the basis for
the Federal test procedure. (Docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030, Joint
Utilities, No. 38 at p. 3) DOE understands that the development of
ASHRAE Standard 155 is currently a proposed standards project.\18\ DOE
is not aware of any scheduled publication date, and is now subject to a
statutory requirement to review the test procedure. As stated
previously, DOE last reviewed the test procedures for commercial
packaged boilers in a final rule published in the Federal Register on
July 22, 2009 (74 FR 36312), and thus is required to re-evaluate the
test procedures no later than July 22, 2016. Consequently, DOE plans to
move forward with this test procedure rulemaking for commercial
packaged boilers. However, DOE will monitor developments related to
ASHRAE Standard 155 and may consider incorporation of that standard in
a future test procedure rulemaking. As noted previously, in this NOPR,
DOE proposes to incorporate by reference the recently published ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500-2015 that supersedes the BTS-2000 standard and
corrects some minor issues therein.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\18\ ASHRAE Standard 155 (currently identified as SPC 155P) is a
proposed standards project, the purpose of which is to develop
procedures for determining the steady-state thermal efficiency,
part-load efficiency, and idling energy input rate of space heating
boilers. See https://www.ashrae.org/standards-research--technology/
standards--guidelines/titles-purposes-and-scopes#SPC155P.
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IV. Procedural Issues and Regulatory Review
A. Review Under Executive Order 12866
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has determined that test
procedure rulemakings do not constitute ``significant regulatory
actions'' under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866, ``Regulatory
Planning and Review,'' 58 FR 51735 (October 4, 1993). Accordingly, this
regulatory action was not subject to review under the Executive Order
by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in OMB.
B. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) requires
preparation
[[Page 14661]]
of an initial regulatory flexibility analysis (IFRA) for any rule that
by law must be proposed for public comment, unless the agency certifies
that the rule, if promulgated, will not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small entities. As required by
Executive Order 13272, ``Proper Consideration of Small Entities in
Agency Rulemaking,'' 67 FR 53461 (August 16, 2002), DOE published
procedures and policies on February 19, 2003, to ensure that the
potential impacts of its rules on small entities are properly
considered during the DOE rulemaking process. 68 FR 7990. DOE has made
its procedures and policies available on the Office of the General
Counsel's Web site: https://energy.gov/gc/office-general-counsel.
This proposed rule prescribes test procedure amendments that would
be used to determine compliance with energy conservation standards for
commercial packaged boilers. The proposed amendments modify the inlet
and outlet water temperatures for hot water tests, increase the
allowable steam pressure for steam tests, implement more specific
criteria for determining when steady-state has been reached during
testing, and establish room temperature and relative humidity limits.
DOE reviewed this proposed rule under the provisions of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act and DOE's own procedures and policies
published on February 19, 2003. DOE has concluded that the proposed
rule would not have a significant impact on a substantial number of
small entities. The factual basis for this certification is as follows.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) considers a business entity
to be a small business, if, together with its affiliates, it employs
less than a threshold number of workers specified in 13 CFR part 121.
These size standards and codes are established by the North American
Industry Classification System (NAICS). The threshold number for NAICS
classification code 333414, which applies to ``heating equipment
(except warm air furnaces) manufacturing' and includes commercial
packaged boilers, is 500 employees.
To estimate the number of companies that could be small business
manufacturers of the equipment affected by this rulemaking, DOE
conducted a market survey using available public information to
identify potential small manufacturers. DOE's research involved
reviewing the AHRI directory (a product database), individual company
Web sites, and marketing research tools (e.g., Hoover's reports) to
create a list of all domestic small business manufacturers of equipment
affected by this rulemaking. DOE identified 23 manufacturers of
commercial packaged boilers as domestic small business manufacturers.
DOE was able to discuss the DOE test procedures with 5 of these small
businesses. DOE also obtained information about small businesses and
potential impacts on small businesses while interviewing manufacturers
in the context of the standards rulemaking. However, DOE did not
receive any detailed quantifications about the incremental burden small
businesses would face as compared to larger businesses in light of the
proposed methods.
The proposed amendments would alter water temperatures for hot
water commercial packaged boilers tests, increase the allowable steam
pressure for steam tests, add specific criteria for establishing
steady-state, and place limits on the ambient temperature and relative
humidity during testing. DOE recognizes that by reducing the
temperature rise across the commercial packaged boiler, the water flow
rate will necessarily increase proportionally. The required flow rate
for a 10 million Btu/h fuel input rate commercial packaged boiler with
a 100[emsp14][deg]F minimum temperature rise (as is the case currently
for non-condensing commercial packaged boilers) would be approximately
200 gallons per minute (gpm). Reducing the temperature rise across the
commercial packaged boiler to 40[emsp14][deg]F would increase the water
flow rate requirement to approximately 500 gpm for a 10 million Btu/h
fuel input rate commercial packaged boiler. If a laboratory or
manufacturer does not currently have a pump capable of handling the
flow rates of the commercial packaged boilers they are testing, they
may need to purchase a pump rated for a higher flow rate. Based on
internet research of several HVAC equipment vendors, DOE estimates that
the cost of a pump capable of 500 gpm is $3,000. The number of models
for which this investment would be required would vary by manufacturer
and laboratory; however, DOE estimates the average to be 15 models.\19\
Therefore, DOE estimates the cost per model of this investment to be
approximately $200, which DOE believes to be a modest amount compared
to the total product development and certification costs of a model,
which can be in the tens of thousands of dollars.\20\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\19\ Based on product model listing compiled for commercial
packaged boilers standards rulemaking using the AHRI directory,
docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030.
\20\ Based on information obtained during confidential
manufacturer interviews as part of the commercial packaged boilers
standards rulemaking, docket EERE-2013-BT-STD-0030.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regarding the increase in allowable steam pressure for steam
commercial packaged boiler tests, manufacturers will likely initiate a
test at low pressure (much less than 15 psi) and increase as necessary
(up to 15 psi) to achieve the necessary steam quality. While the setup
and operation of the test is unchanged, this process may increase the
amount of time necessary to perform the test. DOE estimates that this
would increase test time by, at most, 2 hours. For a 10 million Btu/h
fuel input rate commercial packaged boiler, and assuming a rate of $40
per hour for a laboratory technician, $8.89 per thousand cubic feet of
natural gas, and 1,025 Btu per cubic foot high heating value (HHV), DOE
estimates the additional testing cost to be $253.46.\21\ DOE believes
this amount is modest in comparison to the overall cost of product
development and certification.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\21\ The laboratory technician hourly wage is based on mean
hourly wage of $26.67 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for a
Mechanical Engineering Technician, occupational code 17-3027: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes173027.htm. (Last accessed January 21,
2016.) Mean hourly wage is multiplied by 1.5 to estimate associated
benefits and overhead. The price of natural gas is the 5-year
average (May 2009 to May 2014) obtained from the ``U.S. Price of
Natural Gas Sold to Commercial Consumers'' from U.S. Energy
Information Administration (EIA) (Available at: https://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/hist/n3020us3m.htm).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the case of the criteria for establishing steady-state, DOE
believes that the requirements do not add to the time or cost necessary
to conduct the test. The test procedure already requires a period of 30
minutes prior to starting the test, during which steady-state is
established. DOE is clarifying the conditions that must be satisfied to
meet steady-state, and does not believe any additional time is required
to meet such conditions.
With regard to the test room ambient temperature and relative
humidity limits, DOE notes that the limits are intended to prevent the
test from being conducted in extreme ambient conditions, and that the
allowable temperature and relative humidity ranges are typical for
building heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems in normal
operating conditions. DOE is aware that the proposed constraints may in
some cases require laboratories to move testing from an uncontrolled
environment (i.e., outdoors or facilities open to the outdoors) to a
controlled environment. However, DOE believes this to be a
[[Page 14662]]
small number of cases, and that typically testing is performed in a
laboratory setting with typical heating, ventilating, and air-
conditioning systems and controls. DOE notes that the limits are
intended to prevent the test from being conducted in extreme ambient
conditions, and that the ambient temperature requirements are typical
for building heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems in
normal operating condition. However, if the ambient temperature or
relative humidity in the testing area do not already meet these
tolerances, the manufacturer may need to improve climate regulation of
the test environment, possibly by improving the controls of their
thermostats, or preventing hot or cold drafts from entering the testing
environment. DOE estimates that improving the controls of the
thermostat and preventing hot or cold drafts from entering the testing
environment could involve four to eight hours of labor by a general
technician. At a rate of $40 per hour for a laboratory technician, DOE
estimates the cost for this amount of labor to be between $160 and
$320, which DOE believes is modest in comparison to the overall cost of
product development and certification.
Finally, DOE acknowledges that the proposal to require digital data
acquisition may add additional test burden. DOE has estimated the
following costs associated with digital data acquisition:
Table IV.1--Estimated One-Time Costs Associated With Digital Data
Acquisition
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Description Cost
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Laptop.................................................. $1,500
Data Acquisition Module................................. 2,000
Data Acquisition Software............................... 3,000
Installation and Setup (16 hours laboratory technician 640
time x $40/hour).......................................
---------------
Total............................................... 7,140
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The data acquisition system could be used by the manufacturer or
laboratory to test all commercial packaged boiler models. Again, DOE
believes these costs are modest in comparison to the overall cost of
product development and certification.
For the reasons stated previously, DOE concludes that this proposed
rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities, so DOE has not prepared a regulatory
flexibility analysis for this rulemaking. DOE will provide its
certification and supporting statement of factual basis to the Chief
Counsel for Advocacy of the SBA for review under 5 U.S.C. 605(b).
DOE seeks comment on whether the proposed test procedure changes
will have a significant impact on a substantial number of small
entities. This is identified as Issue 34 in section V.E.
C. Review Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
Manufacturers of commercial packaged boilers must certify to DOE
that their equipment complies with all applicable energy conservation
standards. In certifying compliance, manufacturers must test their
equipment according to the DOE test procedure for commercial packaged
boilers under 10 CFR 431.86, including any amendments adopted for those
test procedures, on the date that compliance is required. DOE has
established regulations for the certification and recordkeeping
requirements for all covered consumer products and commercial
equipment, including commercial packaged boilers. See 10 CFR part 429,
subpart B. The collection-of-information requirement for certification
and recordkeeping is subject to review and approval by OMB under the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). This requirement has been approved by
OMB under OMB Control Number 1910-1400. Public reporting burden for the
certification is estimated to average 30 hours per response, including
the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources,
gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing
the collection of information.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is
required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty
for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the
requirements of the PRA, unless that collection of information displays
a currently valid OMB Control Number.
D. Review Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
In this proposed rule, DOE proposes test procedure amendments that
it expects will be used to develop and implement future energy
conservation standards for commercial packaged boilers. DOE has
determined that this rule falls into a class of actions that are
categorically excluded from review under the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and DOE's implementing
regulations at 10 CFR part 1021. Specifically, this proposed rule would
amend the existing test procedures without affecting the amount,
quality, or distribution of energy usage, and, therefore, would not
result in any environmental impacts. Thus, this rulemaking is covered
by Categorical Exclusion A5 under 10 CFR part 1021, subpart D, which
applies to any rulemaking that interprets or amends an existing rule
without changing the environmental effect of that rule. Accordingly,
neither an environmental assessment nor an environmental impact
statement is required.
E. Review Under Executive Order 13132
Executive Order 13132, ``Federalism,'' 64 FR 43255 (August 10,
1999), imposes certain requirements on Federal agencies formulating and
implementing policies or regulations that preempt State law or that
have Federalism implications. The Executive Order requires agencies to
examine the constitutional and statutory authority supporting any
action that would limit the policymaking discretion of the States, and
to carefully assess the necessity for such actions. The Executive Order
also requires agencies to have an accountability process to ensure
meaningful and timely input by State and local officials in the
development of regulatory policies that have Federalism implications.
On March 14, 2000, DOE published a statement of policy describing the
intergovernmental consultation process it will follow in the
development of such regulations. 65 FR 13735. DOE has examined this
proposed rule and has determined that it would not have a substantial
direct effect on the States, on the relationship between the national
government and the States, or on the distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various levels of government. EPCA governs
and prescribes Federal preemption of State regulations as to energy
conservation for the equipment that is the subject of this proposed
rule. States can petition DOE for exemption from such preemption to the
extent, and based on criteria, set forth in EPCA. (42 U.S.C. 6297(d);
42 U.S.C. 6316(a)) No further action is required by Executive Order
13132.
F. Review Under Executive Order 12988
Regarding the review of existing regulations and the promulgation
of new regulations, section 3(a) of Executive Order 12988, ``Civil
Justice Reform,'' 61 FR 4729 (Feb. 7, 1996), imposes on Federal
agencies the general duty to adhere to the following requirements: (1)
eliminate drafting errors and ambiguity; (2) write regulations to
minimize litigation; (3) provide a clear legal standard for
[[Page 14663]]
affected conduct rather than a general standard; and (4) promote
simplification and burden reduction. Section 3(b) of Executive Order
12988 specifically requires that Executive agencies make every
reasonable effort to ensure that the regulation: (1) clearly specifies
the preemptive effect, if any; (2) clearly specifies any effect on
existing Federal law or regulation; (3) provides a clear legal standard
for affected conduct while promoting simplification and burden
reduction; (4) specifies the retroactive effect, if any; (5) adequately
defines key terms; and (6) addresses other important issues affecting
clarity and general draftsmanship under any guidelines issued by the
Attorney General. Section 3(c) of Executive Order 12988 requires
Executive agencies to review regulations in light of applicable
standards in sections 3(a) and 3(b) to determine whether they are met
or it is unreasonable to meet one or more of them. DOE has completed
the required review and determined that, to the extent permitted by
law, the proposed rule meets the relevant standards of Executive Order
12988.
G. Review Under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA)
requires each Federal agency to assess the effects of Federal
regulatory actions on State, local, and Tribal governments and the
private sector. Pub. L. 104-4, sec. 201 (codified at 2 U.S.C. 1531).
For a proposed regulatory action likely to result in a rule that may
cause the expenditure by State, local, and Tribal governments, in the
aggregate, or by the private sector of $100 million or more in any one
year (adjusted annually for inflation), section 202 of UMRA requires a
Federal agency to publish a written statement that estimates the
resulting costs, benefits, and other effects on the national economy.
(2 U.S.C. 1532(a), (b)) The UMRA also requires a Federal agency to
develop an effective process to permit timely input by elected officers
of State, local, and Tribal governments on a proposed ``significant
intergovernmental mandate,'' and requires an agency plan for giving
notice and opportunity for timely input to potentially affected small
governments before establishing any requirements that might
significantly or uniquely affect small governments. On March 18, 1997,
DOE published a statement of policy on its process for
intergovernmental consultation under UMRA. 62 FR 12820; also available
at https://energy.gov/gc/office-general-counsel. DOE examined this
proposed rule according to UMRA and its statement of policy and
determined that the rule contains neither an intergovernmental mandate,
nor a mandate that may result in the expenditure of $100 million or
more in any year, so these requirements do not apply.
H. Review Under the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act,
1999
Section 654 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations
Act, 1999 (Pub. L. 105-277) requires Federal agencies to issue a Family
Policymaking Assessment for any rule that may affect family well-being.
This rule would not have any impact on the autonomy or integrity of the
family as an institution. Accordingly, DOE has concluded that it is not
necessary to prepare a Family Policymaking Assessment.
I. Review Under Executive Order 12630
DOE has determined, under Executive Order 12630, ``Governmental
Actions and Interference with Constitutionally Protected Property
Rights'' 53 FR 8859 (March 18, 1988), that this regulation would not
result in any takings that might require compensation under the Fifth
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
J. Review Under Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act,
2001
Section 515 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations
Act, 2001 (44 U.S.C. 3516 note) provides for agencies to review most
disseminations of information to the public under guidelines
established by each agency pursuant to general guidelines issued by
OMB. OMB's guidelines were published at 67 FR 8452 (Feb. 22, 2002), and
DOE's guidelines were published at 67 FR 62446 (Oct. 7, 2002). DOE has
reviewed this proposed rule under the OMB and DOE guidelines and has
concluded that it is consistent with applicable policies in those
guidelines.
K. Review Under Executive Order 13211
Executive Order 13211, ``Actions Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use,'' 66 FR 28355
(May 22, 2001), requires Federal agencies to prepare and submit to OMB,
a Statement of Energy Effects for any proposed significant energy
action. A ``significant energy action'' is defined as any action by an
agency that promulgated or is expected to lead to promulgation of a
final rule, and that: (1) is a significant regulatory action under
Executive Order 12866, or any successor order; and (2) is likely to
have a significant adverse effect on the supply, distribution, or use
of energy; or (3) is designated by the Administrator of OIRA as a
significant energy action. For any proposed significant energy action,
the agency must give a detailed statement of any adverse effects on
energy supply, distribution, or use should the proposal be implemented,
and of reasonable alternatives to the action and their expected
benefits on energy supply, distribution, and use.
The proposed regulatory action to amend the test procedure for
measuring the energy efficiency of commercial packaged boilers is not a
significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866. Moreover, it
would not have a significant adverse effect on the supply,
distribution, or use of energy, nor has it been designated as a
significant energy action by the Administrator of OIRA. Therefore, it
is not a significant energy action, and, accordingly, DOE has not
prepared a Statement of Energy Effects.
L. Review Under Section 32 of the Federal Energy Administration Act of
1974
Under section 301 of the Department of Energy Organization Act
(Pub. L. 95-91; 42 U.S.C. 7101), DOE must comply with section 32 of the
Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974, as amended by the Federal
Energy Administration Authorization Act of 1977. (15 U.S.C. 788; FEAA)
Section 32 essentially provides in relevant part that, where a proposed
rule authorizes or requires use of commercial standards, the notice of
proposed rulemaking must inform the public of the use and background of
such standards. In addition, section 32(c) requires DOE to consult with
the Attorney General and the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) concerning the impact of the commercial or industry standards on
competition.
This proposed rule incorporates testing methods contained in the
commercial standard ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015, ``2015 Standard for
Performance Rating of Commercial Space Heating Boilers.'' While this
NOPR proposes amendments that supplant various provisions of that
industry standard, the test procedure is largely adopted directly from
the commercial standard without amendment. DOE has evaluated this
standard and is unable to conclude whether it fully complies with the
requirements of section 32(b) of the FEAA, (i.e., that it was developed
in a manner that fully provides for public participation, comment, and
review). DOE will consult with the Attorney
[[Page 14664]]
General and the Chairwoman of the FTC concerning the impact on
competition of requiring manufacturers to use the test methods
contained in this industry standard prior to prescribing a final rule.
M. Description of Materials Incorporated by Reference
In this NOPR, DOE proposes to incorporate by reference certain
sections of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015, ``2015 Standard for
Performance Rating of Commercial Space Heating Boilers.'' ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015 is an industry-accepted test procedure that provides
methods, requirements, and calculations for determining the thermal
and/or combustion efficiency of a commercial space heating boiler.
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 is available at https://www.ahrinet.org/App_Content/ahri/files/standards%20pdfs/ANSI%20standards%20pdfs/ANSI.AHRI_Standard_1500-2015.pdf.
V. Public Participation
A. Attendance at the Public Meeting
The time, date, and location of the public meeting are listed in
the DATES and ADDRESSES sections at the beginning of this document. If
you plan to attend the public meeting, please notify Ms. Brenda Edwards
at (202) 586-2945 or Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov.
Please note that foreign nationals participating in the public
meeting are subject to advance security screening procedures which
require advance notice prior to attendance at the public meeting. Any
foreign national wishing to participate in the public meeting should
inform DOE as soon as possible by contacting Ms. Regina Washington at
(202) 586-1214 or by email: Regina.Washington@ee.doe.gov so that the
necessary procedures can be completed.
DOE requires visitors with laptop computers and other devices, such
as tablets, to be checked upon entry into the building. Any person
wishing to bring these devices into the Forrestal Building will be
required to obtain a property pass. Visitors should avoid bringing
these devices, or allow an extra 45 minutes to check in. Please report
to the visitor's desk to have devices checked before proceeding through
security.
Due to the REAL ID Act implemented by the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS), there have been recent changes regarding identification
(ID) requirements for individuals wishing to enter Federal buildings
from specific states and U.S. territories. As a result, driver's
licenses from the following states or territory will not be accepted
for building entry and one of the alternate forms of ID listed below
will be required. DHS has determined that regular driver's licenses
(and ID cards) from the following jurisdictions are not acceptable for
entry into DOE facilities: Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Louisiana,
Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oklahoma, and Washington.
Acceptable alternate forms of Photo-ID include: U.S. Passport or
Passport Card; an Enhanced Driver's License or Enhanced ID-Card issued
by the states of Minnesota, New York or Washington (Enhanced licenses
issued by these states are clearly marked Enhanced or Enhanced Driver's
License); a military ID or other Federal government issued Photo-ID
card.
In addition, you can attend the public meeting via webinar. Webinar
registration information, participant instructions, and information
about the capabilities available to webinar participants will be
published on DOE's Web site at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx?ruleid=87. Participants are
responsible for ensuring their systems are compatible with the webinar
software.
B. Procedure for Submitting Prepared General Statements for
Distribution
Any person who has plans to present a prepared general statement
may request that copies of his or her statement be made available at
the public meeting. Such persons may submit requests, along with an
advance electronic copy of their statement in PDF (preferred),
Microsoft Word or Excel, WordPerfect, or text (ASCII) file format, to
the appropriate address shown in the ADDRESSES section at the beginning
of this NOPR. The request and advance copy of statements must be
received at least one week before the public meeting and may be
emailed, hand-delivered, or sent by mail. DOE prefers to receive
requests and advance copies via email. Please include a telephone
number to enable DOE staff to make a follow-up contact, if needed.
C. Conduct of the Public Meeting
DOE will designate a DOE official to preside at the public meeting
and may also use a professional facilitator to aid discussion. The
meeting will not be a judicial or evidentiary-type public hearing, but
DOE will conduct it in accordance with section 336 of EPCA (42 U.S.C.
6306). A court reporter will be present to record the proceedings and
prepare a transcript. DOE reserves the right to schedule the order of
presentations and to establish the procedures governing the conduct of
the public meeting. After the public meeting, interested parties may
submit further comments on the proceedings, as well as on any aspect of
the rulemaking, until the end of the comment period.
The public meeting will be conducted in an informal, conference
style. DOE will present summaries of comments received before the
public meeting, allow time for prepared general statements by
participants, and encourage all interested parties to share their views
on issues affecting this rulemaking. Each participant will be allowed
to make a general statement (within time limits determined by DOE),
before the discussion of specific topics. DOE will allow, as time
permits, other participants to comment briefly on any general
statements.
At the end of all prepared statements on a topic, DOE will permit
participants to clarify their statements briefly and comment on
statements made by others. Participants should be prepared to answer
questions by DOE and by other participants concerning these issues. DOE
representatives may also ask questions of participants concerning other
matters relevant to this rulemaking. The official conducting the public
meeting will accept additional comments or questions from those
attending, as time permits. The presiding official will announce any
further procedural rules or modification of the above procedures that
may be needed for the proper conduct of the public meeting.
A transcript of the public meeting will be included in the docket,
which can be viewed as described in the Docket section at the beginning
of this notice. In addition, any person may buy a copy of the
transcript from the transcribing reporter.
D. Submission of Comments
DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding this
proposed rule before or after the public meeting, but no later than the
date provided in the DATES section at the beginning of this proposed
rule. Interested parties may submit comments using any of the methods
described in the ADDRESSES section at the beginning of this proposed
rule.
Submitting comments via www.regulations.gov. The
www.regulations.gov Web page will require you to provide your name and
contact information. Your contact information will be viewable to DOE
Building Technologies staff only. Your contact information will not be
publicly viewable except for your first and last
[[Page 14665]]
names, organization name (if any), and submitter representative name
(if any). If your comment is not processed properly because of
technical difficulties, DOE will use this information to contact you.
If DOE cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and
cannot contact you for clarification, DOE may not be able to consider
your comment.
However, your contact information will be publicly viewable if you
include it in the comment itself or in any documents attached to your
comment. Any information that you do not want to be publicly viewable
should not be included in your comment, nor in any document attached to
your comment. Persons viewing comments will see only first and last
names, organization names, correspondence containing comments, and any
documents submitted with the comments.
Do not submit to www.regulations.gov information for which
disclosure is restricted by statute, such as trade secrets and
commercial or financial information (hereinafter referred to as
Confidential Business Information (CBI)). Comments submitted through
www.regulations.gov cannot be claimed as CBI. Comments received through
the Web site will waive any CBI claims for the information submitted.
For information on submitting CBI, see the Confidential Business
Information section.
DOE processes submissions made through www.regulations.gov before
posting. Normally, comments will be posted within a few days of being
submitted. However, if large volumes of comments are being processed
simultaneously, your comment may not be viewable for up to several
weeks. Please keep the comment tracking number that www.regulations.gov
provides after you have successfully uploaded your comment.
Submitting comments via email, hand delivery/courier, or mail.
Comments and documents submitted via email, hand delivery/courier, or
mail also will be posted to www.regulations.gov. If you do not want
your personal contact information to be publicly viewable, do not
include it in your comment or any accompanying documents. Instead,
provide your contact information in a cover letter. Include your first
and last names, email address, telephone number, and optional mailing
address. The cover letter will not be publicly viewable as long as it
does not include any comments.
Include contact information each time you submit comments, data,
documents, and other information to DOE. If you submit via mail or hand
delivery/courier, please provide all items on a compact disc (CD), if
feasible, in which case it is not necessary to submit printed copies.
No telefacsimiles (faxes) will be accepted.
Comments, data, and other information submitted to DOE
electronically should be provided in PDF (preferred), Microsoft Word or
Excel, WordPerfect, or text (ASCII) file format. Provide documents that
are not secured, written in English, and are free of any defects or
viruses. Documents should not contain special characters or any form of
encryption and, if possible, they should carry the electronic signature
of the author.
Campaign form letters. Please submit campaign form letters by the
originating organization in batches of between 50 to 500 form letters
per PDF or as one form letter with a list of supporters' names compiled
into one or more PDFs. This reduces comment processing and posting
time.
Confidential Business Information. Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, any
person submitting information that he or she believes to be
confidential and exempt by law from public disclosure should submit via
email, postal mail, or hand delivery/courier two well-marked copies:
one copy of the document marked ``confidential'' including all the
information believed to be confidential, and one copy of the document
marked ``non-confidential'' with the information believed to be
confidential deleted. Submit these documents via email or on a CD, if
feasible. DOE will make its own determination about the confidential
status of the information and treat it according to its determination.
Factors of interest to DOE when evaluating requests to treat
submitted information as confidential include: (1) a description of the
items; (2) whether and why such items are customarily treated as
confidential within the industry; (3) whether the information is
generally known by or available from other sources; (4) whether the
information has previously been made available to others without
obligation concerning its confidentiality; (5) an explanation of the
competitive injury to the submitting person which would result from
public disclosure; (6) when such information might lose its
confidential character due to the passage of time; and (7) why
disclosure of the information would be contrary to the public interest.
It is DOE's policy that all comments may be included in the public
docket, without change and as received, including any personal
information provided in the comments (except information deemed to be
exempt from public disclosure).
E. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Comment
Although DOE welcomes comments on any aspect of this proposal, DOE
is particularly interested in receiving comments and views of
interested parties concerning the following issues:
1. DOE seeks comment on its proposal to replace BTS-2000 with ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500-2015 in its test procedure for commercial packaged
boilers (section III.A).
2. DOE seeks comment on its proposal to remove its definition for
packaged low pressure boiler and modify its definitions for commercial
packaged boiler (section III.B.1).
3. DOE seeks comment on its proposed definition for ``field-
constructed.'' (section III.B.2)
4. DOE seeks comment on the feasibility of conducting a combustion
efficiency test in the field for steam and hot water commercial
packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h
(section III.C.1).
5. DOE seeks comment on whether the thermal efficiency test can be
conducted for steam commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rate
greater than 2,500,000 Btu/h and less than or equal to 5,000,000 Btu/h
(section III.C.1).
6. DOE seeks comment on the specific limitations, if they exist,
that preclude combustion efficiency testing in a laboratory setting for
steam commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than
2,500,000 Btu/h and less than or equal to 5,000,000 Btu/h (section
III.C.1).
7. DOE seeks comment on the specific additional equipment or
facilities and their associated cost that would be required to
accommodate testing commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rate
greater than 2,500,000 Btu/h and less than or equal to 5,000,000 Btu/h
in a laboratory setting (section III.C.1).
8. DOE seeks comment on whether the 5,000,000 Btu/h fuel input rate
is an adequate threshold for the allowance of the field combustion test
and conversion methodology, and if not, what threshold should be used
(section III.C.1).
9. DOE seeks comment on whether certification should be permitted
for field tested units after distribution in commerce and after
commissioning, in particular the impact of this approach on building
inspectors (section III.C.1).
10. DOE seeks comment on its proposed conversion method for
calculating thermal efficiency based on combustion efficiency for steam
commercial packaged boilers with fuel
[[Page 14666]]
input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h (section III.C.2).
11. DOE seeks comment on the proposed value for the difference
between the combustion efficiency and thermal efficiency in the
conversion method (proposed value of 2 percent of the combustion
efficiency), whether the value would result in conservative ratings,
and what number DOE should use instead if the proposed value is not
adequate (section III.C.2).
12. DOE seeks comment on whether the 5,000,000 Btu/h fuel input
rate is an adequate threshold for the allowance of the field combustion
test and/or conversion methodology, and if not, what threshold should
be used (section III.C.2).
13. DOE seeks comment on if the field combustion test (for hot
water and steam commercial packaged boilers) and conversion methodology
(for steam commercial packaged boilers) do not adequately accommodate
commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000
Btu/h, what procedure should DOE implement in order to do so (section
III.C.2).
14. DOE seeks comments, data, and information about pressures
recommended by manufacturers and relevance to actual operating
conditions in buildings (section III.C.4).
15. DOE seeks comment on whether DOE should require testing to be
performed at the lowest possible steam pressure where steam quality
requirements can be met (section III.C.4).
16. DOE also requests comment on if there are any commercial
packaged boilers that require steam pressures greater than 15 psig to
maintain 2 percent moisture in the produced steam (see section
III.C.4).
17. DOE seeks comments, data, and information about whether the
proposed testing conditions related to water temperatures are
appropriate both for a non-condensing commercial packaged boiler and a
condensing commercial packaged boiler (section III.D.2).
18. DOE also requests comment on the proposed test provisions to
accommodate commercial packaged boilers that cannot be tested with a
temperature rise of 40[emsp14][deg]F across the commercial packaged
boiler (Point B to Point C); (section III.D.2).
19. DOE seeks additional comments, data, and analysis concerning
thermal efficiency test measurement uncertainty (section III.D.2).
20. DOE seeks comment regarding the current prevalence of using
recirculating loops in testing; specifically, DOE requests comment
about the kinds of commercial packaged boilers utilizing recirculation
loops and the conditions at which these commercial packaged boilers and
recirculating loops operate (section III.D.4).
21. DOE seeks further comments, data, and information concerning
the capabilities of test laboratories, particularly in light of the
specific proposed conditions contained in this NOPR (section III.D.4).
22. DOE seeks comments, data, and information about room ambient
relative humidity, whether the proposed constraints are appropriate,
and if not, what are appropriate constraints on room ambient relative
humidity when testing commercial packaged boilers (section III.E).
23. DOE seeks comment, data, and information about the
aforementioned proposed room ambient temperatures, whether the proposed
constraints are appropriate and if not, what are appropriate
constraints on room ambient temperature (section III.E)
24. DOE seeks comments based upon the proposed changes to the steam
riser, header, and return water loop requirements (section III.F).
25. DOE seeks comments regarding the specification of burners for
oil-fired commercial packaged boilers (section III.F).
26. DOE seeks additional comment, and particularly data, about
whether the oxygen combustion analyzer produces equivalent combustion
efficiencies to the carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide
(CO2) calculations provided by ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015
and BTS-2000 (section III.F).
27. DOE seeks comment on the proposal to require digital data
acquisition (section III.F).
28. DOE seeks comment as to the proposed clarifications in set up
and instrumentation (section III.F).
29. DOE seeks comment regarding its proposed definition and
methodology for measuring and verifying fuel input rate and steady-
state (section III.G).
30. DOE seeks comment on its proposed clerical corrections and
clarifications (section III.H).
31. DOE seeks comments, as well as sample stack temperature data,
sample calculations and estimates of the impact of the stack
temperature adjustment methodology (section III.I.1).
32. DOE seeks comment regarding its proposed provision to conduct
enforcement testing in both steam mode and hot water mode for those
commercial packaged boilers capable of producing both and using either
result in determining noncompliance with energy conservation standards.
(section III.I.1)
33. DOE seeks further comment concerning part-load testing (section
III.I.2).
34. DOE seeks comment on whether the proposed test procedure
changes will have a significant impact on a substantial number of small
entities (section IV.B).
VI. Approval of the Office of the Secretary
The Secretary of Energy has approved publication of this notice of
proposed rulemaking.
List of Subjects
10 CFR Part 429
Administrative practice and procedure, Confidential business
information, Energy conservation, Household appliances, Imports,
Incorporation by reference, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
10 CFR Part 431
Administrative practice and procedure, Confidential business
information, Energy conservation, Incorporation by reference, Reporting
and recordkeeping requirements, Test procedures.
Issued in Washington, DC, on February 22, 2016.
Kathleen B. Hogan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, DOE proposes to amend parts
429 and 431 of chapter II, subchapter D of title 10, Code of Federal
Regulations, as set forth below:
PART 429--CERTIFICATION, COMPLIANCE, AND ENFORCEMENT FOR CONSUMER
PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT
0
1. The authority citation for part 429 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6291-6317.
0
2. Section 429.4 is amended by adding paragraph (c)(2) to read as
follows:
Sec. 429.4 Materials incorporated by reference.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
(2) AHRI Standard 1500-2015, ``2015 Standard for Performance Rating
of Commercial Space Heating Boilers,'' approved November 28, 2014:
Section 3 ``Definitions;''; Section 5 ``Rating Requirements;'' Appendix
C ``Methods of Testing for Rating Commercial Space Heating Boilers--
Normative,'' excluding Figures C5 and C7; Appendix D
[[Page 14667]]
``Properties of Saturated Steam--Normative;'' and Appendix E
``Correction Factors for Heating Values of Fuel Gases--Normative;'' IBR
approved for Sec. 429.60.
* * * * *
0
3. Section 429.11 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as
follows:
Sec. 429.11 General sampling requirements for selecting units to be
tested.
* * * * *
(b) The minimum number of units tested shall be no less than two,
except where:
(1) A different minimum limit is specified in Sec. Sec. 429.14
through 429.65; or
(2) Only one unit of the basic model is produced, in which case,
that unit must be tested and the test results must demonstrate that the
basic model performs at or better than the applicable standard(s). If
one or more units of the basic model are manufactured subsequently,
compliance with the default sampling and representations provisions is
required.
0
4. Section 429.60 is amended by:
0
a. Revising paragraph (a)(1)(i);
0
b. Adding paragraphs (a)(3), (4), and (5);
0
c. Revising paragraph (b)(2); and
0
d. Adding paragraphs (b)(3)(iii) and (b)(5).
The revisions and additions read as follows:
Sec. 429.60 Commercial packaged boilers.
(a) * * *
(1) * * *
(i) If the represented value is determined through testing, the
general requirements of Sec. 429.11 are applicable, except that, if
the represented value is determined through testing pursuant to Sec.
431.86(c) of this chapter, the number of units selected for testing may
be one; and
* * * * *
(3) The representative value of fuel input rate of a basic model
reported in accordance with paragraph (b)(2) of this section must be
either the mean of the fuel input rate(s) measured for each tested unit
of the basic model and determined in accordance with the test procedure
in Sec. 431.86 of this chapter, or the value determined with an AEDM,
and rounded to the nearest 1,000 Btu/h.
(4) The representative value of thermal or combustion efficiency of
a basic model reported in accordance with paragraph (b)(2) of this
section must be either the mean of the thermal or combustion efficiency
measured for each tested unit of the basic model and determined in
accordance with the test procedure in Sec. 431.86 of this chapter, or
the value determined with an AEDM, and rounded to the nearest tenth of
one percent.
(5) For a model of commercial packaged boiler capable of supplying
either steam or hot water, representative values for steam mode must be
based on performance in steam mode and representative values for hot
water mode must be based on either the efficiency in hot water mode or
steam mode in accordance with the test procedure in Sec. 431.86 of
this chapter and the provisions of this section.
(b) * * *
(2) Pursuant to Sec. 429.12(b)(13), a certification report must
include the following public, equipment-specific information:
(i) The manufacturer (including brand, if applicable) and model
number of the burner;
(ii) The fuel input rate in British thermal units per hour (Btu/h)
rounded to the nearest 1,000 Btu/h;
(iii) The representative value of combustion efficiency in percent
(%) to the nearest tenth of one percent or the representative value of
thermal efficiency in percent (%) to the nearest one tenth of one
percent, as specified in Sec. 431.87 of this chapter; and
(iv) For a basic model of commercial packaged boiler that cannot be
tested using the standard inlet temperatures required in appendix A to
subpart E of part 431 of this chapter, the average inlet water
temperature measured at Point B (in Figure C9 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015) (incorporated by reference, see Sec. 429.4) at which the
model was tested.
(3) * * *
(iii) For basic models of commercial packaged boilers that have a
certified fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h, a declaration
about whether the certified rating is based on testing conducted
pursuant to Sec. 431.86(c) of this chapter.
* * * * *
(5) Any field tested (pursuant to Sec. 431.86(c) of this chapter)
basic model of a commercial packaged boiler that has not been
previously certified through testing or an AEDM must be certified
within 15 days of commissioning.
* * * * *
0
5. Section 429.70 is amended by adding paragraph (c)(2)(iii)(D) to read
as follows:
Sec. 429.70 Alternative methods for determining energy efficiency and
energy use.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
(2) * * *
(iii) * * *
(D) An AEDM that is validated based on test results obtained from
one or more field tests (commercial packaged boilers only) can only be
used to certify the performance of basic models of commercial packaged
boilers with a certified fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h.
* * * * *
0
6. Section 429.110 is amended by:
0
a. Revising paragraph (a)(3); and
0
b. Adding paragraph (c)(1)(iii).
The addition and revision reads as follows:
Sec. 429.110 Enforcement testing.
(a) * * *
(3) Testing will be conducted at a lab accredited to the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), ``General requirements `for the
competence of testing and calibration laboratories,'' ISO/IEC
17025:2005(E) (incorporated by reference; see Sec. 429.4). If testing
cannot be completed at an independent lab, DOE, at its discretion, may
allow enforcement testing at a manufacturer's lab, so long as the lab
is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005(E) and DOE representatives witness
the testing. In addition, for commercial packaged boilers with
certified fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h, DOE, at its
discretion, may allow enforcement testing of a commissioned commercial
packaged boiler in the location in which it was commissioned for use,
pursuant to the test provisions at Sec. 431.86(c) of this chapter.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
(1) * * *
(iii) Of basic models of previously commissioned commercial
packaged boilers with a certified fuel input rate greater than
5,000,000 Btu/h, DOE may test a sample of at least one unit in the
location in which it was commissioned for use.
* * * * *
0
7. Section 429.134 is amended by adding paragraph (k) to read as
follows:
Sec. 429.134 Product-specific enforcement provisions.
* * * * *
(k) Commercial packaged boilers--(1) Verification of fuel input
rate. The fuel input rate of each tested unit will be measured pursuant
to the test requirements of Sec. 431.86 of this chapter. The results
of the measurement(s) will be compared to the value of fuel input rate
certified by the manufacturer. The certified fuel input rate will be
[[Page 14668]]
considered valid only if the measurement(s) (either the measured fuel
input rate for a single unit sample or the average of the measured fuel
input rates for a multiple unit sample) is within two percent of the
certified fuel input rate.
(i) If the representative value of fuel input rate is found to be
valid, the certified fuel input rate will serve as the basis for
determination of the appropriate equipment class(es) and the mean
measured fuel input rate will be used as the basis for calculation of
combustion and/or thermal efficiency for the basic model.
(ii) If the representative value of fuel input rate is not within
two percent of the certified fuel input rate, DOE will first attempt to
increase or decrease the gas pressure within the range specified in
manufacturer's installation and operation manual shipped with the
commercial packaged boiler being tested (or, if not provided in the
manual, in supplemental instructions provided by the manufacturer
pursuant to Sec. 429.60(b)(4)) to achieve the certified fuel input
rate (within two percent). If the fuel input rate is still not within
two percent of the certified fuel input rate, DOE will attempt to
modify the gas inlet orifice. If the fuel input rate still is not
within two percent of the certified fuel input rate, the mean measured
fuel input rate will serve as the basis for determination of the
appropriate equipment class(es) and calculation of combustion and/or
thermal efficiency for the basic model.
(2) Models capable of producing both hot water and steam. For a
model of commercial packaged boiler that is capable of producing both
hot water and steam, DOE may measure the thermal or combustion
efficiency as applicable pursuant to Sec. 431.87 of this chapter for
steam and/or hot water modes. DOE will evaluate compliance based on the
measured thermal or combustion efficiency in steam and hot water modes,
independently.
PART 431--ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL AND
INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT
0
8. The authority citation for part 431 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6291-6317.
0
9. Section 431.82 is amended by:
0
a. Revising the definitions for ``Combustion efficiency'' and
``Commercial packaged boiler'';
0
b. Adding in alphabetical order definitions for ``Field-constructed,''
and ``Fuel input rate'';
0
c. Revising the definition for ``Packaged boiler''; and
0
d. Removing the definitions for ``Packaged high pressure boiler'' and
``Packaged low pressure boiler''.
The revisions and additions read as follows:
Sec. 431.82 Definitions concerning commercial packaged boilers.
* * * * *
Combustion efficiency for a commercial packaged boiler is a
measurement of how much of the fuel input energy is converted to useful
heat in combustion and is calculated as 100 percent minus percent flue
loss, as determined with the test procedures prescribed under Sec.
431.86.
Commercial packaged boiler means a packaged boiler that meets all
of the following criteria:
(1) Has fuel input rate of 300,000 Btu/h or greater;
(2) Is, to any significant extent, distributed in commerce for
space conditioning and/or service water heating in buildings but does
not meet the definition of ``hot water supply boiler'' in this part;
(3) Does not meet the definition of ``field-constructed'' in this
section; and
(4) Is designed to:
(i) Operate at a steam pressure at or below 15 psig;
(ii) Operate at or below a water pressure of 160 psig and water
temperature of 250[emsp14][deg]F; or
(iii) Operate at the conditions specified in both paragraphs (4)(i)
and (ii) of this definition.
* * * * *
Field-constructed means custom-designed equipment that requires
welding of structural components in the field during installation; for
the purposes of this definition, welding does not include attachment
using mechanical fasteners or brazing; any jackets, shrouds, venting,
burner, or burner mounting hardware are not structural components.
* * * * *
Fuel input rate for a commercial packaged boiler means the maximum
rate at which the commercial packaged boiler uses energy and is
determined using test procedures prescribed under Sec. 431.86.
* * * * *
Packaged boiler means a boiler that is shipped complete with
heating equipment, mechanical draft equipment, and automatic controls
and is usually shipped in one or more sections. If the boiler is
shipped in more than one section, the sections may be produced by more
than one manufacturer, and may be originated or shipped at different
times and from more than one location.
* * * * *
0
10. Section 431.85 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as
follows:
Sec. 431.85 Materials incorporated by reference.
* * * * *
(b) AHRI. Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute,
2111 Wilson Blvd., Suite 500, Arlington, VA 22201, (703) 524-8800, or
go to: https://www.ahrinet.org.
(1) AHRI Standard 1500-2015, ``2015 Standard for Performance Rating
of Commercial Space Heating Boilers,'' approved November 28, 2014:
Section 3 ``Definitions;''; Section 5 ``Rating Requirements;'' Appendix
C ``Methods of Testing for Rating Commercial Space Heating Boilers--
Normative,'' excluding Figures C5 and C7; Appendix D ``Properties of
Saturated Steam--Normative;'' and Appendix E ``Correction Factors for
Heating Values of Fuel Gases--Normative;'' IBR approved for appendix A
to subpart E.
(2) [Reserved]
0
11. Section 431.86 is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 431.86 Uniform test method for the measurement of energy
efficiency of commercial packaged boilers.
(a) Scope. This section provides test procedures, pursuant to the
Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended, which must be
followed for measuring the combustion efficiency and/or thermal
efficiency of a gas- or oil-fired commercial packaged boiler.
(b) Testing and calculations. Determine the thermal efficiency or
combustion efficiency of covered commercial packaged boilers by
conducting the appropriate test procedure(s) indicated in Table 1 of
this section.
[[Page 14669]]
Table 1 to Sec. 431.86--Test Requirements for Commercial Packaged Boiler Equipment Classes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Test procedure
(corresponding to
Fuel Input Rate Standards standards
Equipment Type Subcategory Btu/h efficiency rating efficiency metric
(Sec. 431.87) required by Sec.
431.87)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot Water....................... Gas-fired......... >=300,000 and Thermal Efficiency Appendix A,
<=2,500,000. Section 2.
Hot Water....................... Gas-fired......... >2,500,000........ Combustion Appendix A,
Efficiency. Section 3.
Hot Water....................... Oil-fired......... >=300,000 and Thermal Efficiency Appendix A,
<=2,500,000. Section 2.
Hot Water....................... Oil-fired......... >2,500,000........ Combustion Appendix A,
Efficiency. Section 3.
Steam........................... Gas-fired (all*).. >=300,000 and Thermal Efficiency Appendix A,
<=2,500,000. Section 2.
Steam........................... Gas-fired (all*).. >2,500,000 and Thermal Efficiency Appendix A,
<=5,000,000. Section 2.
>5,000,000........ Thermal Efficiency Appendix A,
Section 2.
OR
Appendix A,
Section 3 with
Section 2.4.3.2.
Steam........................... Oil-fired......... >=300,000 and Thermal Efficiency Appendix A,
<=2,500,000. Section 2.
Steam........................... Oil-fired......... >2,500,000 and Thermal Efficiency Appendix A,
<=5,000,000. Section 2.
>5,000,000........ Thermal Efficiency Appendix A,
Section 2.
OR
Appendix A,
Section 3. with
Section 2.4.3.2.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Product classes for commercial packaged boilers as of July 22, 2009 (74 FR 36355) distinguish between gas-
fired natural draft and all other gas-fired (except natural draft). The test procedure indicated in Table 1
applies to both of these equipment classes. If these equipment classes are amended, the test procedure will
continue to apply as indicated in Table 1 to all gas-fired commercial packaged boilers.
(c) Field tests. The field test provisions of appendix A may be
used only to test a commissioned unit of commercial packaged boiler
with fuel input rate greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h.
0
12. Section 431.87 is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 431.87 Energy conservation standards and their effective dates.
(a) Each commercial packaged boiler listed in Table 1 of this
section and manufactured on or after the effective date listed must
meet the indicated energy conservation standard.
Table 1 to Sec. 431.87--Commercial Packaged Boiler Energy Conservation Standards
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Efficiency level--
Equipment type Subcategory Fuel input rate* effective date: March 2,
2012 *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot Water Commercial Packaged Gas-fired............. >=300,000 Btu/h and 80.0% ET.
Boilers. <=2,500,000 Btu/h.
Hot Water Commercial Packaged Gas-fired............. >2,500,000 Btu/h...... 82.0% EC.
Boilers.
Hot Water Commercial Packaged Oil-fired............. >=300,000 Btu/h and 82.0% ET.
Boilers. <=2,500,000 Btu/h.
Hot Water Commercial Packaged Oil-fired............. >2,500,000 Btu/h...... 84.0% EC.
Boilers.
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers.. Gas-fired--all, except >=300,000 Btu/h and 79.0% ET.
natural draft. <=2,500,000 Btu/h.
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers.. Gas-fired--all, except >2,500,000 Btu/h...... 79.0% ET.
natural draft.
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers.. Gas-fired--natural >=300,000 Btu/h and 77.0% ET.
draft. <=2,500,000 Btu/h.
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers.. Gas-fired--natural >2,500,000 Btu/h...... 77.0% ET.
draft.
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers.. Oil-fired............. >=300,000 Btu/h and 81.0% ET.
<=2,500,000 Btu/h.
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers.. Oil-fired............. >2,500,000 Btu/h...... 81.0% ET.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* ``Fuel Input Rate'' is the representative value of input (Btu/h) of the commercial packaged boiler model.
* Where EC is combustion efficiency and ET is thermal efficiency.
(b) Each commercial packaged boiler listed in Table 2 of this
section and manufactured on or after the effective date listed in Table
2 of this section must meet the indicated energy conservation standard.
[[Page 14670]]
Table 2 to Sec. 431.87--Commercial Packaged Boiler Energy Conservation Standards
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Efficiency level--
Equipment type Subcategory Fuel input rate * effective date: March 2,
2022 *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers... Gas-fired--natural >=300,000 Btu/h and 79.0% ET.
draft. <=2,500,000 Btu/h.
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers... Gas-fired--natural >2,500,000 Btu/h....... 79.0% ET.
draft.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* ``Fuel Input Rate'' is the representative value of input (Btu/h) of the commercial packaged boiler model
* Where ET is thermal efficiency.
0
13. Add appendix A to subpart E of part 431 to read as follows:
Appendix A to Subpart E of Part 431--Uniform Test Method for the
Measurement of Thermal Efficiency of Commercial Packaged Boilers.
Note: Prior to [DATE 360 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION OF THE FINAL
RULE IN THE Federal Register], manufacturers must make any
representations with respect to the energy use or efficiency of
commercial packaged boilers in accordance with the results of
testing pursuant to appendix A to subpart E of part 431 or the test
procedures as they appeared in 10 CFR 431.86, revised as of January
1, 2016. After [DATE 360 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE FINAL
RULE], manufacturers must make any representations with respect to
energy use or efficiency in accordance with the results of testing
pursuant to this appendix.
1. Definitions
For purposes of this appendix, the Department of Energy
incorporates by reference the definitions established in section 3
of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Air-
Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) Standard
1500, ``2015 Standard for Performance Rating of Commercial Space
Heating Boilers,'' beginning with 3.1 and ending with 3.35
(incorporated by reference, see Sec. 431.85; hereafter ``ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015''), excluding section 3.23, ``Input Rating'';
section 3.24, ``Net Rating''; and section 3.26, ``Published
Rating,'' and section 3.26.1 ``Standard Rating.'' In cases where
there is a conflict, the language of the test procedure in this
appendix takes precedence over ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015.
1.1. In all incorporated sections of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-
2015, references to the manufacturer's ``specifications,''
``recommendations,'' ``directions,'' or ``requests'' mean the
manufacturer's instructions in the installation and operation manual
shipped with the commercial packaged boiler being tested or in
supplemental instructions provided by the manufacturer pursuant to
Sec. 429.60(b)(4) of this chapter. For parameters or considerations
not specified in this appendix, refer to the manual shipped with the
commercial packaged boiler. Should the manual shipped with the
commercial packaged boiler not provide the necessary information,
refer to the supplemental instructions for the basic model pursuant
to Sec. 429.60(b)(4) of this chapter. The supplemental instructions
provided pursuant to Sec. 429.60(b)(4) of this chapter do not
replace or alter any requirements in this appendix nor do they
override the manual shipped with the commercial packaged boiler. In
cases where these supplemental instructions conflict with any
instructions or provisions provided in the manual shipped with the
commercial packaged boiler, use the manual shipped with the
commercial packaged boiler.
1.2. Unless otherwise noted, in all incorporated sections of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015, the term ``boiler'' means a commercial
packaged boiler as defined in Sec. 431.82.
2. Thermal Efficiency Test
2.1. Test Setup.
2.1.1. Instrumentation. Use instrumentation meeting the minimum
requirements found in Table C1 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015 (incorporated by reference, see Sec. 431.85).
2.1.2. Data collection and sampling. Unless otherwise specified
in Table 2.1 to this appendix, obtain all data digitally and conduct
sampling at a rate not less frequently than once per 30 seconds.
Digital data representing a flow, rate, or flux must be integrated
over 15-minute periods (pursuant to Table 2.1 to this appendix) with
the resulting values recorded. All other digital data must be
averaged over 15-minute periods with the resulting values recorded.
Table 2.1 to this appendix specifies the data recording interval for
all relevant measured quantities and replaces Table C4 of Appendix C
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015.
[[Page 14671]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TP17MR16.004
2.1.3. Instrument Calibration. Instruments must be calibrated at
least once per year and a calibration record containing the date of
calibration and the method of calibration must be maintained as part
of the data underlying each basic model certification, pursuant to
Sec. 429.71 of this chapter. Combustion measurement equipment
(instruments listed in the ``Gas Chemistry'' row of Table C1 in
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015) must be calibrated using standard
gases with purities of greater than 99.9995 percent for all
constituents analyzed.
2.1.4. Test Setup and Apparatus. Set up the commercial packaged
boiler for thermal efficiency testing according to the provisions of
section C2 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015.
2.1.4.1. For tests of oil-fired commercial packaged boilers,
determine the weight of
[[Page 14672]]
fuel consumed using one of the methods specified in paragraph
2.1.4.1.1. or 2.1.4.1.2. of this appendix:
2.1.4.1.1. If using a scale, determine the weight of fuel
consumed as the difference between the weight of the oil vessel
before and after each measurement period, as specified in paragraph
2.1.4.1.3.1. or 2.1.4.1.3.2. of this appendix, determined using a
scale meeting the accuracy requirements of Table C1 of Appendix C of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015.
2.1.4.1.2. If using a flow meter, first determine the volume of
fuel consumed as the total volume over the applicable measurement
period as specified in paragraph 2.1.4.1.3.1. or 2.1.4.1.3.2. of
this appendix and as measured by a flow meter meeting the accuracy
requirements of Table C1 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-
2015 upstream of the oil inlet port of the commercial packaged
boiler. Then determine the weight of fuel consumed by multiplying
the total volume of fuel over the applicable measurement period by
the density of oil, in pounds per gallon, as determined pursuant to
C3.2.1.1.3. of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015.
2.1.4.1.3. The applicable measurement period for the purposes of
determining fuel input rate must be as specified in section
2.1.4.1.3.1. of this appendix for the ``Warm-Up Period'' or section
2.1.4.1.3.2. of this appendix for the ``Test Period.''
2.1.4.1.3.1. For the purposes of confirming steady-state
operation during the ``Warm-Up Period,'' the measurement period must
be 15 minutes and tT in equation C2 in section C7.2.3.1
of Appendix A of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 must be 0.25 hours to
determine fuel input rate.
2.1.4.1.3.2. For the purposes of determining thermal efficiency
during the ``Test Period,'' the measurement period and tT
are as specified in section C4.1.1.2.3 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015.
2.1.4.2 For tests of gas-fired commercial packaged boilers,
install a volumetric gas meter meeting the accuracy requirements of
Table C1 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 upstream of
the gas inlet port of the commercial packaged boiler. Record the
accumulated gas volume consumed for each applicable measurement
period. Use equation C7.2.3.2. of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015 to calculate fuel input rate.
2.1.4.2.1. The applicable measurement period for the purposes of
determining fuel input rate must be as specified in section
2.1.4.2.1.1. of this appendix for the ``Warm-Up Period'' and
2.1.4.2.1.2. of this appendix for the ``Test Period.''
2.1.4.2.1.1. For the purposes of confirming steady-state
operation during the ``Warm-Up Period,'' the measurement period must
be 15 minutes and tT in equation C2 in section C7.2.3.1
of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 must be 0.25 hours to
determine fuel input rate.
2.1.4.2.1.2. For the purposes of determining thermal efficiency
during the ``Test Period,'' the measurement period and tT
are as specified in section C4.1.1.2.3 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015.
2.1.5. Additional Requirements for Outdoor Commercial Packaged
Boilers. If the manufacturer provides more than one outdoor venting
arrangement, the outdoor commercial packaged boiler (as defined in
section 3.2.6 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015; must be tested with
the shortest total venting arrangement as measured by adding the
straight lengths of venting supplied with the equipment. If the
manufacturer does not provide an outdoor venting arrangement,
install the outdoor commercial packaged boiler venting consistent
with the procedure specified in section C2.2 of Appendix C of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500-2015.
2.1.6. Additional Requirements for Steam Tests. In addition to
the provisions of section C2 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015, the following requirements apply for steam tests.
2.1.6.1. Set up steam piping according to section C2.3 of
Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 and using the following
general instructions:
2.1.6.1.1. Figures C5 and C7 are prohibited from use and are not
to be used to comply with the test procedure.
2.1.6.1.2. For piping above the water level specified in the
installation and operation manual shipped with the commercial
packaged boiler, or in manufacturer's supplemental instructions
(pursuant to Sec. 429.60(b)(4) of this chapter), if a reduction in
the piping diameter is necessary, reduce the vertical portion of the
steam condensate return pipe diameter to no less than one half of
the riser pipe diameter.
2.1.6.1.3. Insulate all steam piping from the commercial
packaged boiler to the steam separator, and extend insulation at
least one foot (1 ft.) beyond the steam separator, using insulation
meeting the requirements specified in Table 2.2. of this appendix.
Table 2.2. to Appendix A to Subpart E of Part 431--Minimum Piping Insulation Thickness Requirements
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Insulation conductivity Nominal pipe size
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conductivity
Fluid temperature range [deg]F BTUxin/ (h x Mean rating 1 to < 1\1/ 1\1/2\ to <
ft\2\ x temperature inches <1 2\ 4 4 to <8
[deg]F) [deg]F
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----
201 [deg]F-250 [deg]F................................ 0.27-0.30 150 2.5 2.5 2.5 3.0 3.0
141 [deg]F-200 [deg]F................................ 0.25-0.29 125 1.5 1.5 2.0 2.0 2.0
105 [deg]F-140 [deg]F................................ 0.22-0.28 100 1.0 1.0 1.5 1.5 1.5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.1.6.1.4. If a separator is used, piping must pitch downward to
the separator at a rate of at least \1/4\ inch per foot of pipe
length.
2.1.6.2. If the pipe diameters of the header and return loop are
not specified in the installation and operation manual shipped with
the commercial packaged boiler or in supplemental testing
instructions provided in the unit's basic model certification report
(pursuant to Sec. 429.60 of this chapter), then make the header
pipe diameter equal to the commercial packaged boiler's steam take-
off fitting pipe diameter. Do not reduce the diameter in any
horizontal pipe. For commercial packaged boilers with multiple steam
risers, do not reduce the diameter in any horizontal header pipe,
and ensure that the cross-sectional area of the header is not less
than 80 percent of the total cross-sectional area of the risers.
2.1.6.3. If the height of the header above the water level is
not specified by the installation and operation manual shipped with
the commercial packaged boiler or in supplemental testing
instructions provided in the unit's basic model certification report
(pursuant to Sec. 429.60 of this chapter), then ensure that the
height of the header above the water level is not less than the
larger of 24 inches or 6 times the header nominal pipe diameter as
defined in paragraph 2.1.6.2. of this appendix.
2.1.6.4. If the minimum distance between the last vertical steam
take-off and the condensate return pipe is not specified in the
installation and operation manual shipped with the commercial
packaged boiler or in the manufacturer's supplemental testing
instructions provided in the unit's basic model certification report
(pursuant to Sec. 429.60 of this chapter), then the distance
between the vertical steam take-off leading to the water separator
and the elbow leading to the condensate return pipe must be a
minimum of three (3) header pipe diameters.
2.1.6.5. A vented water seal must be located between the drain
and the separator. Insulate the separator and the piping connecting
it to the commercial packaged boiler to prevent the heat loss from
separator and piping, using the minimum piping insulation
requirements specified in Table 2.2. of this appendix. A temperature
sensing device must be installed in the insulated steam piping prior
to the water separator if the commercial packaged boiler produces
superheated steam.
2.1.6.6. Water entrained in the steam and water condensing
within the steam piping must be collected and used to calculate the
[[Page 14673]]
quality of steam during the ``Test Period.'' Steam condensate must
be collected and measured using either a cumulative (totalizing)
flow rate or by measuring the mass of the steam condensate.
Instrumentation used to determine the amount of steam condensate
must meet the requirements identified in Table C1 in Appendix C of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015.
2.1.6.7. All steam commercial packaged boiler setups must
include a steam condensate return pipe as shown in Figures C6 and C8
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015; labeled ``Return Loop
Connection''). This setup may also be used for commercial packaged
boilers with multiple or single steam risers (take-offs) from the
commercial packaged boiler.
2.1.6.8. Section C2.7.2.2.2 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 is
not to be used for water meter calibration.
2.1.7. Additional Requirements for Water Tests. In addition to
the provisions of section C2 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015, the following requirements apply for water tests.
2.1.7.1 Insulate all water piping between the commercial
packaged boiler and the location of the temperature measuring
equipment, including one foot (1 ft.) beyond the sensor, using
insulation meeting the requirements specified in Table 2.2. of this
appendix.
2.1.7.2 In addition to the temperature measuring device at Point
A in Figure C9 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015, install a
temperature measuring device at Point B of the same figure.
2.2. Test Conditions.
2.2.1. General. Use the test conditions from section 5 and
section C3 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 for thermal
efficiency testing but do not use section 5.1, 5.2, 5.3.5, 5.3.8,
5.3.9, or C3.1.3 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015.
2.2.2. Burners for Oil-Fired Commercial Packaged Boilers. In
addition to section C3.3 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-
2015, the following applies: for oil-fired commercial packaged
boilers, test the unit with the particular make and model of burner
as certified by the manufacturer. If multiple burners are specified
in the certification report for that basic model, then use any of
the listed burners for testing.
2.2.3. Non-condensing Commercial Packaged Boiler Water
Temperatures. For tests of non-condensing boilers (as defined in
section 3.2.5 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015, maintain the outlet
temperature measured at Point C in Figure C9 at 180[emsp14][deg]F
1[emsp14][deg]F and maintain the inlet temperature
measured at Point B at 140[emsp14][deg]F
1[emsp14][deg]F during the ``Warm-up Period'' and ``Test Period'' as
indicated by 30-second interval data pursuant to Table 2.1. of this
appendix. If the commercial packaged boiler cannot be tested at the
standard inlet water temperature of 140[emsp14][deg]F
1[emsp14][deg]F, as indicated in the manufacturer literature, test
the equipment at the temperature closest to the standard
140[emsp14][deg]F 1[emsp14][deg]F that the equipment is
capable of operating, as indicated in the manufacturer literature.
Use the inlet temperature measured at Point A in Figure C9 of
Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 for calculation of
thermal efficiency.
2.2.4. Condensing Commercial Packaged Boiler Water Temperatures.
For tests of condensing boilers (as defined in section 3.2.2 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015); maintain the outlet temperature
measured at Point C in Figure C9 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015 to 120[emsp14][deg]F 1[emsp14][deg]F, and
maintain the commercial packaged boiler inlet temperature at Point B
to 80[emsp14][deg]F 1[emsp14][deg]F during the ``Warm-
up Period'' and ``Test Period'' as indicated by 30-second interval
data pursuant to Table 2.1. of this appendix. If the commercial
packaged boiler cannot be tested at the standard inlet water
temperature of 80[emsp14][deg]F 1[emsp14][deg]F, as
indicated in the manufacturer literature, test the equipment at the
temperature closest to the standard 80[emsp14][deg]F
1[emsp14][deg]F that the equipment is capable of operating, as
indicated in the manufacturer literature. Use the inlet temperature
measured at Point A in Figure C9 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015 for calculation of thermal efficiency.
2.2.5 Air Temperature. Maintain ambient room temperature at
75[emsp14][deg]F 5[emsp14][deg]F at all times during
the ``Warm-up Period'' and ``Test Period'' (as described in section
C4 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015; as indicated by
30-second interval data pursuant to Table 2.1. of this appendix. The
ambient room temperature may not differ by more than
2[emsp14][deg]F from the average ambient room temperature during the
entire ``Test Period'' at any reading.
2.2.6. Ambient Humidity. Maintain ambient room relative humidity
at 60 5 percent relative humidity at all times during
both the ``Warm-up Period'' and ``Test Period'' (as described in
section C4 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015; as
indicated by 30-second interval data pursuant to Table 2.1. of this
appendix.
2.3. Test Method.
2.3.1. General. Conduct the thermal efficiency test as
prescribed in section C4.1 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-
2015.
2.3.1.1. Do not use section C4.1.1.1.2 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015. Instead, adjust oil or non-atmospheric gas to produce the
required firebox pressure and CO2 or O2
concentration in the flue gas, as described in section 5.3.1 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015. Conduct steam tests with steam
pressure at the pressure specified in the manufacturer literature
shipped with the commercial packaged boiler or in the manufacturer's
supplemental testing instructions pursuant to Sec. 429.60(b)(4) of
this chapter, but not exceeding 15 psig. If no pressure is specified
in the manufacturer literature shipped with the commercial packaged
boiler or in the manufacturer's supplemental testing instructions
(pursuant to Sec. 429.60(b)(4)) of this chapter, or if a range of
operating pressures is specified, conduct testing at a steam
pressure equal to atmospheric pressure. If necessary to maintain
steam quality as required by section 5.3.7 of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015, increase steam pressure in 1 psig increments by
throttling with a valve beyond the separator until the test is
completed and the steam quality requirements have been satisfied,
but do not increase the steam pressure to greater than 15 psig.
2.3.2. Steam Test Steady-State. Replace section C4.1.1.1.4 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 with the following: Ensure that a
steady-state is reached by confirming that three consecutive
readings have been recorded at 15-minute intervals that indicate
that:
2.3.2.1. The measured fuel input rate does not vary by more than
2 percent between any two readings; and
2.3.2.2. The steam pressure varies by no more than
5 percent between any two readings.
2.3.3. Water Test Steady-State. Replace section C4.1.2.1.5 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 with the following: Ensure that a
steady-state is reached by confirming that three consecutive
readings have been recorded at 15-minute intervals that indicate
that the measured fuel input rate does not vary by more than 2 percent between any two readings.
2.3.4. Condensate Collection for Condensing Commercial Packaged
Boilers. Collect condensate in a covered vessel so as to prevent
evaporation.
2.3.5. Total Fuel Input. In sections C4.1.1.2.3 and C4.1.2.2.3
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015, do not use the last sentence which
reads: ``The total Heat Input measured during the Test Period shall
be within 2% of the boiler Input Rating.''
2.4. Calculations.
2.4.1. General. To determine the thermal efficiency of
commercial packaged boilers, use the calculation procedure for the
thermal efficiency test specified in section C7 of Appendix C of the
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015. For water tests as described in
section C4.1.2 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015, if a recirculating
loop is used, use the average temperature during the ``Test Period''
measured at Point A for the inlet water temperature for all
calculations.
2.4.2. Use of Steam Properties Table. If the average measured
temperature of the steam is higher than the value in Table D in
Appendix D1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 that corresponds to the
average measured steam pressure, then use Table 2.3 of this appendix
to determine the latent heat of superheated steam in (Btu/lb). Use
linear interpolation for determining the latent heat of steam in
Btu/lb if the measured steam pressure is between two values listed
in Table D in Appendix D1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 or in
Table 2.3.
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2.4.3. Alternative Thermal Efficiency Calculation for Large
Steam Commercial Packaged Boilers. To determine the thermal
efficiency of commercial packaged boilers with a fuel input rate
greater than 5,000,000 Btu/h according to the steam test (pursuant
to section C4.1.1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015, either:
2.4.3.1. Calculate the thermal efficiency of commercial packaged
boiler models in steam mode in accordance with the provisions of
section 2.4.1. of this appendix; or
2.4.3.2. Measure and calculate combustion efficiency
EffySS in steam mode according to section 3. Combustion
Efficiency Test of this appendix and convert to thermal efficiency
using the following equation:
EffyG + EffySS - 2.0
where EffyT is the thermal efficiency and
EffySS is the combustion efficiency as defined in C6 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015. The combustion efficiency
EffySS is as calculated in section C7.2.14 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015.
2.4.4. Rounding. Round the final thermal efficiency value to
nearest one tenth of one percent. Round fuel input rate to nearest
1,000 Btu/h.
3. Combustion Efficiency Test.
3.1. Test Setup.
3.1.1. Instrumentation. Use instrumentation meeting the minimum
requirements found in Table C1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015
(incorporated by reference, see Sec. 431.85).
3.1.2. Data collection and sampling. Unless otherwise specified,
obtain all data digitally with the exception of measuring the weight
of the combustion condensate and steam condensation, and conduct
sampling at a rate not less than once per 30 seconds. Digital data
representing a flow, rate, or flux must be integrated over 15-minute
periods (pursuant to Table 3.1 of this appendix) with the resulting
values recorded. All other digital data must be averaged over 15-
minute periods with the resulting values recorded. Table 3.1. of
this appendix specifies the data recording interval for all relevant
measured quantities and replaces Table C4 of Appendix C in ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015.
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3.1.3. Instrument Calibration. Instruments must be calibrated at
least once per year and a record must be kept as part of the data
underlying each basic model certification, pursuant to Sec. 429.71
of this chapter, containing, at least, the date of calibration and
the method of calibration. Combustion measurement equipment
(instruments listed in the ``Gas Chemistry'' row of Table C1 in
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015) must be calibrated using standard
gasses with purities of greater than 99.9995 percent for all
constituents analyzed.
3.1.4. Test Setup and Apparatus. Set up the commercial packaged
boiler for combustion efficiency testing according to the provisions
of section C2 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015.
3.1.4.1. For tests of oil-fired commercial packaged boilers,
determine the weight of fuel consumed using one of the methods
specified in paragraph 3.1.4.1.1. or 3.1.4.1.2. of this appendix:
3.1.4.1.1. If using a scale, determine the weight of fuel
consumed as the difference between the weight of the oil vessel
before and after each measurement period, as specified in paragraph
3.1.4.1.3.1. or 3.1.4.1.3.2. of this appendix, determined using a
scale meeting the accuracy requirements of Table C1 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015.
3.1.4.1.2. If using a flow meter, first determine the volume of
fuel consumed as the total volume over the applicable measurement
period, as specified in paragraphs 3.1.4.1.3.1. or 3.1.4.1.3.2. of
this appendix, and as measured by a flow meter meeting the accuracy
requirements of Table C1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 upstream of
the oil inlet port of the commercial packaged boiler. Then determine
the weight of fuel consumed by multiplying the total volume of fuel
over the applicable measurement period by the density of oil, in
pounds per gallon, as determined pursuant to section C3.2.1.1.3. of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015.
3.1.4.1.3. The applicable measurement period for the purposes of
determining fuel input rate must be as specified in section
3.1.4.1.3.1. of this appendix for the ``Warm-Up Period'' or
3.1.4.1.3.2. of this appendix for the ``Test Period.''
3.1.4.1.3.1. For the purposes of confirming steady-state
operation during the ``Warm-Up Period,'' the measurement period must
be 15 minutes and tT in equation C2 in section C7.2.3.1
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 must be 0.25 hours to determine fuel
input rate.
3.1.4.1.3.2. For the purposes of determining combustion
efficiency during the ``Test Period,'' the measurement period and
tT are 0.5 hours pursuant to section 3.3.1.1. of section
3. Combustion Efficiency of this appendix.
3.1.4.2 For tests of gas-fired commercial packaged boilers,
install a volumetric gas meter meeting the accuracy requirements of
Table C1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 upstream of the gas inlet
port of the commercial packaged boiler. Record the accumulated gas
volume consumed for each applicable measurement period. Use equation
C7.2.3.2. of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 to calculate fuel input
rate.
3.1.4.2.1. The applicable measurement period for the purposes of
determining fuel input rate must be as specified in section
3.1.4.2.1.1. of this appendix for the ``Warm-Up Period'' and
3.1.4.2.1.2. of this appendix for the ``Test Period.''
3.1.4.2.1.1. For the purposes of confirming steady-state
operation during the ``Warm-Up Period,'' the measurement period must
be 15 minutes and tT in equation C2 in section C7.2.3.1
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 must be 0.25 hours to determine fuel
input rate.
3.1.4.2.1.2. For the purposes of determining combustion
efficiency during the ``Test Period,'' the measurement period and
tT are 0.5 hours pursuant to section 3.3.1.1. of this
appendix.
3.1.5. Additional Requirements for Outdoor Commercial Packaged
Boilers. If the manufacturer provides more than one outdoor venting
arrangement, the outdoor commercial packaged boiler (as defined in
section 3.2.6 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015; must be tested with
the shortest total venting arrangement as measured by adding the
straight lengths of venting supplied with the equipment.
3.1.6. Additional Requirements for Field Tests.
3.1.6.1 Field tests are exempt from the requirements of section
C2.2 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015. Measure the flue
gas temperature according to section C2.5.1 of Appendix C of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500-2015 and the thermocouple grids identified in
Figure C12 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015, with the following
modification: the thermocouple grid may be staggered vertically by
up to 1.5 inches to allow the use of instrumented rods to be
inserted through holes drilled in the venting.
3.1.6.3. Field tests are exempt from the requirements of section
C2.6.3 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015.
3.1.7. Additional Requirements for Water Tests. In addition to
the provisions of section C2 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015 (incorporated by reference, see Sec. 431.85) and to the
temperature measuring device at Point A in Figure C9 of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015, install a temperature
[[Page 14678]]
measuring device at Point B of the same figure.
3.2. Test Conditions.
3.2.1. General. Use the test conditions from sections 5 and C3
of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 for combustion
efficiency testing but do not use section 5.1, 5.3.5, 5.3.7
(excluded for field tests only), 5.3.8, 5.3.9, or C3.1.3 of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500-2015.
3.2.2. Burners for Oil-Fired Commercial Packaged Boilers. In
addition to section C3.3 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-
2015, the following applies: for oil-fired commercial packaged
boilers, test the unit with the particular make and model of burner
as certified by the manufacturer. If multiple burners are specified
in the certification report for that basic model, then use any of
the listed burners for testing.
3.2.3. Non-condensing Commercial Packaged Boiler Water
Temperatures. For tests of non-condensing boilers (as defined in
section 3.2.5 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015; maintain the outlet
temperature measured at Point C in Figure C9 to 180[emsp14][deg]F
1[emsp14][deg]F and maintain the inlet temperature
measured at Point B at 140[emsp14][deg]F
1[emsp14][deg]F during the ``Warm-up Period'' and ``Test Period'' as
verified by 30-second interval data pursuant to Table 3.1. of this
appendix. If the commercial packaged boiler cannot be tested at the
standard inlet water temperature of 140[emsp14][deg]F
1[emsp14][deg]F at Point B, as indicated in the manufacturer
literature, test the equipment at the temperature closest to the
standard 140[emsp14][deg]F 1[emsp14][deg]F that the
equipment is capable of operating, as indicated in the manufacturer
literature. Field tests are exempt from this requirement and instead
must comply with the requirements of section 3.2.3.1 of this
appendix.
3.2.3.1. For field tests, the inlet temperature measured at
Point B in Figure C9 and the outlet temperature measured and Point C
in Figure C9 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 must be recorded in the
data underlying that model's certification pursuant to Sec. 429.71
of this chapter, and the difference between the inlet (measured at
Point B) and outlet temperature (measured at Point C) must not be
less than 20[emsp14][deg]F at any point during the ``Warm-up
Period'' and ``Test Period,'' after stabilization has been achieved,
as indicated by 30-second interval data pursuant to Table 3.1. of
this appendix.
3.2.4. Condensing Commercial Packaged Boiler Water Temperatures.
For tests of condensing boilers (as defined in section 3.2.2 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015; maintain the outlet temperature
measured at Point C in Figure C9 to 120[emsp14][deg]F
1[emsp14][deg]F, and maintain the commercial packaged boiler inlet
temperature to 80[emsp14][deg]F 1[emsp14][deg]F during
the ``Warm-up Period'' and ``Test Period'' as verified by 30-second
interval data pursuant to Table 3.1. of this appendix. If the
commercial packaged boiler cannot be tested at the standard inlet
water temperature of 80[emsp14][deg]F 1[emsp14][deg]F
at Point B, as indicated in the manufacturer literature, test the
equipment at the temperature closest to the standard
80[emsp14][deg]F 1[emsp14][deg]F that the equipment is
capable of operating, as indicated in the manufacturer literature.
Field tests are exempt from this requirement and instead must comply
with the requirements of section 3.2.4.1 of this appendix.
3.2.4.1. For field tests, the inlet temperature measured at
Point B in Figure C9 and the outlet temperature measured and Point C
in Figure C9 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 must be recorded in the
data underlying that model's certification pursuant to Sec. 429.71
of this chapter, and the difference between the inlet (measured at
Point B) and outlet temperature (measured at Point C) must not be
less than 20[emsp14][deg]F at any point during the ``Warm-up
Period'' or ``Test Period,'' after stabilization has been achieved,
as verified by 30-second interval data pursuant to Table 3.1. of
this appendix.
3.2.5. Air Temperature. Maintain ambient room temperature at
75[emsp14][deg]F 5[emsp14][deg]F at all times during
the ``Warm-up Period'' and ``Test Period'' (as described in section
C4 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015; as indicated by
30-second interval data pursuant to Table 3.1. of this appendix. The
ambient room temperature may not differ by more than
2[emsp14][deg]F from the average ambient room temperature during the
entire ``Test Period'' at any reading. Field tests are exempt from
this requirement, but ambient room temperature must be recorded
(using 30-second interval data) as part of the test data underlying
that model's certification pursuant to Sec. 429.71 of this chapter.
3.2.6. Ambient Humidity. Maintain ambient room relative humidity
at 60 percent 5 percent relative humidity at all times
during both the ``Warm-up Period'' and ``Test Period'' (as described
in section C4 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015; as
indicated by 30-second interval data pursuant to Table 3.1. of this
appendix. Field tests are exempt from this requirement, but ambient
room relative humidity must be recorded (using 30-second interval
data) as part of the test data underlying that model's certification
pursuant to Sec. 429.71 of this chapter.
3.3. Test Method.
3.3.1. General. Conduct the combustion efficiency test using the
test method prescribed in section C4.1 ``Thermal Efficiency,'' of
Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015. Do not use section
C4.2.1 of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 and make the following
exceptions:
3.3.1.1. The duration of the ``Test Period'' outlined in
sections C4.1.1.2 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015
(incorporated by reference, see Sec. 431.85) and C4.1.2.2 of
Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 is 30 minutes.
3.3.1.2. In section C4.1.1.1.2 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI
Standard 1500-2015, replace ``Section 5.3.5'' with ``Section
5.3.6.''
3.3.2. Steam Test Steady-State. Replace section C4.1.1.1.4 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 with the following: Ensure that a
steady-state is reached by confirming that three consecutive
readings have been recorded at 15-minute intervals that indicate
that:
3.3.2.1. The measured fuel input rate does not vary by more than
2 percent between any two readings; and
3.3.2.2. The steam pressure varies by no more than
5 percent between any two readings.
3.3.3. Water Test Steady-State. Replace section C4.1.2.1.5 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 with the following: Ensure that a
steady-state is reached by confirming that three consecutive
readings have been recorded at 15-minute intervals that indicate
that the measured fuel input rate does not vary by more than 2 percent between any two readings.
3.3.4. Procedure for the Measurement of Condensate for a
Condensing Commercial Packaged Boiler. Collect flue condensate as
specified in section C4.2.2 of Appendix C of ANSI/AHRI Standard
1500-2015 using a covered vessel so as to prevent evaporation.
Measure the condensate from the flue gas during the ``Test Period.''
Flue condensate mass must be measured within 5 minutes after the end
of the ``Test Period'' (defined in C4.1.1.2 and C4.1.2.2 of ANSI/
AHRI Standard 1500-2015; to prevent evaporation loss from the
sample. Determine the mass of flue condensate for the ``Test
Period'' by subtracting the tare container weight from the total
weight of the container and flue condensate measured at the end of
the ''Warm-up Period.''
3.3.5. Total Fuel Input. In sections C4.1.1.2.3 and C4.1.2.2.3
of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015, do not use the last sentence which
reads: ``The total Heat Input measured during the Test Period shall
be within 2% of the boiler Input Rating.''
3.4. Calculations.
3.4.1. General. Use the calculation procedure for the combustion
efficiency test specified in section C7.3 of Appendix C (including
the specified subsections of C7.2) of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015.
If a recirculating loop is used, use the temperature at Point A for
the inlet water temperature for all calculations.
3.4.2. Adjustment to Steady-State Flue Temperature for Using
Steam Mode Combustion Efficiency to Represent Hot Water Mode. For
commercial packaged boilers with fuel input rate greater than
2,500,000 Btu/h and using combustion efficiency in steam mode to
represent combustion efficiency in hot water mode pursuant to Sec.
429.60(a)(5) through (6) of this chapter, adjust the steady-state
stack temperature TF,SS (as defined in section C6 of
ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015; using the following equation before
calculating combustion efficiency. Replace TF,SS with
TF,SS,adjusted as calculated below for all calculations
in deriving combustion efficiency.
[[Page 14679]]
TF,SS,adjusted = TF,SS - Tsat + 180
Where:
TF,SS,adjusted is the adjusted steady-state flue
temperature used for subsequent calculations of combustion
efficiency,
TF,SS is the measured steady-state flue temperature
during combustion efficiency testing in steam mode,
Tsat is the saturated steam temperature from Table D1 in
Appendix D of ANSI/AHRI Standard 1500-2015 that corresponds to the
measured steam pressure, and
180 is the required hot water outlet temperature pursuant to section
3.2.3.
3.4.3. Rounding. Round combustion efficiency to nearest one
tenth of a percent. Round fuel input rate to nearest 1,000 Btu/h.
[FR Doc. 2016-05138 Filed 3-16-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
