[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 1, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 35242-35268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-12446]
[[Page 35241]]
Vol. 81
Wednesday,
No. 105
June 1, 2016
Part IV
Department of Energy
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10 CFR Parts 429 and 430
Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Portable Air
Conditioners; Final Rule
Federal Register / Vol. 81 , No. 105 / Wednesday, June 1, 2016 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 35242]]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Parts 429 and 430
[Docket No. EERE-2014-BT-TP-0014]
RIN 1904-AD22
Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Portable Air
Conditioners
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: On February 25, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR), in which it proposed
to establish test procedures for portable air conditioners (ACs) to
determine capacities and energy efficiency metrics for portable ACs. On
November 27, 2015, DOE published a supplemental notice of proposed
rulemaking (SNOPR) to revise the proposal by modifying the cooling and
heating mode test requirements, introducing the seasonally adjusted
cooling capacity (SACC) and a revised combined energy efficiency ratio
(CEER), and clarifying several aspects of test setup. The proposed test
procedure serves as the basis for this action. DOE is issuing a final
rule to establish a new test procedure for portable ACs in a new
appendix. The new test procedure in appendix CC will be used to
determine the SACC and CEER for portable ACs that are subject to the
adopted test procedure. The test procedure is based on industry
standards, with several modifications to ensure the test procedure is
representative of typical use and to improve accuracy and repeatability
while minimizing test burden.
DATES: The effective date of this rule is July 1, 2016. The final rule
changes will be mandatory for representations of energy use or
efficiency on or after November 28, 2016. The incorporation by
reference of certain publications listed in this rule was approved by
the Director of the Federal Register as of July 1, 2016.
ADDRESSES: 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, some documents listed in the index, such as those
containing information that is exempt from public disclosure, may not
be publicly available.
A link to the docket Web page can be found at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=EERE-2014-BT-TP-0014. This Web
page will contain a link to the docket for this document on the
www.regulations.gov site. The www.regulations.gov Web page will contain
simple instructions on how to access all documents, including public
comments, in the docket.
For further information on how to review the docket, contact Ms.
Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-2945 or by email:
[email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bryan Berringer, 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) 586-0371. Email:
[email protected]
Ms. Sarah Butler, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General
Counsel, Mailstop GC-33, 1000 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC
20585-0121. Telephone: 202-586-1777. Email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This final rule incorporates by reference
the following industry standard into 10 CFR parts 429 and 430:
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/Association of Home
Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) PAC-1-2015, Portable Air Conditioners,
June 19, 2015.
Copies of ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 can be obtained from the Association
of Home Appliance Manufacturers, 1111 19th Street NW., Suite 402,
Washington, DC 20036, 202-872-5955, or by going to https://www.aham.org/ht/d/Store/.
This final rule also incorporates by reference the following
industry standards into 10 CFR part 430:
ANSI/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air
Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 37-2009, (``ASHRAE Standard
37-2009''), Methods of Testing for Rating Electrically Driven Unitary
Air-Conditioning and Heat Pump Equipment, ANSI approved June 25, 2009.
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 62301 (``IEC
62301''), Household electrical appliances--Measurement of standby
power, (Edition 2.0, 2011-01).
Copies of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009 can be obtained from the
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
Engineers, Inc., Publication Sales, 1791 Tullie Circle NE., Atlanta, GA
30329, 800-527-4723 or 404-636-8400, or go to http://www.ashrae.org.
Copies of IEC 62301 can be obtained from the IEC at https://webstore.iec.ch/ and also from the American National Standards
Institute, 25 W. 43rd Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, (212) 642-
4900, or go to http://webstore.ansi.org.
See section IV.N of this rulemaking for a further discussion of
these standards.
Table of Contents
I. Authority and Background
A. Authority
B. Background
II. Synopsis of the Final Rule
III. Discussion
A. Covered Products and Configurations
1. Configuration Definitions
2. Convertible Products
B. Active Mode
C. Cooling Mode
1. General Test Approach
2. Rating Conditions
3. Seasonally Adjusted Cooling Capacity
4. Test Duration
5. Duct Heat Transfer and Leakage
6. Case Heat Transfer
7. Test Setup and Unit Placement
8. Condensate Collection
9. Control Settings
10. Electrical Supply
11. Power Factor
12. Test Condition Tolerances
D. Heating Mode
E. Air Circulation Mode
F. Off-Cycle Mode
G. Standby Mode and Off Mode
1. Mode Definitions
2. Determination of Standby Mode and Off Mode Power Consumption
H. Energy Efficiency Metrics
1. Annual Operating Mode Hours
2. CEER Calculation
3. Annual Operating Costs
I. Compliance With Other Energy Policy and Conservation Act
Requirements
1. Test Burden
2. Potential Incorporation of International Electrotechnical
Commission Standard 62087
J. Sampling Plan and Rounding Requirements
K. General Comments
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
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L. Review Under Section 32 of the Federal Energy Administration
Act of 1974
M. Congressional Notification
N. Materials Incorporated by Reference
V. Approval of the Office of the Secretary
I. Authority and Background
Portable air conditioners (portable ACs) are a type of heating,
cooling, and air-conditioning equipment, for which the U.S. Department
of Energy (DOE) is establishing test procedures, subject to the
requirements of 42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(1)(B). DOE is considering energy
conservation standards for portable ACs in a concurrent rulemaking. The
following sections discuss DOE's authority to establish test procedures
for portable ACs and relevant background information detailing the
history of the portable AC test procedure rulemaking.
A. Authority
Title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (42
U.S.C. 6291, et seq.; ``EPCA'' or, ``the Act'') \1\ sets forth various
provisions designed to improve energy efficiency. Part B \2\ of title
III establishes the ``Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products
Other Than Automobiles,'' which covers consumer products and certain
commercial products (hereinafter referred to as ``covered products'').
EPCA authorizes DOE to establish technologically feasible, economically
justified energy conservation standards for covered products or
equipment that would be likely to result in significant national energy
savings. (42 U.S.C. 6295(o)(2)(B)(i)(I)-(VII)) In addition to
specifying a list of covered consumer and industrial products, EPCA
contains provisions that enable the Secretary of Energy to classify
additional types of consumer products as covered products. (42 U.S.C.
6292(a)(20)) For a given product to be classified as a covered product,
the Secretary must determine that:
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\1\ All references to EPCA refer to the statute as amended
through the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015, Public Law
114-11 (April 30, 2015).
\2\ For editorial reasons, upon codification in the U.S. Code,
Part B was re-designated Part A.
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(1) Classifying the product as a covered product is necessary for
the purposes of EPCA; and
(2) The average annual per-household energy use by products of each
type is likely to exceed 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year. (42 U.S.C.
6292(b)(1))
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 products must use as the basis for: (1) Certifying to DOE that
their products comply with the applicable energy conservation standards
adopted under EPCA, and (2) making representations about the efficiency
of those products. Similarly, DOE must use these test procedures to
determine whether the products comply with any relevant standards
promulgated under EPCA.
Under 42 U.S.C. 6293, EPCA sets forth the criteria and procedures
DOE must follow when prescribing or amending test procedures for
covered products. EPCA provides in relevant part that any test
procedures prescribed or amended under this section shall be reasonably
designed to produce test results that measure energy efficiency, energy
use or estimated annual operating cost of a covered product during a
representative average use cycle or period of use and shall not be
unduly burdensome to conduct. (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(3)) In addition, if
DOE determines that a test procedure should be prescribed or amended,
it must publish proposed test procedures and offer the public an
opportunity to present oral and written comments on them. (42 U.S.C.
6293(b)(2))
B. Background
There are currently no DOE test procedures or energy conservation
standards for portable ACs. On July 5, 2013, DOE issued a notice of
proposed determination (NOPD) of coverage (hereinafter referred to as
the ``July 2013 NOPD''), in which DOE announced that it tentatively
determined that portable ACs meet the criteria under 42 U.S.C.
6292(b)(1) to be classified as a covered product. 78 FR 40403. In a
final determination of coverage published in the Federal Register on
April 18, 2016 (the April 2016 Coverage Determination), DOE classified
portable ACs as covered consumer products under EPCA. 81 FR 22514.
Concurrently, DOE has initiated rulemaking processes to establish
test procedures and energy conservation standards for portable ACs. DOE
initiated this test procedure rulemaking with a notice of data
availability (NODA), published on May 9, 2014 (hereinafter referred to
as the ``May 2014 NODA''). 79 FR 26639 (May 9, 2014). In the May 2014
NODA, DOE addressed comments received in response to the June 2013
NOPD, and specifically recognized those comments that supported the
development of a DOE test procedure for portable ACs to provide
consistency and clarity for representations of energy use of these
products. DOE evaluated available industry test procedures to determine
whether such methodologies would be suitable for incorporation in a
future DOE test procedure. To support development of a standardized DOE
test procedure for portable ACs, DOE conducted testing on a range of
portable ACs to determine typical cooling capacities and cooling energy
efficiencies based on the existing industry test methods and other
modified approaches for portable ACs. DOE presented the results of this
testing for public review and comment in the May 2014 NODA. 79 FR
26639, 26640 (May 9, 2014).
On February 25, 2015, DOE published in the Federal Register a
notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) (hereinafter referred to as the
``February 2015 NOPR''), in which it addressed comments received in
response to the July 2013 NOPD that were not previously addressed in
the May 2014 NODA, and proposed test procedures for single-duct and
dual-duct portable ACs that would provide a means of determining
efficiency in various operating modes, including cooling mode, heating
mode, off-cycle mode, standby mode, and off mode. 80 FR 10211. For
cooling mode and heating mode, DOE proposed test procedures based on
the then-current industry-accepted test procedure, AHAM PAC-1-2014,
``Portable Air Conditioners,'' with additional provisions to account
for heat transferred to the indoor conditioned space from the case,
ducts, and any infiltration air from unconditioned spaces. DOE also
proposed various clarifications for cooling mode and heating mode
testing, including: (1) Test duct configuration; (2) instructions for
condensate collection; (3) control settings for operating mode, fan
speed, temperature set point, and louver oscillation; (4) clarification
of test condition tolerances; and (5) unit placement within the test
chamber. For off-cycle mode, DOE proposed a test procedure that would
measure energy use when the ambient dry-bulb temperature is at or below
the setpoint. DOE also identified relevant low-power modes, proposed
definitions for inactive mode and off mode, and proposed test
procedures to determine representative energy consumption for these
modes. Id.
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed to use a combined energy
efficiency ratio (CEER) metric for representing the overall energy
efficiency of single-duct and dual-duct portable ACs. The CEER metric
would
[[Page 35244]]
represent energy use in all available operating modes. DOE also
proposed a cooling mode-specific CEER for units that do not provide a
heating function to provide a basis for comparing performance with
other cooling products such as room ACs. In addition, DOE proposed
separate energy efficiency ratio (EER) metrics for determining energy
efficiency in cooling mode and heating mode only. 80 FR 10211, 10234-
10235 (Feb. 25, 2015). In response to the February 2015 NOPR, DOE
received comments during a public meeting, in which DOE presented the
proposals, as well as in eight written comments from interested
parties. DOE has addressed these comments in the subsequent rulemaking
publications discussed below, including this final rule.
On November 17, 2015, DOE published in the Federal Register a
supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR) (hereinafter
referred to as the ``November 2015 SNOPR), in which DOE proposed
additions and clarifications to its proposed portable AC test
procedure. The additions and clarifications included: (1) Minor
revisions to the indoor and outdoor cooling mode test conditions; (2)
an additional test condition for cooling mode testing; (3) updated
infiltration air and capacity calculations to account for the second
cooling mode test condition, in the form of new condition-specific
adjusted cooling capacities (ACC95 and ACC83) and
the newly introduced seasonally adjusted cooling capacity (SACC); (4)
removal of the measurement of case heat transfer; (5) a clarification
of test unit placement within the test chamber; (6) removal of the
heating mode test procedure; (7) a revision to the CEER calculation to
reflect the two cooling mode test conditions and removal of heating
mode testing; (8) a clarification of the active mode test duration; and
(9) additional technical corrections and clarifications. Other than the
specific amendments newly proposed in the SNOPR, DOE continued to
propose the general test procedure originally included in the February
2015 NOPR. 80 FR 74020 (Nov. 17, 2015). In response to the November
2015 SNOPR, DOE received four written comments from interested parties.
In the relevant sections of this final rule, DOE presents those
comments, DOE's responses, and any applicable modifications to DOE's
test procedure.
DOE also recently initiated a separate rulemaking to consider
establishing energy conservation standards for portable ACs. DOE
received additional test procedure-related comments during the
preliminary analysis stage of this concurrent energy conservation
standards rulemaking and addresses those comments in this final rule.
Any new standards would be based on the same efficiency metrics derived
from the test procedure that DOE is establishing in this final rule.
II. Synopsis of the Final Rule
DOE has reviewed its analysis and comments received in response to
the November 2015 SNOPR, and has concluded that the proposals contained
therein, including proposals that remained unchanged from the February
2015 NOPR, warrant adoption of a new test procedure for single-duct and
dual-duct portable ACs except as follows: (1) Adopting a lower value
for the duct convection heat transfer coefficient; (2) slightly
revising the proposed definitions of ``single-duct portable air
conditioner'' and ``dual-duct portable air conditioner'' and
withdrawing the proposed definition for ``spot cooler;'' (3) requiring
that any single-duct or dual-duct portable ACs that may be configured
in both single-duct and dual-duct configurations must be tested in both
configurations; and (4) incorporating clarifying edits to the duct
installation instructions and duct surface area calculation. DOE is
codifying the new test procedure at 10 CFR part 430, subpart B,
appendix CC, to contain provisions for measuring the energy consumption
of single-duct and dual-duct portable ACs in active, standby, and off
modes. In addition, in this final rule, DOE establishes provisions for
certification, compliance, and enforcement for portable ACs in 10 CFR
part 429. Specifically, these amendments add new section 10 CFR 429.62
with requirements for determining SACC and CEER for a basic model.
III. Discussion
In this test procedure final rule, DOE is adopting definitions,
test procedures, and certification and enforcement requirements for
portable ACs. These provisions will be incorporated into relevant
sections of parts 429 and 430 of Title 10 of the CFR, as specified in
Table III.1. The definitions discussed and established in this final
rule include various operating modes (cooling mode, off-cycle mode,
standby mode, inactive mode, and off mode), duct configurations
(single-duct and dual-duct), and performance metrics (seasonally
adjusted cooling capacity and combined energy efficiency ratio). The
test procedures established in this final rule provide a measure of
portable AC performance under representative operating modes and
conditions, which are discussed further in this final rule. DOE further
establishes test sampling requirements.
Table III.1--Summary of Final Rule Provisions, Their Location Within the Code of Federal Regulations, and the
Applicable Preamble Discussion
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Applicable preamble
CFR Location Topics Summary of provisions discussion
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10 CFR 429.62...................... Sampling Plan......... Minimum number of portable Section III.J.
ACs to be tested to rate a
portable AC basic model.
10 CFR 430.2....................... Definitions........... Definitions pertinent to Section III.A.
categorizing and testing
of portable ACs.
10 CFR 429.4 and 10 CFR 430.3...... Incorporation by Description of industry Section IV.N.
Reference. standards incorporated by
reference in the DOE test
procedure.
10 CFR 430.23(dd) and Appendix CC Test Procedure........ Instructions for Sections III.C, III.F,
to Subpart B. determining the SACC and III.G, and III.H.
CEER for applicable
portable ACs.
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The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Southern California
Gas Company (SCGC), Southern California Edison (SCE), and San Diego Gas
and Electric Company (SDG&E) (hereinafter the ``California Investor-
Owned Utilities (IOUs)''), the National Association of Manufacturers
(NAM), and AHAM supported DOE's rulemakings to establish energy
conservations standards and test procedures for portable ACs. AHAM
further stated that
[[Page 35245]]
the test procedure should include repeatable and reproducible measures
that are representative of actual consumer use, but not unduly
burdensome to conduct. (California IOUs, No. 20 at p. 1; NAM, No. 17 at
p. 1; AHAM, No. 18 at p. 1; AHAM, No. 23 at pp. 1-2) \3\
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\3\ A notation in the form ``California IOUs, No. 20 at p. 1''
identifies a written comment: (1) Made by the Pacific Gas and
Electric Company, Southern California Gas Company, Southern
California Edison, and San Diego Gas and Electric Company (``the
California IOUs''); (2) recorded in document number 20 that is filed
in the docket of this test procedure rulemaking (Docket No. EERE-
2014- BT-TP-0014) and available for review at www.regulations.gov;
and (3) which appears on page 1 of document number 20.
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A. Covered Products and Configurations
In the April 2016 Coverage Determination, DOE established the
definition of a portable AC as a portable encased assembly, other than
a packaged terminal air conditioner, room air conditioner, or
dehumidifier, that delivers cooled, conditioned air to an enclosed
space, and is powered by single-phase electric current. The definition
also states that a portable AC includes a source of refrigeration and
may include additional means for air circulation and heating. 81 FR
22514, 22516, 22519, 22520 (April 18, 2016). This definition
encompasses several categories and configurations of portable ACs. For
the purposes of specifying the appropriate test method(s) and,
potentially, energy conservation standards for these different
categories and configurations of portable ACs, DOE is adopting specific
definitions for ``single-duct portable air conditioner'' and ``dual-
duct portable air conditioner,'' and clarifying the test method for
convertible products. DOE discusses these definitions and test
provisions, including any comments received related to them, in section
III.A.1 and section III.A.2 of this rule.
1. Configuration Definitions
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE identified three general categories
of portable ACs, distinguished by duct configuration and associated
handling of condenser air flow. Accordingly, DOE proposed definitions
for these three configurations: ``single-duct portable air
conditioners,'' ``dual-duct portable air conditioners,'' and ``spot
coolers.'' 80 FR 10211, 10214-10216 (Feb. 25, 2015). The various
ducting configurations are discussed in more detail in the following
sections.
a. Single-Duct and Dual-Duct Portable ACs
DOE proposed in the February 2015 NOPR to define a single-duct
portable AC as a portable AC that draws all of the condenser inlet air
from the conditioned space without the means of a duct, and discharges
the condenser outlet air outside the conditioned space through a single
duct. 80 FR 10211, 10215-10216 (Feb. 25, 2015). DOE also proposed a
definition of a dual-duct portable AC as a portable AC that draws some
or all of the condenser inlet air from outside the conditioned space
through a duct, and may draw additional condenser inlet air from the
conditioned space. DOE further defined a dual-duct portable AC as
discharging the condenser outlet air outside the conditioned space by
means of a separate duct. Id. at 10216. The portable AC configuration
definitions proposed in the February 2015 NOPR were the basis for the
development of the concurrent energy conservation standards rulemaking
preliminary analysis, published on February 27, 2015 (February 2015
Preliminary Analysis). DOE also maintained these proposed definitions
in the November 2015 SNOPR.
In response to the February 2015 Preliminary Analysis, DENSO
Products and Services Americas, Inc. (DENSO) expressed concern that the
terminology for a dual-duct configuration could be potentially
misleading. (DENSO, Standards Preliminary Analysis, No. 13 at p. 9) \4\
DOE notes that the definition of a dual-duct portable AC requires ducts
at both the condenser inlet and outlet. This definition would exclude
other portable AC configurations with two ducts, such as portable ACs
equipped with inlet and outlet ducts on the evaporator side, but
without ducts at the condenser inlet and outlet. However, DOE is aware
that some manufacturers may sell these portable ACs (defined as ``spot
coolers'' in the February 2015 NOPR and November 2015 SNOPR) with
optional inlet and/or outlet ducts for the condenser side. Therefore,
DOE considered whether these products with the optional duct(s)
installed could be considered single-duct or dual-duct portable ACs.
DOE reviewed product specifications, manufacturer information, and
available accessories for spot coolers. DOE observed that the optional
ducting accessories for these products are typically available in a
range of sizes and configurations, which precludes DOE from determining
a representative ducted setup for testing. See section III.A.1.b of
this preamble for further discussion of the testing concerns for spot
coolers with optional ducting.
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\4\ A notation in the form ``DENSO, Preliminary Analysis, No. 13
at p. 9'' identifies a written comment: (1) Made by DENSO Products
and Services Americas, Inc.; (2) recorded in document number 13 that
is filed in the docket of the concurrent energy conservation
standards rulemaking (Docket No. EERE-2013-BT-STD-0013) and
available for review at www.regulations.gov; and (3) which appears
on page 9 of document number 13.
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DOE also revisited the product specifications and manufacturer
information for the products it had considered single-duct and dual-
duct portable ACs in the February 2015 Preliminary Analysis. DOE
observed that all single-duct and dual-duct portable ACs include
similar ducting configurations that include adjustable window mounting
brackets for the condenser ducts. DOE determined that single-duct and
dual-duct portable ACs implement an adjustable window mounting bracket
to maintain portability and flexibility for users to install these
products in multiple locations while exhausting condenser air outside
through the most common available spaces--windows of varying sizes. DOE
also notes that it found no spot coolers that have an adjustable window
mounting bracket with the optional duct accessories. DOE identified the
presence of an adjustable window mounting bracket as a primary feature
of single-duct and dual-duct portable ACs. The corresponding
consistency in installation enabled the development of a test procedure
that yields energy use results representative of real-world use. As
discussed in section III.A.1.b of this preamble, portable ACs without
adjustable window mounting brackets for condenser ducts (e.g., spot
coolers) may be installed and used in a variety of applications and are
not addressed by this test procedure. DOE, therefore, establishes in
this final rule the following single-duct portable AC and dual-duct
portable AC definitions in 10 CFR 430.2, which include the requirement
for an adjustable window bracket.
Single-duct portable air conditioner means a portable air
conditioner that draws all of the condenser inlet air from the
conditioned space without the means of a duct, and discharges the
condenser outlet air outside the conditioned space through a single
duct attached to an adjustable window bracket.
Dual-duct portable air conditioner means a portable air conditioner
that draws some or all of the condenser inlet air from outside the
conditioned space through a duct attached to an adjustable window
bracket, may draw additional
[[Page 35246]]
condenser inlet air from the conditioned space, and discharges the
condenser outlet air outside the conditioned space by means of a
separate duct attached to an adjustable window bracket.
In reviewing the February 2015 NOPR proposal, DOE noted that the
terms ``single-duct portable air conditioner'' and ``dual-duct portable
air conditioner'' are used in provisions of the DOE regulations outside
of the test procedure that will be codified at appendix CC to part 430
of Title 10 of the CFR. For example, the terms are used in the general
test procedure instructions to be codified at 10 CFR 430.23(dd).
Therefore, to ensure the appropriate scope of applicability for the
single-duct and dual-duct portable AC definitions, DOE is codifying
these definitions at 10 CFR 430.2.
b. Other Portable ACs
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE described ``spot coolers'' as
portable ACs that have no ducting on the condenser side and may utilize
small directional ducts on the evaporator exhaust. DOE noted that
typical applications for spot coolers are those that require cooling in
one localized zone and can tolerate exhaust heat outside of this zone.
These applications are typically larger spaces with harsh conditions,
and spot coolers are therefore generally more robust in construction
than their single-duct and dual-duct portable AC counterparts. As such,
DOE proposed defining a spot cooler as a portable AC that draws
condenser inlet air from and discharges condenser outlet air to the
conditioned space, and draws evaporator inlet air from and discharges
evaporator outlet air to a localized zone within the conditioned space.
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE did not propose testing provisions for
measuring the energy performance of spot coolers because these products
do not provide net cooling to the conditioned space, and because they
incorporate different design features and usage patterns than single-
duct and dual-duct portable ACs. 80 FR 10211, 10213, 10214-10215 (Feb.
25, 2015).
In response to the February 2015 Preliminary Analysis, DENSO
commented that a spot cooler with optional ducts on either the
condenser or evaporator side should still be classified as a spot
cooler rather than a single-duct or dual-duct portable AC. (DENSO,
Standards Preliminary Analysis, No. 13 at pp. 1-2)
DOE agrees that a portable AC with no ducts on the condenser side,
but with ducts on the evaporator side, would not be considered a
single-duct or dual-duct portable AC because the portable AC would not
be able to reject heat from the condenser to the ambient air through a
window to space outside that in which the unit is located (i.e., the
conditioned space), as is required by the single-duct and dual-duct
portable AC definitions. Ducts optionally attached to the evaporator
side would simply direct the delivery of the cooling air to a specific
zone within the conditioned space.
Optional ducts that may be attached to spot coolers on the
condenser side vary significantly in purpose and design from those
accompanying single-duct and dual-duct portable ACs (i.e., spot cooler
condensers are not typically intended to be ducted through a window by
means of an adjustable mounting bracket, but instead may be ducted
through the ceiling or to a specific location within or outside the
conditioned space by typically longer and larger-diameter ducts). Under
the definitions established in this final rule for single-duct and
dual-duct portable ACs, a portable AC with optional ducts on the
condenser side that do not attach to an adjustable window mounting
bracket would not classify the product as a single-duct or dual-duct
portable AC.
The California IOUs urged DOE to adopt test procedures and consider
future performance standards for spot coolers under DOE's proposed
definitions. The California IOUs noted that 321 of the 427 spot cooler
models in the California Energy Commission (CEC) Appliance Efficiency
Database have cooling capacities below 14,000 British thermal units per
hour (Btu/hr), and assumed this distribution is an indicator of
widespread market availability of products below 14,000 Btu/hr. The
California IOUs further commented that, should DOE decide not to adopt
test procedures for spot coolers, DOE should define spot coolers as a
non-covered product in order to avoid coverage for a category of
equipment without establishing any standards, thereby preempting any
state regulations. (California IOUs, No. 20 at pp. 1-2; California
IOUs, No. 24 at p. 4) In this final rule, DOE maintains the approach
proposed in the February 2015 NOPR to not establish test procedures for
spot coolers because they do not provide net cooling to the conditioned
space and they incorporate different design features and usage patterns
than single-duct and dual-duct portable ACs. Additionally, due to the
significant variability in operating conditions and installation
configurations (including the variety of optional accessories) for spot
coolers with optional condenser ducting attached, DOE does not have
information to determine appropriate test setup and testing conditions
to measure spot cooler energy use in a representative test procedure.
Therefore, DOE is establishing testing requirements for only single-
duct and dual-duct portable ACs at this time, as discussed in section
III.A.1.a of this preamble.
Upon review of the spot cooler entries in the CEC Appliance
Efficiency Database,\5\ DOE concludes that a number of listed products
would meet DOE's definitions of single-duct or dual-duct portable ACs.
Such single-duct or dual-duct portable ACs would be covered by the test
procedures adopted in this final rule. DOE also notes that, because
spot coolers meet the definition of a portable AC as established by the
April 2016 Coverage Determination, they are covered products under
EPCA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ The CEC Appliance Efficiency Database is accessible at
https://cacertappliances.energy.ca.gov/Pages/ApplianceSearch.aspx.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP), Alliance to Save
Energy (ASE), American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE),
National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), Natural Resources Defense Council
(NRDC), and Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) (hereinafter
the ``NOPR Joint Commenters'') and the California IOUs, expressed
concern, in response to the February 2015 NOPR, that products not
intended to be used as spot coolers could meet the definition of spot
cooler and thereby avoid having to comply with portable AC standards.
(NOPR Joint Commenters, No. 19 at p. 2; California IOUs, No. 20 at p.
2) In response to the concern raised by the NOPR Joint Commenters and
California IOUs, DOE does not expect that manufacturers would begin
selling products in spot cooler configurations due to the consumer
utility impacts of exhausting the hot condenser air within the
conditioned space.
NAM urged DOE to exclude commercial portable ACs \6\ from the
portable AC test procedure due to the unique construction and limited
energy use of these niche products. Oceanaire and NAM explained that
commercial portable ACs are primarily used to address temporary or
short-term extreme conditions (elevated temperature, humidity, and
corrosive surroundings). These commenters stated that commercial
portable AC environmental conditions vary more significantly than those
in consumer households, and therefore, claimed that
[[Page 35247]]
a single ambient test condition would not accurately reflect commercial
portable AC performance. (Oceanaire, No. 10 at pp. 2-3; NAM, No. 17 at
pp. 2-3) DOE established a definition and coverage for portable ACs in
the April 2016 Coverage Determination. 81 FR 22514, 22516-22517, 22519-
22520 (April 18, 2016). This definition requires that a portable AC
operate on single-phase electric current, which DOE expects would
exclude those products intended only for use in industrial
applications. Any products that meet the portable AC definition are
subject to the test procedures in this final rule, if applicable, and
would be subject to any energy conservation standards should DOE
establish them. As discussed earlier in this section, DOE is
establishing test procedures only for single-duct and dual-duct
portable ACs in this final rule. Accordingly, any portable ACs that
meet the single-duct and dual-duct portable AC definitions are required
to be tested according to appendix CC. Although DOE has identified
portable AC configurations other than single-duct and dual-duct
portable ACs, DOE is not establishing test procedures for such portable
ACs in this final rule because it has not identified testing provisions
that would be representative of operation during typical use. Further,
because the test procedures established in this final rule apply only
to single-duct and dual-duct portable ACs as discussed previously in
this rule, DOE is not establishing the spot cooler definition proposed
in the February 2015 NOPR and November 2015 SNOPR, as DOE has
determined that it is not necessary for purposes of testing or product
classification.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ DOE expects that ``commercial portable ACs,'' as discussed
by NAM and Oceanaire, likely refers to spot coolers. This
determination was based on reviewing their overall comments and
Oceanaire's product availability.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In conclusion, DOE is establishing, in this final rule, definitions
for single-duct and dual-duct portable ACs. As noted in section
III.A.1.a of this final rule, DOE is codifying these definitions at 10
CFR 430.2, rather than appendix CC, to reflect their applicability to
the entirety of DOE's portable AC regulations, not only the test
methods contained in appendix CC.
2. Convertible Products
DOE recognizes that some single-duct or dual-duct portable ACs may
provide the consumer with the option to operate the unit as either a
single-duct or dual-duct portable AC. If a product is distributed in
commerce in both configurations, the different configurations represent
different ``basic models'' within DOE's regulatory framework and the
product must be rated and certified in both configurations. If a
single-duct or dual-duct portable AC is offered with options for
single-ducting and dual-ducting, such a unit would be required to be
tested as a single-duct portable AC and a dual-duct portable AC. To the
extent DOE establishes energy conservation standards for single-duct
and dual-duct portable ACs, a single-duct or dual-duct portable AC
distributed in commerce with multiple duct configurations would also be
required to comply with any energy conservation standards applicable to
those configurations. DOE notes that DOE's definition of ``distributed
in commerce'' includes any representations made on manufacturer Web
sites or in marketing literature, including optional accessories,
regardless of the configuration in which the model is typically sold.
That is, if a single-duct or dual-duct portable AC is advertised as
capable of operating in both a single-duct and dual-duct configuration,
that model would meet DOE's definitions of both single-duct and dual-
duct portable ACs and, therefore, would be required to be tested and
certified under both configurations.
This approach is similar to how DOE has treated other types of
covered products and equipment, including dehumidifiers. In the recent
dehumidifier test procedure final rule, DOE explained that products
that meet the definitions for both portable and whole-home
dehumidifiers as produced by the manufacturer, exclusive of any third-
party modifications, must be tested in both configurations and comply
with any applicable energy conservations standards for each
configuration. 80 FR 45802, 45806 (July 31, 2015). Therefore, under
this final rule, single-duct and dual-duct portable ACs that are
distributed in commerce with multiple duct configuration options must
be tested in each applicable configuration and the performance in each
tested configuration must comply with any applicable energy
conservation standards.
B. Active Mode
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed to define ``active mode''
as a mode in which the portable AC is connected to a mains power
source, has been activated, and is performing the main functions of
cooling or heating the conditioned space, circulating air through
activation of its fan or blower without activation of the refrigeration
system, or defrosting the refrigerant coil. 80 FR 10211, 10216 (Feb.
25, 2015). In the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE determined that the existing
statutory definition of ``active mode'' was sufficient for purposes of
the portable AC test procedure and therefore no longer proposed a
separate definition of ``active mode'' for portable ACs. 80 FR 74020,
74022 (Nov. 27, 2015).
AHAM agreed with DOE's proposal to remove the expanded definition
for active mode from the test procedure. (AHAM, No. 23 at p. 2) DOE
maintains the November 2015 SNOPR proposal and does not establish a
separate definition of ``active mode'' for portable ACs in this final
rule.
C. Cooling Mode
1. General Test Approach
In the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE proposed a test procedure with
provisions for measuring portable AC energy use in cooling mode that
would be based on the current version of AHAM PAC-1, ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-
2015. The general test method in ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 measures cooling
capacity and EER based on an air enthalpy approach that measures the
air flow rate, dry-bulb temperature, and water vapor content of air at
the inlet and outlet of the portable AC when it is installed in a test
chamber at specified indoor ambient conditions and the ducts are
connected to a second chamber at specified outdoor ambient conditions.
DOE noted in the November 2015 SNOPR that AHAM issued this new version
of PAC-1 in 2015, with no changes in language from the 2014 version.
Therefore, although DOE previously proposed in the February 2015 NOPR
to adopt a test procedure for portable ACs that would be based on AHAM
PAC-1-2014, DOE proposed in the November 2015 SNOPR to reference the
identical updated version, ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015, in the proposed DOE
portable AC test procedure in order to reference the most current
industry version. 80 FR 74020, 74023 (Nov. 27, 2015).
AHAM supported the updated reference to ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015,
confirming that the two versions are identical and noting that ANSI/
AHAM PAC-1-2015 was a re-publication under ANSI requirements. (AHAM,
No. 23 at p. 2)
DOE maintains the November 2015 SNOPR proposal and establishes
ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 as the basis for the DOE portable AC test
procedure in this final rule.
DOE determined, however, in the February 2015 NOPR and November
2015 SNOPR that the results from ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 tests do not
fully account for operational factors that contribute to an apparent
reduction of cooling capacity in the field, namely air infiltration
from outside the conditioned space and heat transfer through the
[[Page 35248]]
ducts and product case. DOE observed that infiltration from outside the
conditioned space occurs due to the negative pressure induced as
condenser air is exhausted outside the conditioned space. Although this
effect is most pronounced for single-duct units, which draw all of
their condenser air from with the conditioned space, dual-duct units
also typically draw a portion of their condenser air from the
conditioned space, which creates a negative pressure in the conditioned
space, leading to infiltration air from unconditioned spaces (e.g.,
outdoors, attics, and crawlspaces). Accordingly, DOE proposed in the
February 2015 NOPR numerical calculations that would adjust the
measured cooling capacity by subtracting the sensible and latent heat
transfer of infiltration air at the outdoor conditions, as well as
measured duct and case heat transfer. 80 FR 10211, 10223-10227 (Feb.
25, 2015); 80 FR 74020, 74026-74030 (Nov. 27, 2015). DOE received
multiple comments regarding these proposed adjustments. Comments
relating to the incorporation of infiltration air adjustments are
discussed in this section, while those pertaining to duct and case heat
transfer are discussed later in section III.C.5 and section III.C.6 of
this final rule.
Related to an adjustment for infiltration, ASAP supported
incorporating the effects of infiltration air in the measure of cooling
capacity. (ASAP, Public Meeting Transcript, No. 13 at p. 44)
Conversely, AHAM and De' Longhi Appliances s.r.l. (De' Longhi) opposed
DOE's proposal to apply a numerical adjustment for infiltration air to
the results of ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 testing. They indicated that it is
not possible to identify or incorporate realistic infiltration air
field conditions in a test procedure. AHAM suggested that factors such
as home construction, floorplan, insulation, and leakage are all
variables that affect the impact of infiltration air and are outside
the control of the manufacturing process. According to AHAM, unlike
duct heat transfer and leakage loss which can be controlled and, to
some extent, standardized, air infiltration cannot be standardized
without assumptions to analyze the variables. Additionally, AHAM urged
DOE to obtain portable AC-specific data to support its proposed test
procedure. (AHAM, No. 23 at pp. 1-3; De' Longhi, No. 25 at p. 1)
Data presented in the February 2015 NOPR demonstrated that the net
cooling of portable ACs is generally significantly lower than the air
enthalpy measurements in ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 would suggest, primarily
due to the effects of air infiltration. Therefore, DOE determined that
the use of ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 alone would not accurately represent
portable AC performance. Further, DOE's testing results indicated that
varying air flow rates and heat losses among different portable ACs
would preclude a fixed translation factor that could be applied to the
results of ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 to account for the impact of air
infiltration. 80 FR 10211, 10221 (Feb. 25, 2015). DOE requested
additional portable AC usage data from interested parties in both the
February 2015 NOPR and November 2015 SNOPR and received no specific
information that would impact DOE's proposals. DOE further notes, as
discussed in section I.A of this final rule, that in accordance with
EPCA, a test procedure must be designed to produce test results that
measure energy efficiency during a representative average period of
use. (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(3)) Consequently, a DOE test procedure need not
predict performance under every application, but rather under
reasonably representative conditions applied consistently across all
products. Therefore, DOE maintains its determination that the effects
of infiltration air must be accounted for in the portable AC test
procedure it establishes in this final rule, as it represents the
performance of portable ACs under their typical installations and
applications.
De' Longhi expressed concern that modifying the AHAM PAC-1-2014
method to account for infiltration air would disproportionately impact
single-duct portable AC performance and subsequently cause the removal
of such products from the market. De' Longhi asserted that single-duct
portable ACs provide a unique consumer utility, allowing for easy
installation, lighter weights, smaller dimensions, and the
corresponding ability to easily move the equipment from room to room.
According to De' Longhi, overall energy consumption may be reduced by
using single-duct portable ACs because no room is conditioned
unnecessarily. Therefore, De' Longhi did not agree with the proposal to
modify the cooling capacity equation in AHAM PAC-1-2014 to address the
effects of infiltration air. De' Longhi further noted that a certain
amount of fresh air (make up air) is always required for proper
ventilation. For residential occupancies, one to two air changes per
hour are recommended. So the effect of air ventilation should be
considered also, in general, for all air conditioning categories or it
should be discounted for portable ACs. (De' Longhi, Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 13 at pp. 13-15, 40; De' Longhi, No. 16 at pp. 1-3)
In response to De' Longhi's concerns regarding disproportionate
impacts on single-duct portable ACs when infiltration air is accounted
for, DOE notes that DOE's test procedure must provide an accurate
representation of portable AC energy consumption during an average
cycle of use. As noted previously, single-duct portable ACs typically
generate higher rates of infiltration air than comparable dual-duct
units, and such infiltration affects the capacity and efficiency.
Therefore, DOE believes it is appropriate to address the impacts of
infiltration air in the SACC and CEER, as this represents expected
installation and performance.
However, as discussed further in section III.C.2, section III.C.3,
and III.H of this final rule, the rating conditions and SACC
calculation proposed in the November 2015 SNOPR mitigate De' Longhi's
concerns. DOE recognizes that the impact of infiltration on portable AC
performance is test-condition dependent and, thus, more extreme outdoor
test conditions (i.e., elevated temperature and humidity) emphasize any
infiltration-related performance differences. The rating conditions and
weighting factors proposed in the November 2015 SNOPR, and adopted in
this final rule (see section III.C.2.a and section III.C.3 of this
final rule), represent more moderate conditions than those proposed in
the February 2015 NOPR. Therefore, the performance impact of
infiltration air heat transfer on all portable AC configurations is
less extreme. In consideration of the changes in test conditions and
performance calculations since the February 2015 NOPR and the test
procedure established in this final rule, DOE expects that single-duct
portable AC performance is significantly less impacted by infiltration
air.
Friedrich stated that the test procedure requires both rooms to be
within 6 percent of the measured cooling or heating capacity, and
therefore, because the rooms are balanced and there is a minor amount
of pressure differential between both rooms, there is no need to take
into account the infiltrated air. (Friedrich, Public Meeting
Transcript, No. 13 at pp. 44-45) DOE infers that Friedrich's comment
references Section 7.2 of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009, ``Methods of
Testing for Rating Electrically Driven Unitary Air-Conditioning and
Heat Pump Equipment'' (ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009), which specifies
that two simultaneous tests be conducted to determine the capacity of
products rated
[[Page 35249]]
at less than 135,000 Btu/h, and Section 10.1.2 of that standard which
specifies that the results of these tests must agree within 6 percent.
However, these sections of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009 are not
referenced in ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015, nor were they referenced in the
proposed DOE test procedure in the February 2015 NOPR or November 2015
SNOPR. Therefore, Friedrich's comment does not apply to the DOE
portable AC test procedure. In this final rule, DOE maintains that the
initial measured cooling capacity prior to other adjustments be based
on the indoor cooling capacity, as described in Section 7.3 of ANSI/
ASHRAE Standard 37-2009 and referenced in Section 7.1.b of ANSI/AHAM
PAC-1-2015.
2. Rating Conditions
a. Test Chamber Temperatures
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed the following standard
rating conditions for cooling mode testing, adopting the conditions in
Table 3, ``Standard Rating Conditions,'' in ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015, shown
in Table III.2, where Test Configuration 3 applies to dual-duct units
and Test Configuration 5 applies to single-duct units.\7\ 80 FR 10211,
10226 (Feb. 25, 2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ Additional information regarding the operating and test
configurations can be found in Table 2 and Figure 1 of ANSI/AHAM
PAC-1-2015.
Table III.2--Standard Rating Conditions--Cooling Mode--NOPR Proposal
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evaporator inlet air, [deg]F ([deg]C) Condenser inlet air, [deg]F ([deg]C)
Test configuration ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dry bulb Wet bulb Dry bulb Wet bulb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 (Dual-Duct)....................................... 80.6 (27) 66.2 (19) 95 (35) 75.2 (24)
5 (Single-Duct)..................................... 80.6 (27) 66.2 (19) 80.6 (27) 66.2 (19)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In response to the February 2015 NOPR, DENSO suggested that the
relative humidity conditions differed significantly between the 2009
and 2014 versions of AHAM PAC-1 and that the test conditions should be
expressed in whole degrees. Based on DENSO's comment, in the November
2015 SNOPR, DOE examined the relative impact of the varying latent heat
differential between the indoor (evaporator) and outdoor (condenser)
conditions in the February 2015 NOPR proposal and in AHAM PAC-1-2009,
which specified slightly different temperatures in rounded [deg]F.\8\
DOE estimated that the change in test conditions from the 2009 to the
2015 version of AHAM PAC-1, proposed in the February 2015 NOPR, would
decrease cooling capacity by 5-10 percent, an amount which DOE
considered to be significant. DOE further noted that, although the test
conditions in ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 are harmonized with those in
Canadian Standards Association (CSA) C370-2013 and ANSI/ASHRAE Standard
128-2011, they do not align with the test conditions in the DOE test
procedures for other cooling products, particularly room ACs and
central ACs. Therefore, to maintain consistency with the DOE test
procedures of other cooling products, DOE proposed in the November 2015
SNOPR to revise the test conditions proposed in the February 2015 NOPR
to align with the test conditions in AHAM PAC-1-2009. Namely, DOE
proposed in the November 2015 SNOPR to specify indoor test conditions
of 80[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb and 67[emsp14][deg]F wet-bulb temperature,
and a set of outdoor test conditions of 95[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb and
75[emsp14][deg]F wet-bulb temperature. 80 FR 74020, 74024 (Nov. 27,
2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ AHAM PAC-1-2009 prescribed evaporator inlet (indoor)
conditions of 80[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb and 67[emsp14][deg]F wet-
bulb temperature, and condenser inlet (outdoor) conditions of
95[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb and 75[emsp14][deg]F wet-bulb temperature.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE also proposed to include a second
cooling mode test condition for dual-duct units at outdoor test
conditions. Specifically, DOE proposed to reflect both the high-
temperature conditions when cooling is most needed and the weighted-
average temperature and humidity observed during the hottest 750 hours
(the hours during which DOE expects portable ACs to operate in cooling
mode) by testing using both the 95[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb and
75[emsp14][deg]F wet-bulb temperature test condition and a second
83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb temperature and 67.5[emsp14][deg]F wet-bulb
temperature test condition. For single-duct units, as both the
evaporator inlet and condenser inlet air conditions are based on the
indoor air condition, the air enthalpy test is not affected by the
outdoor air conditions. The effects of any infiltration air are then
calculated rather than tested directly. Accordingly, DOE proposed to
maintain the same air enthalpy test for single-duct units. In addition
to the infiltration air impacts assuming 95[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb and
75.2[emsp14][deg]F wet-bulb temperature outdoor air, DOE proposed a
second set of numerical calculations for adjusted cooling capacity
(ACC) at the specific test conditions, and updated calculations for
SACC and CEER based on the two proposed infiltration air conditions.
(See section III.C.2.c of this rulemaking for discussion of the
numerical adjustments by means of infiltration air calculations.) This
approach was designed to minimize testing burden for single-duct
portable ACs. Table III.3 shows the complete set of cooling mode rating
conditions that DOE proposed for portable ACs in the November 2015
SNOPR. 80 FR 74020, 74026 (Nov. 27, 2015).
Table III.3--Standard Rating Conditions--Cooling Mode--SNOPR Proposal
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evaporator inlet air, [deg]F ([deg]C) Condenser inlet air, [deg]F ([deg]C)
Test configuration ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dry bulb Wet bulb Dry bulb Wet bulb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 (Dual-Duct, Condition A).......................... 80 (26.7) 67 (19.4) 95 (35) 75 (23.9)
3 (Dual-Duct, Condition B).......................... 80 (26.7) 67 (19.4) 83 (28.3) 67.5 (19.7)
5 (Single-Duct)..................................... 80 (26.7) 67 (19.4) 80 (26.7) 67 (19.4)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 35250]]
AHAM agreed with DOE's assessment of the impact on cooling capacity
and measured efficiency due to small changes in the test conditions
between the 2009 and 2015 versions of AHAM PAC-1 and therefore
supported DOE's proposal to revise the single-duct and the dual-duct
(Condition A) test chamber conditions to be consistent with those in
AHAM PAC-1-2009. AHAM also supported the proposal to conduct two tests
for dual-duct units and noted that the increase in test burden is
necessary in order to more accurately measure cooling capacity. (AHAM,
No. 23 at pp. 2, 4)
NAM challenged DOE's assertion that portable ACs are used during
the hottest 750 hours of the cooling season, suggesting that consumers
often use portable ACs during the transition periods before and after
summer to cool only a certain room or rooms prior to activating their
central cooling or heating and that a temperature representing the
hottest times of the cooling season is not representative of consumer
use. (NAM, No. 17 at p. 2) DENSO stated that during the off season, the
unit would be unplugged. (DENSO, No. 14 at p. 3)
In response to NAM's comment that portable ACs are often used
during seasonal transition periods rather than during the hottest 750
hours of the cooling season and therefore test conditions based on the
hottest times of the cooling season are not representative of consumer
use, DOE notes that, as discussed in the February 2015 NOPR, in
developing the representative rating conditions for portable ACs, DOE's
view was that the room AC annual operating hours and test conditions
presented in the most recent test procedure NOPR (hereinafter the
``room AC test procedure NOPR'') \9\ were an appropriate proxy for
portable ACs. DOE made this determination based on the many
similarities between room ACs and portable ACs in design, cost,
functionality, consumer utility, and applications. In the room AC test
procedure in 10 CFR 430.23(f) and appendix F to subpart B of 10 CFR
part 430, cooling mode is allotted 750 hours and testing is conducted
at 95[emsp14][deg]F, a high-temperature outdoor test condition during
which cooling is most needed. Based on DOE's approach that the annual
operating hours for room AC cooling was a reasonable proxy for portable
AC cooling, DOE determined in the February 2015 NOPR that the portable
AC cooling mode also should be allotted the hottest 750 hours during
the cooling season. DOE requested information regarding this
determination of cooling mode operating hours in the February 2015 NOPR
and the November 2015 SNOPR. 80 FR 10211, 10235, 10242-10243 (Feb. 25,
2015); 80 FR 740202, 74032 (Nov. 27, 2015). No data regarding portable
AC annual operating hours were provided to controvert DOE's approach in
response to either the February 2015 NOPR or the November 2015 SNOPR.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ See 73 FR 74639 (Dec. 9, 2008).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOE further notes that portable ACs may be used in spaces within
the home that typically have no alternate conditioning equipment, such
as new additions, attics, garages, and basements. In those locations,
DOE expects portable ACs would be used as the primary conditioning
equipment as central cooling is not typically utilized or available.
Due to commonality with room AC use and variability in installation
location, which suggests portable ACs are likely used as the primary
mode of cooling for some applications, DOE maintains its determination
that portable AC cooling mode use is most likely to occur during the
hottest 750 hours during the cooling season, and has used this
determination in establishing the test conditions for portable ACs in
this final rule.
ASAP, ASE, and NEEA (hereinafter the ``SNOPR Joint Commenters'')
and the California IOUs commented that with multiple test conditions,
the proposed test procedure for portable ACs would not be comparable
with the DOE test procedure for room ACs. These commenters suggested
that any weight given to a different test condition (e.g., the
83[emsp14][deg]F outdoor dry-bulb temperature) would result in
discrepancies in rated performance that would not allow for accurate
comparison between the two similar and competing products. They
asserted that the portable AC metric should be comparable with the room
AC metric in order to achieve consistency with labeling and consumer
expectations of equipment that provides similar utility. The SNOPR
Joint Commenters and California IOUs supported a single test condition
that reflects energy outputs during peak times when the equipment is
most needed, as electric utilities are shifting towards peak-demand
pricing. This single test condition would be the same as the current
test procedure for room ACs, with an outdoor dry-bulb temperature of
95[emsp14][deg]F, which these commenters believe best reflects peak
usage. Because a seasonal adjustment inherently does not reflect peak
performance, the SNOPR Joint Commenters and the California IOUs
asserted that it would potentially underestimate peak portable AC
energy use. The SNOPR Joint Commenters and the California IOUs further
claimed that it is in the best interest of consumers that portable ACs
function as anticipated in warmer temperatures. (SNOPR Joint
Commenters, No. 22 at p. 1; California IOUs, No. 24 at p. 2)
In developing a test procedure for portable ACs, DOE is required,
under 42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(3), to determine performance under common
operating conditions to provide relevant information to the consumer
and to measure energy efficiency during a representative period of use.
DOE recognizes the value in measuring performance at peak operating
conditions, as the performance of portable ACs will vary as a non-
linear function of outdoor air temperature, such that a single rating
at one outdoor test condition to represent the expected average
operating condition may not capture the increased energy consumption at
peak outdoor air temperatures and, therefore, would not accurately
predict performance over an average cycle of use. DOE therefore
concludes that capturing the performance at the peak operating
conditions, in light of the variability expected within the cooling
season, is necessary. As such, DOE's test procedure as established in
this final rule captures performance at both the peak, high-temperature
operating condition (95[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb and 75[emsp14][deg]F
wet-bulb temperature test condition) and the expected average operating
condition (83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb temperature and 67.5[emsp14][deg]F
wet-bulb temperature test condition) during the cooling season, and
with weighting factors applied to the two conditions, collectively
represent portable AC operating conditions during the cooling season.
As discussed in section III.C.3 of this final rule, the single CEER
metric provides a representative measure of overall portable AC
performance that accounts for the variability in performance during the
cooling season. DOE did not receive comment on the proposed indoor air
condition (evaporator inlet air); therefore, DOE is maintaining the
indoor conditions as proposed in the November 2015 SNOPR.
In sum, DOE establishes standard rating conditions in this final
rule that are identical with those proposed in the November 2015 SNOPR
and summarized in Table III.3. DOE also clarifies that for the purposes
of the cooling mode test procedure established in this final rule,
evaporator inlet air is considered the ``indoor air'' of the
conditioned space and (for dual-duct portable ACs) condenser inlet air
is
[[Page 35251]]
considered the ``outdoor air'' outside of the conditioned space. DOE
agrees that comparative ratings between room ACs and portable ACs is
desirable and will consider whether rating conditions representative of
room AC usage should be adjusted when it conducts a rulemaking for its
room AC test procedures.
b. Infiltration Air Conditions
DOE proposed in the November 2015 SNOPR a numerical adjustment to
the cooling capacity measured under ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 using, in
part, the heat transfer from infiltration air at the outdoor conditions
(condenser inlet air) specified in Table III.3 for Test Configuration
3. 80 FR 74020, 74024-74026 (Nov. 27, 2015).
The SNOPR Joint Commenters supported using infiltration air
conditions equivalent to the outdoor test condition. According to the
SNOPR Joint Commenters, all infiltration air is ultimately coming from
the outdoors, and in many cases, the bulk of the infiltration air may
be coming directly from outdoors due to leaks through the window where
the portable AC is installed. Although they agree that the temperature
of infiltration air coming from sources other than the window bracket
could be either higher or lower than the outdoor air temperature, they
believe that portable ACs should not derive a de facto benefit by being
rated at a lower infiltration air temperature achieved via the energy
consumption of other air conditioning equipment. (SNOPR Joint
Commenters, No. 22 at p. 2)
AHAM and NAM stated that air temperature and humidity vary for
different field installations and among different rooms within a home.
Therefore, they do not believe there is a representative infiltration
air condition under which to test portable ACs with considerations for
infiltration air heat transfer. (AHAM, No. 18 at p. 3; NAM, No. 17 at
p. 2) Nonetheless, AHAM and De' Longhi stated that, should DOE include
provisions in the test procedure to account for infiltration air
effects despite their objections, DOE must select a representative test
temperature for that infiltration air. (AHAM, No. 18 at p. 1; De'
Longhi, No. 25 at p. 1) De' Longhi suggested that DOE's analysis is
inconsistent by considering both a national average condition (the
83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb temperature) and a weighted average of the
83[emsp14][deg]F and 95[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb temperature conditions
when considering a representative temperature for the infiltration air.
(De' Longhi, No. 25 at p. 2)
DOE agrees with AHAM and NAM that, in practice, the infiltration
air conditions are variable depending on the specifics of installation,
time of use, and other parameters. It is therefore necessary to
identify testing conditions that best represent the typical range of
parameters without being unduly burdensome to conduct. In specifying an
appropriate test condition for the infiltration air, DOE maintains its
assertion that infiltration air conditions are best represented by the
outdoor air conditions. As discussed in the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE's
research indicated that infiltration air flow rates are significant and
represent a substantial percentage of the evaporator air flow rates for
both single-duct and dual-duct portable ACs. These infiltration air
flow rates are primarily due to the net negative pressure within the
conditioned space due to portable AC operation. Additionally, certain
units may have poor sealing in and around the window-mounting
apparatus. The lack of sealing at the mounting point was supported by
research conducted for room ACs within similar window installations and
observation of portable AC installation equipment supplied by
manufacturers. 80 FR 74020, 74025-74026 (Nov. 27, 2015). Thus,
available information points to infiltration air predominantly entering
the conditioned space directly from outside the window, and DOE
maintains that assertion in specifying the infiltration-related test
provisions for portable ACs adopted in this final rule with the
conditions listed in Table III.3. Additionally, for the reasons
discussed in section III.C.2.a of this final rule, DOE establishes that
both the 83[emsp14][deg]F and 95[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb temperatures
and associated wet-bulb temperatures are representative outdoor
conditions to include in the test procedure.
DENSO commented that if the effects of infiltration air are
considered, they should be included on an annual basis, in which case
the infiltration will lead to net cooling during the majority of the
year when the infiltration air will be cooler than the temperature of
the conditioned space. (DENSO, No. 14 at p. 2) However, as noted
previously, DENSO also stated that during the off season, the unit
would be unplugged. (DENSO, No. 14 at p. 3)
As discussed previously in section III.C.2 of this final rule, DOE
expects that portable ACs operate during the hottest 750 hours of the
cooling season based on annual operating hours determined by DOE for
its room AC test procedure. DOE does not have information to suggest
that the number of cooling season operating hours for portable ACs is
significantly different than the average number of operating hours for
room ACs, as they provide a similar consumer utility and serve similar
applications. However, as suggested by DENSO, DOE expects that portable
ACs would be unplugged outside of their operation during the cooling
season. Therefore, DOE does not expect infiltration air associated with
portable AC operation to occur outside of the cooling season.
To further address DENSO's comment regarding infiltration air and
portable AC operation during the year, DOE presents the following
field-metered study for portable ACs that suggests typical portable AC
operation occurs only during the cooling season. In research conducted
by Burke, et al., using field-metered data for a sample of 19 single-
duct and dual-duct portable ACs (hereinafter referred to as the Burke
Portable AC Study),\10\ an annual energy use model was developed which
included an estimate of the percentage of time that a typical portable
AC spends in cooling mode as a function of the outdoor temperature. The
linear equation, based on outdoor dry-bulb temperature in [deg]F for
residential sites, is expressed as:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ T. Burke, et al., ``Using Field-Metered Data to Quantify
Annual Energy Use of Portable Air Conditioners,'' Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory, Report No. LBNL-6868E-Rev (December 2014).
Available at https://publications.lbl.gov/islandora/object/ir%3A6868E-Rev.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
% Time in Cooling Mode = 0.005 x Outdoor Temperature - 0.2909
Based on this equation, a portable AC would, on average, operate in
cooling mode approximately four to five times more often when the
outdoor temperatures are at the rating conditions of 83[emsp14][deg]F
and 95[emsp14][deg]F (12 percent and 18 percent of the time,
respectively) than when outdoor temperatures are 65[emsp14][deg]F or
lower, which are conditions more likely to be experienced outside of
the cooling season. For portable ACs installed in commercial sites, the
percentage of time spent in cooling mode is even higher, as indicated
by the following linear equation from the Burke Portable AC Study:
% Time in Cooling Mode = 0.0193 x Outdoor Temperature - 0.9382
When outdoor conditions are 83[emsp14][deg]F and 95[emsp14][deg]F,
a portable AC in a commercial location would be expected to spend 66
percent and 90 percent of the time in cooling mode, respectively,
versus 32 percent or less when outdoor temperatures are no more than
65[emsp14][deg]F.
Therefore, because portable ACs operate a significantly greater
percentage of the time in cooling mode
[[Page 35252]]
when outdoor temperatures are those associated with the rating
conditions, which are derived from climate data during the cooling
season, than when outdoor temperatures are more consistent with time
periods outside the cooling season, DOE did not consider year-round
operation when evaluating the impacts of infiltration air on portable
AC cooling capacity. Furthermore, due to their portability and ease of
installation, DOE expects the majority of portable ACs are likely to be
installed only during the cooling season rather than year-round,
thereby avoiding the infiltration of air cooler than the conditioned
space. For these reasons, DOE concludes that the condenser inlet air
(outdoor) rating conditions specified for Test Configuration 3
(Conditions A and B) are appropriate temperatures to use in applying
the numerical adjustment to account for air infiltration effects.
c. Infiltration Air Calculations
As discussed in section III.C.2.b of this final rule, DOE proposed
in the November 2015 SNOPR a numerical adjustment to the cooling
capacity measured under ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 using, in part, the heat
transfer from infiltration air at the outdoor conditions. In the
November 2015 SNOPR, DOE proposed to calculate the sensible and latent
heat components of infiltration air using the nominal test chamber and
infiltration air conditions, as:
Qs = m x 60 x [(cp\da x (Tia _ Tindoor)) + (cp\wv x ([omega]ia x Tia _
[omega]indoor x Tindoor))]
Where:
Qs is the sensible heat added to the room by infiltration
air, in Btu/h;
m is the dry air mass flow rate of infiltration air for a single-
duct or dual-duct unit, in pounds per minute (lb/m);
cp_da is the specific heat of dry air, 0.24 Btu per pound
per degree Fahrenheit (Btu/lbm-[deg]F).
cp_wv is the specific heat of water vapor, 0.444 Btu/
lbm-[deg]F.
Tindoor is the indoor chamber dry-bulb temperature,
80[emsp14][deg]F.
Tia is the infiltration air dry-bulb temperature,
95[emsp14][deg]F.
[omega]ia is the humidity ratio of the infiltration air,
0.0141 pounds of water per pounds of dry air (lbw/
lbda).
[omega]indoor is the humidity ratio of the indoor chamber
air, 0.0112 lbw/lbda.
60 is the conversion factor from minutes to hours.
Ql = m x 60 x Hfg x ([omega]ia _ [omega]indoor)
Where:
Ql is the latent heat added to the room by infiltration
air, in Btu/h.
m is the mass flow rate of infiltration air for a single-duct or
dual-duct duct unit, in lb/m.
Hfg is the latent heat of vaporization for water vapor,
1061 Btu/lbm.
[omega]ia is the humidity ratio of the infiltration air,
0.0141 lbw/lbda.
[omega]indoor is the humidity ratio of the indoor chamber
air, 0.0112 lbw/lbda.
60 is the conversion factor from minutes to hours.
The sensible and latent heat components of infiltration air are
added, and this sum is subtracted from the measured indoor-side cooling
capacity to provide a representative measure of net cooling capacity
provided to the conditioned space. DOE received no comments on the
sensible and latent heat components of infiltration air equations using
the nominal test chamber and infiltration air conditions, and maintains
these equations in this final rule.
3. Seasonally Adjusted Cooling Capacity
In the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE proposed to apply weighting factors
of 20 percent and 80 percent to the adjusted capacities from the two
proposed conditions of 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F,
respectively. These weighting factors were developed using an
analytical approach based upon 2012 hourly climate data from the
National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), collected at weather stations in 44
representative states, and data from the 2009 edition of the
Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS),\11\ and estimating the
percentage of portable AC operating hours that would be associated with
each rating condition. DOE allocated the number of annual hours with
temperatures that ranged from 80[emsp14][deg]F (the indoor test
condition) to 89[emsp14][deg]F (a temperature mid-way between the two
rating conditions) to the 83[emsp14][deg]F rating condition. Similarly,
the hours in which the ambient temperature was greater than
89[emsp14][deg]F were assigned to the 95[emsp14][deg]F rating
condition. DOE then performed a geographical weighted averaging using
data from RECS to determine weighting factors of 19.7 percent and 80.3
percent, respectively, for the 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F
rating conditions. DOE proposed in the November 2015 SNOPR to apply
rounded weighting factors of 20 percent and 80 percent to the results
of its testing at 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F, respectively.
The calculation for this ``seasonally adjusted cooling capacity''
(SACC), based on the cooling capacities measured at each rating
condition and adjusted for the effect of infiltration air and duct heat
transfer (the ``adjusted cooling capacity'' (ACC)), was proposed in the
November 2015 SNOPR according to the following equation.
\11\ RECS data are available online at http://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/data/2009/''www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/data/2009/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
SACC = (ACC95 x 0.2) + (ACC83 x 0.8)
Where:
SACC is the seasonally adjusted cooling capacity, in Btu/h.
ACC95 and ACC83 are the adjusted cooling
capacities calculated at the 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F
dry-bulb outdoor conditions, in Btu/h, respectively.
0.2 is the weighting factor for ACC95.
0.8 is the weighting factor for ACC83.
The California IOUs stated that the proposed weighting for these
test conditions implies that portable ACs are four times more likely to
be used when outdoor conditions are 83 [deg]F versus 95 [deg]F, the
reverse of what they claim is expected. The California IOUs and SNOPR
Joint Commenters expect consumers to primarily operate portable ACs
during the hottest times, and stated that the test procedure should
only measure performance at 95 [deg]F without the weighting proposed in
the November 2015 SNOPR. The California IOUs expressed concern that the
83 [deg]F rating condition is not representative of actual use, and
therefore objected to the 80-percent weighting of the results at that
test condition in the calculations of SACC and CEER as proposed in the
November 2015 SNOPR. The California IOUs urged DOE to base the portable
AC test procedure and performance metrics on the single outdoor
temperature of 95 [deg]F. (California IOUs, No. 24 at p. 2; SNOPR Joint
Commenters, No. 22 at p. 1)
AHAM and De' Longhi disagreed with DOE's approach to assign a
temperature greater than 89 [deg]F to the 95 [deg]F rating condition.
They noted that Table 16 of the ANSI/Air-Conditioning, Heating, and
Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) Standard 210/240, ``Performance Rating
of Unitary Air-Conditioning and Air-Source Heat Pump Equipment'' (ANSI/
AHRI Standard 210/240), provides the distribution of fractional hours
within a cooling season, and shows that temperatures greater than 95
[deg]F account for only about 2 percent of the cooling season. Because
these data are more granular than RECS data, AHAM and De' Longhi
suggested that DOE apply weighting factors of 98 percent to the 83
[deg]F condition and 2 percent to the 95 [deg]F condition in the SACC
and CEER equations, which De' Longhi noted would still correspond to a
weighted-average temperature higher than DOE's estimated national-
average dry-bulb temperature of 83 [deg]F. (AHAM, No. 23 at pp. 3-4;
De' Longhi, No. 25 at p. 2)
For the reasons discussed in section III.C.2.a of this rulemaking,
DOE has
[[Page 35253]]
concluded based on research of typical ambient temperature conditions,
expected geographical distribution, and annual usage of portable ACs
that the 83 [deg]F and 95 [deg]F outdoor rating conditions are
representative rating conditions. DOE notes that the analysis presented
in the November 2015 SNOPR utilizes RECS data to determine the
geographical distribution of the number of hours at the two test
conditions within the cooling season. Although ANSI/AHRI Standard 210/
240 provides a fractional distribution of hours in the cooling season,
that single distribution is not necessarily appropriate for states in
which RECS data suggest portable ACs are typically used. Furthermore,
DOE believes it is appropriate to assign all hours at temperatures
above 89 [deg]F to the 95 [deg]F test condition as the measured
performance of the equipment varies incrementally between 83 [deg]F and
95 [deg]F and the performance measured at the 95 [deg]F test condition
is more representative of equipment performance for temperatures
between 89 [deg]F and 95 [deg]F (e.g., 90 [deg]F) than the measured
performance at the 83 [deg]F rating condition. Because the threshold
temperature of 89 [deg]F evenly divides the temperature range that DOE
apportions between the two rating conditions, DOE maintains that the
weighting values proposed in the November 2015 SNOPR, based on the
climate analysis and RECS data for geographical weighting of the
distribution of temperature hours within the cooling season, are
representative of the SACC during typical periods of operation.
Therefore, DOE is adopting, in this final rule, weights of 80 percent
and 20 percent for the ACCs determined based on the 83 [deg]F and 95
[deg]F rating conditions, respectively, as proposed in the November
2015 SNOPR.
4. Test Duration
In the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE noted that ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015
specifies testing in accordance with certain sections of ANSI/ASHRAE
Standard 37-2009, but does not explicitly specify the test duration
required when conducting portable AC active mode testing. DOE therefore
proposed that the active mode test duration be determined in accordance
with Section 8.7 of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009.\12\ 80 FR 74020,
74027 (Nov. 27, 2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\ Section 8.7 of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009 requires a
steady-state period during which performance is consistent with the
test tolerances specified in Table 2 of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009
before cooling capacity test data are recorded. Data used in
evaluating cooling capacity is then recorded at equal intervals that
span five minutes or less until readings over a period of one-half
hour are within the tolerances prescribed in section 9.2 of ANSI/
ASHRAE Standard 37-2009.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
AHAM agreed with the proposal to aid in standardizing the test
procedure and reducing variation in the results. In addition to Section
8.7 of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009, AHAM suggested including Section
7.1.2 from ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 that clarifies the test period
adjustments necessary for portable ACs with a condensate pump. AHAM
believes that referencing these sections will maximize accuracy,
repeatability, and reproducibility of a DOE portable AC test procedure.
(AHAM, No. 23 at pp. 4-5) In response to AHAM's suggestion, DOE notes
that section 3.1.1.3 of the DOE test procedure proposed in the November
2015 SNOPR provides direction on conducting the test for units with
different condensate collection and removal capabilities. In that
section, DOE prescribed specific test requirements for units tested
with condensate pumps and stated that section 7.1.2 of ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-
2015 should be used for units tested with a condensate pump that do not
have an auto-evaporative feature or gravity drain and for which the
manufacturer has not specified the use of an included condensate pump
during cooling mode operation. These test provisions are discussed in
more detail in section III.C.8 of this final rule.
In this final rule, DOE adopts the November 2015 SNOPR proposals
regarding the active mode test duration period.
5. Duct Heat Transfer and Leakage
a. Duct Heat Transfer Impacts
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE presented its determination that
duct heat losses and air leakage are non-negligible effects, and
proposed to account for heat transferred from the duct surface to the
conditioned space in the portable AC test procedure. DOE proposed that
four equally spaced thermocouples be adhered to the side of the length
of the condenser exhaust duct for single-duct units and the condenser
inlet and exhaust ducts for dual-duct units. DOE proposed to determine
the duct heat transfer for each duct from the average duct surface
temperature as measured by the four thermocouples, a convection heat
transfer coefficient of 4 Btu/h per square foot per [deg]F (Btu/h-
ft\2\-[deg]F), and the calculated duct surface area based on the test
setup. 80 FR 10211, 10227 (Feb. 25, 2015).
In the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE found that the exhaust and intake
duct surface heat transfer impacts were sufficiently significant to
warrant the added test burdens associated with measuring and
incorporating duct heat transfer impacts into the overall seasonally
adjusted cooling capacity. 80 FR 74020, 74028 (Nov. 27, 2015).
AHAM and the SNOPR Joint Commenters agreed with DOE's proposal that
duct heat transfer and losses need to be addressed as the duct heat
transfer impacts are substantial and vary significantly among units.
The SNOPR Joint Commenters supported incorporating duct heat transfer
impacts in the test procedure to better reflect actual cooling capacity
and efficiency of portable ACs and to encourage manufacturers to reduce
duct heat transfer. (AHAM, No. 23 at p. 5; SNOPR Joint Commenters, No.
22 at p. 6)
In this final rule, DOE adopts the proposal in the November 2015
SNOPR and establishes that the duct heat transfer impacts be measured
and incorporated into the overall SACC.
b. Convection Coefficient
In the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE maintained the overall heat
transfer convection coefficient of 4 Btu/h-ft\2\-[deg]F for calculating
duct heat losses originally proposed in the February 2015 NOPR. DOE
explained that the 2013 ASHRAE Handbook--Fundamentals \13\ (hereinafter
the ASHRAE Handbook) provides typical convection coefficient values for
various types of assemblies in buildings. The proposed convection
coefficient of 4 Btu/h-ft\2\-[deg]F was based on typical free
convection coefficients, ranging from 0.22 to 1.63 Btu/h-ft\2\-[deg]F,
and typical forced convection coefficients, between 4.00 and 6.00 Btu/
h-ft\2\-[deg]F, depending upon the air speed. DOE determined that the
air speeds discussed in the ASHRAE Handbook would be similar to the air
speeds over the portable AC duct(s) due to air circulation within the
conditioned space.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ ASHRAE Handbook--Fundamentals. American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Atlanta, GA. 2013.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In support of the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE re-examined the data it
obtained from testing a sample of four single-duct and two dual-duct
portable ACs for the May 2014 NODA to determine the duct heat transfer
convection coefficient for each unit. The calculated heat transfer
convection coefficients based on DOE's testing ranged from 1.70 Btu/h-
ft\2\-[deg]F to a high of 5.26 Btu/h-ft\2\-[deg]F, with an average of
3.13 Btu/h-ft\2\-[deg]F. In the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE noted that,
although the average heat transfer coefficient calculated from DOE's
test results was
[[Page 35254]]
slightly lower than the value proposed in the February 2015 NOPR, the
proposed value of 4 Btu/h-ft\2\-[deg]F was within the range of values
measured during DOE's testing and was appropriate based on the lower
end of the range of typical convection coefficients in the ASHRAE
Handbook. In the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE also noted the significant
variation in individual results due to different duct types,
installation configurations, forced convection air flow patterns, and
other factors; therefore, it is possible that DOE's test results do not
represent the full range of possible heat loss coefficient values. DOE
believed that the measured duct losses reported in the November 2015
SNOPR confirmed that the original value proposed in the February 2015
NOPR was sufficiently representative of typical duct losses and
proposed to maintain the original duct heat transfer proposal from the
February 2015 NOPR, including the convection heat transfer coefficient
of 4 Btu/h-ft\2\-[deg]F. 80 FR 74020, 74029 (Nov. 27, 2015).
AHAM and De' Longhi stated that the average measured convection
heat transfer coefficient in Table III.4 of the November 2015 SNOPR was
3.13 Btu/h-ft\2\-[deg]F, which according to AHAM was based on values of
the heat transfer coefficient ranging from a low of 2.11 Btu/h-ft\2\-
[deg]F to a high of 4.10 Btu/h-ft\2\-[deg]F. AHAM asserted that the
test data did not validate the value proposed in the February 2015 NOPR
and therefore, AHAM suggested that, unless additional data supported a
different value for the heat transfer coefficient, DOE adopt a rounded
average value of 3 Btu/h-ft\2\-[deg]F. De' Longhi similarly recommended
that DOE use a value of 3 Btu/h-ft\2\-[deg]F for the duct convection
heat transfer coefficient. (AHAM, No. 23 at p. 5; De' Longhi, No. 25 at
p. 2)
DOE notes that the value for the convection heat transfer
coefficient proposed in the November 2015 SNOPR was based on standard
industry handbook values under reasonably representative air flow
conditions and was generally confirmed based on consideration of test
data from DOE's sample of portable ACs. However, following additional
consideration, DOE recognizes that the typical industry handbook
convection coefficient values may not represent the variation of test
conditions and range of convection coefficients applicable to portable
AC ducts. As noted above, for both single-duct and dual-duct portable
ACs in DOE's test sample, the duct heat transfer coefficients ranged
from 1.70 to 5.26 Btu/h-ft\2\-[deg]F, as listed in Table III.4 of the
November 2015 SNOPR, with an average value of approximately 3.1 Btu/h-
ft\2\-[deg]F. 80 FR 74020, 74029 (Nov. 27, 2015).
After considering the AHAM and De' Longhi comments and reviewing
the test data presented in the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE has concluded
that its test data provide the best indication of the appropriate
convection heat transfer coefficient for portable AC ducts. Therefore,
DOE concludes that the most representative value of the convection heat
transfer coefficient would be a rounded average of its measured values,
and in this final rule establishes the convection heat transfer
coefficient as 3 Btu/h-ft\2\-[deg]F.
c. Duct Surface Area Measurements
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed that the duct surface area
be calculated using the outer duct diameter and extended length of the
duct while under test. 80 FR 10211, 10227 (Feb. 25, 2015). In response
to comments suggesting that the ducts have corrugated surfaces and
there is likely a high uncertainty in measuring the duct surface area,
DOE reassessed the duct surface area calculations and concluded in the
November 2015 SNOPR that any uncertainty or variability in duct surface
area measurements would not have a significant impact on test
repeatability and reproducibility and maintained the surface area
measurement as proposed in the February 2015 NOPR. 80 FR 74020, 74029
(Nov. 27, 2015).
DOE received no comments regarding uncertainty of duct surface area
measurements in response to the November 2015 SNOPR proposals, and
therefore maintains and establishes in this final rule that the duct
surface area be calculated using the measured outer duct diameter and
extended length of the duct while under test. However, DOE clarifies in
the calculation of the duct surface area that the outer diameter of the
duct includes any manufacturer-supplied insulation. See section III.C.7
of this final rule for further discussion regarding setup and
installations instructions for such insulation.
6. Case Heat Transfer
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed that case heat transfer be
determined using a method similar to the approach proposed for duct
heat transfer. DOE proposed that the surface area and average
temperature of each side of the case be measured to determine the
overall heat transferred from the portable AC case to the conditioned
space, which would be used to adjust the cooling capacity and
efficiency. DOE noted that the case heat transfer methodology would
impose additional test burden, but determined that the burdens were
likely outweighed by the benefit of addressing the heat transfer
effects of all internal heating components. 80 FR 10211, 10227-10229
(Feb. 25, 2015).
In the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE investigated the effects of case
heat transfer as a percentage of the overall cooling capacity and
determined, based on test data, that the case heat transfer was, on
average, 1.76 percent of the AHAM PAC-1-2009 cooling capacity, with a
maximum of 6.53 percent. Because the total case heat transfer impact
was, on average, less than 2 percent of the cooling capacity without
adjustments for infiltration air and heat transfer effects, DOE
determined it had minimal impact on the cooling capacity and therefore
proposed to remove the provisions for determining case heat transfer
from the portable AC test procedure proposed in the February 2015 NOPR.
80 FR 74020, 74030 (Nov. 27, 2015).
AHAM supported DOE's proposal to remove consideration of case heat
transfer from the test procedure due to the minimal impact on cooling
capacity. (AHAM, No. 23 at p. 5)
The SNOPR Joint Commenters noted that despite the relatively low
average impact of case heat transfer on the AHAM PAC-1-2009 cooling
capacity, the impact ranged from 0 percent to 6.5 percent. The SNOPR
Joint Commenters also noted that the ``Modified AHAM'' cooling capacity
reported in the February 2015 NOPR, which accounted for air
infiltration, case, and duct heat transfer, is significantly lower than
the AHAM PAC-1-2009 cooling capacity. Therefore, the impact of case
heat transfer as a percentage of adjusted cooling capacity as measured
by the DOE test procedure proposed in the February 2015 NOPR, which
accounts for air infiltration and other heat transfer effects, would be
larger than the impact as a percentage of the AHAM PAC-1-2009 cooling
capacity. Accordingly, the SNOPR Joint Commenters urged DOE to retain
the measurement of case heat transfer in the portable AC test
procedure. (SNOPR Joint Commenters, No. 22 at pp. 2-3) DOE notes that
the ``Modified AHAM'' values presented in the February 2015 NOPR are
only reflective of performance and infiltration air at the
95[emsp14][deg]F test condition. DOE subsequently conducted additional
analysis to determine the overall impact of case heat transfer on the
SACC as determined based on the two test conditions proposed in the
November 2015 SNOPR and adopted in this final rule (see section III.C.2
of this final rule). DOE found that the overall impact of case heat
transfer on the
[[Page 35255]]
SACC, which includes adjustments for infiltration air and duct heat
transfer at the two test conditions, ranged from 0 percent to 9.1
percent with an average impact of 2.12 percent. DOE maintains,
therefore, that the case heat transfer typically would have a minimal
impact on SACC, and that any slight improvement in the accuracy of the
SACC metric by including it would not warrant the added burden
associated with the case heat transfer measurements. DOE also observed
that the range of case heat transfer impacts varied despite products in
the test sample including similar amounts of case insulation and
similar case designs. DOE expects that thermocouple placement in
relation to internal components (e.g., compressor and condenser
placement) may introduce variability in the case heat transfer results.
For these reasons, DOE is not including a measurement of case heat
transfer in the portable AC test procedure established in this final
rule.
The California IOUs opposed elimination of the case heat transfer
measurement because they believe manufacturers may produce leakier,
less-insulated cases in order to reduce the duct heat transfer, which
is measured in the test procedure and impacts performance. They urged
DOE to require measurement of the case surface temperature in the
portable AC test procedure to incentivize manufacturers to design units
with better-insulated cases. The California IOUS further noted that the
heating effects of the case and duct are inter-dependent. (California
IOUs, No. 24 at p. 4) DOE recognizes that case and duct heat transfer
are related and that manufacturers are able to make design tradeoffs
between duct heat transfer and localized heat transfer through the
case. However, DOE notes that the units in DOE's test sample had
similar case insulation, and does not expect manufacturers to
significantly adjust construction of their products because greater
leakage and reduced insulation would also increase noise and case
surface temperatures, potentially reducing customer satisfaction.
7. Test Setup and Unit Placement
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed that for all portable AC
configurations, there must be no less than 6 feet between the
evaporator inlet and any chamber wall surface, and for single-duct
units, there must be no less than 6 feet between the condenser inlet
surface and any other wall surface. Additionally, DOE proposed that
there be no less than 3 feet between the other surfaces of the portable
AC with no air inlet or exhaust (other than the bottom of the unit) and
any wall surfaces. 80 FR 10211, 10229-10230 (Feb. 25, 2015). In the
November 2015 SNOPR, DOE modified that proposal, and further clarified
that there shall be no less than 3 feet between any test chamber wall
and any surface on the portable AC (other than the bottom surface),
except the surface or surfaces that have a duct attachment, as
prescribed by the ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 test setup requirements. 80 FR
74020, 74030 (Nov. 27, 2015).
AHAM agreed with DOE's proposal that the test unit and all ducting
components, as supplied by the manufacturer, be set up and installed in
accordance with manufacturer instructions. AHAM stated, however, that
certain sections of ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 include appropriate
requirements for unit placement in the test chamber and suggested that
DOE change the unit placement requirements to reference the setup
requirements in ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015. (AHAM, No. 23 at p. 6; AHAM, No.
18 at pp. 5-6) As discussed in the February 2015 NOPR and the November
2015 SNOPR, although Section 7.3.7, ``Condenser (heat rejection)
arrangement,'' of ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 includes test unit placement
instructions in reference to the surface of the portable AC that
includes the duct attachments, by means of specifying the distance from
the test unit to the test chamber partition wall, it does not provide
placement instructions in relation to the other surfaces of the test
unit. Therefore, in this final rule, DOE maintains the proposals from
the November 2015 SNOPR that the test unit placement be such that there
is no less than 3 feet between any test chamber wall and any surface on
the portable AC (other than the bottom surface), except that placement
of the surface or surfaces that have a duct attachment shall be as
prescribed by Section 7.3.7 of ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015. DOE notes that
this specification is consistent with the requirements of ANSI/AHAM
PAC-1-2015 and serves only to add specificity to the placement of the
unit with respect to the other surfaces that do not have a duct
attachment, which is not specified by ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015.
AHAM commented that DOE's duct setup and duct temperature
measurement instructions do not account for any sealing or insulation
materials that may be provided by the manufacturer. Therefore, AHAM
suggested language to add in the installation instructions proposed in
the November 2015 SNOPR that would address sealing and insulation
materials in the duct setup and duct temperature measurement
instructions. DOE's proposed duct setup and temperature measurement
requirements presented in the November 2015 SNOPR with AHAM's suggested
additions to the proposed text, denoted in bold text, are:
3.1.1.1 Duct Setup. Use ducting components provided by the
manufacturer, including, where provided by the manufacturer, sealing,
insulation, ducts, connectors for attaching the duct(s) to the test
unit, and window mounting fixtures. Do not apply additional sealing or
insulation.
3.1.1.6 Duct temperature measurements. Measure the surface
temperatures of each duct using four equally spaced thermocouples per
duct, adhered to the outer surface of the entire length of the duct.
Temperature measurements must have an error no greater than 0.5 [deg]F over the range being measured. Insulation and sealing
provided by the manufacturer must be installed prior to measurement.
(AHAM, No. 23 at p. 6)
De' Longhi suggested similar modifications to the installation
instructions proposed in the November 2015 SNOPR to address
manufacturer-provided sealing and insulation materials in the duct
setup and duct temperature measurement instructions. (De' Longhi, No.
25 at p. 2)
DOE agrees that any duct insulation or mounting sealant provided by
the manufacturer should be installed according to manufacturer
instructions, and that duct temperature measurements should be made
with any such insulation or sealant in place. However, DOE believes it
is necessary to clarify in the specification of duct temperature
measurements that the measurements should occur on the outer surface of
the entire duct, which would be the outer surface of the insulation, if
provided by the manufacturer. DOE therefore establishes the following
modified duct setup and duct temperature measurement instructions in
this final rule, clarifying AHAM's and De' Longhi's suggested language
for the duct temperature measurements.
3.1.1.1 Duct Setup. Use ducting components provided by the
manufacturer, including, where provided by the manufacturer, ducts,
connectors for attaching the duct(s) to the test unit, sealing,
insulation, and window mounting fixtures. Do not apply additional
sealing or insulation.
3.1.1.6 Duct temperature measurements. Install any insulation and
sealing provided by the manufacturer. Then adhere four equally spaced
thermocouples per duct to the
[[Page 35256]]
outer surface of the entire length of the duct. Measure the surface
temperatures of each duct. Temperature measurements must have an error
no greater than 0.5 [deg]F over the range being measured.
8. Condensate Collection
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed that portable ACs
undergoing cooling mode testing would be configured in accordance with
manufacturer installation and setup instructions unless otherwise
specified in the DOE test procedure. In addition, DOE proposed that,
where available and as instructed by the manufacturer, the auto-
evaporation feature would be utilized for condensate removal during
cooling mode testing. DOE proposed that, if no auto-evaporative feature
is available, the gravity drain would be used. DOE further proposed
that, if no auto-evaporative feature or gravity drain is available, and
a condensate pump is included, or if the manufacturer specifies the use
of an included condensate pump during cooling mode operation, then the
portable AC would be tested with the condensate pump enabled. For these
units, DOE also proposed to require the use of Section 7.1.2 of AHAM
PAC-1-2014 if the pump cycles on and off. 80 FR 10211, 10229 (Feb. 25,
2015).
AHAM agreed that, for portable ACs both with and without means for
auto-evaporation to remove the collected condensate, an internal pump
to collect condensate should be used only if it is specified by the
manufacturer for use during typical cooling operation. (AHAM, No. 18 at
p. 6) DENSO agreed that the test procedure should specify the form of
condensate disposal recommended by the manufacturer. (DENSO, No. 14 at
p. 2) Therefore, DOE adopts in this final rule the test setup
instructions relating directly to condensate collection proposed in the
February 2015 NOPR.
9. Control Settings
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed that when conducting the
cooling mode and heating mode tests (the latter of which was removed
from consideration in the November 2015 SNOPR), the fan be set at the
maximum speed if the fan speed is user adjustable and the temperature
controls be set to the lowest or highest available values,
respectively. These control settings represent the settings a consumer
would select to achieve the primary function of the portable AC, which
is to cool or heat the desired space as quickly as possible and then to
maintain these conditions. 80 FR 10211, 10229 (Feb. 25, 2015).
AHAM and DENSO agreed with DOE's proposed control settings for fan
speed and cooling and heating mode temperature controls. (AHAM, No. 18
at p. 6; DENSO, No. 14 at pp. 2-3) DOE maintains the February 2015 NOPR
proposal in this final rule to set the fan speed to the maximum speed
and the thermostat to the lowest setting during cooling mode testing.
As noted earlier in this section and discussed in more detail in
section III.D of this final rule, in the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE
removed heating mode testing from its proposal; and, therefore, the
February 2015 NOPR proposal regarding configuration of controls during
heating mode is no longer relevant.
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed that all portable AC
testing be conducted with any louver oscillation feature disabled and
the louvers fully open and positioned parallel to the air flow to
provide maximum air flow and capacity. If the louvers oscillate by
default with no option to disable the feature, testing would proceed
with the louver oscillation enabled, without altering the unit
construction or programming. 80 FR 10211, 10229 (Feb. 25, 2015).
AHAM and DENSO agreed with DOE's proposed clarification that all
portable AC performance testing be conducted with the maximum louver
opening and, where applicable, with the louver oscillation feature
disabled throughout testing. (AHAM, No. 18 at p. 6; DENSO, No. 14 at
pp. 2-3) DOE adopts in this final rule the proposals in the February
2015 NOPR regarding the louver positioning and oscillating feature
settings.
10. Electrical Supply
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed that for active mode
testing, the input standard voltage be maintained at 115 V 1 percent and that the electrical supply be set to the nameplate
listed rated frequency, maintained within 1 percent. 80 FR
10211, 10230 (Feb. 25, 2015).
AHAM supported DOE's proposed input voltage and frequency standard.
(AHAM, No. 18 at p. 7) DOE adopts in this final rule the February 2015
NOPR proposals regarding the input standard voltage and frequency
settings.
11. Power Factor
The California IOUs recommended that DOE require testing and
reporting of portable AC power factor \14\ under the proposed test
procedure, as this would allow DOE to better assess minimum power
factor requirements and related consumer benefits in a future
rulemaking. The California IOUs believe that improving power factor may
yield significant societal benefits through cost savings for electric
utility customers, improved grid efficiency, and reduced greenhouse
gases. The California IOUs noted that the CEC currently requires
reporting of power factor for a variety of appliances including
fluorescent lamp ballasts, residential portable light-emitting diode
(LED) luminaires, televisions, and large battery charger systems, and
specifies minimum power factor requirements for portable LED luminaires
and large battery charger systems. (California IOUs, Standards
Preliminary Analysis, No. 15 at p. 4; California IOUs, No. 20 at pt. 2)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\14\ The power factor of an alternating current electrical power
system is defined as the ratio of the real power flowing to the load
to the apparent power in the circuit. A load with a low power factor
draws more electrical current than a load with a high power factor
for the same amount of useful power transferred. The higher currents
associated with low power factor increase the amount of energy lost
in the electricity distribution system.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Based on limited power factor data on four test units, DOE observed
average power factors of 0.978, 0.971, 0.987, and 0.95 with all cooling
mode components operating. Because the power factors are consistently
near 1, DOE's information suggests there is no significant difference
between the power drawn by a portable AC and the apparent power
supplied to the unit. DOE expects that the metrics established in this
final rule accurately reflect the energy consumption of portable ACs,
and that the burdens of measuring and reporting power factor would
outweigh any potential benefits of this information. Therefore, DOE is
not establishing requirements for measuring and reporting power factor
in this final rule.
12. Test Condition Tolerances
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed a more stringent tolerance
for the evaporator inlet dry-bulb temperature when testing single-duct
portable ACs compared to the tolerance specified for dry-bulb
temperature in Table 2b of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009. The proposed
tolerance is consistent with the evaporator inlet wet-bulb temperature
tolerance; i.e., individual values must remain within a range of
1.0[emsp14][deg]F, with the average of all measured values within
0.3[emsp14][deg]F of the nominal value. Specifically, DOE proposed that
the condenser inlet dry-bulb temperature would be maintained within the
test tolerance as specified in Table 2b of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-
2009. This tolerance modification ensured that all test laboratories
first maintain the evaporator inlet test
[[Page 35257]]
conditions and then ensure that condenser inlet conditions satisfy the
tolerance requirements. 80 FR 10211, 10226 (Feb. 25, 2015).
AHAM agreed with DOE's proposed tolerance for the evaporator inlet
dry-bulb within a range of 1.0[emsp14][deg]F with an average difference
of 0.3[emsp14][deg]F. (AHAM, No. 18 at p. 5) Therefore, in this final
rule, DOE adopts this tolerance specification in appendix CC.
D. Heating Mode
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed a definition for heating
mode and proposed a heating mode test procedure that was based on AHAM
PAC-1-2014 with comparable adjustments as were considered for cooling
mode, except at lower temperature ambient conditions. 80 FR 10211,
10230-10231 (Feb. 25, 2015). DOE received comments in response to the
February 2015 NOPR proposals, and, based on those comments, in the
November 2015 SNOPR, DOE removed the heating mode test provisions from
the proposed DOE portable AC test procedure, including the definition
of heating mode and calculations for heating mode-specific and total
combined energy efficiency ratio. DOE concluded that the combined
energy efficiency ratio, CEER, which represents energy efficiency in
cooling mode, off-cycle mode, standby mode, and off mode, would capture
representative performance of portable ACs because they are primarily
used as cooling products. 80 FR 74020, 74031 (Nov. 27, 2015).
AHAM supported DOE's proposal to remove the heating mode metric
from the test procedure, as it is consistent with AHAM's position that
heating is not the main consumer utility and that there is no adequate
data on consumer usage to demonstrate a benefit that would justify the
burden of testing in this mode. (AHAM, No. 23 at pp. 5-6)
The California IOUs commented that heating mode is a significant
operating mode for portable ACs and should be included in the test
procedure in order to accurately reflect the actual usage of the
equipment. The California IOUs noted that heating mode may work in
conjunction with cooling mode, as seen in products with an ``auto
mode'' that automatically selects heating or cooling mode using a
thermostat to maintain the set temperature. They further noted that
DOE's annual operating hour estimates for heating mode suggested that
the heating season is longer than the cooling season and would
therefore provide more opportunity for heating mode operation. The
California IOUs concluded that cooling and heating functions are both
primary modes, unlike dehumidification mode and others omitted from the
test procedure. The California IOUs believe that including heating mode
testing would not disproportionately increase test burden. The
California IOUs proposed that DOE define a separate efficiency ratio,
CEERHM, similar to the cooling mode metric proposed in the
February 2015 NOPR, CEERCM, and that units with a heating
mode would then be rated with a separate metric for heating capacity.
The California IOUs believe that this would mitigate potential
confusion with a blended metric and consumers would be effectively
informed of independent performance in cooling and heating modes.
(California IOUs, No. 24 at p. 3)
DOE notes that although some portable ACs offer an ``auto mode''
that allows for both cooling and heating mode operation depending upon
the ambient temperature, available data suggest that portable ACs are
not used for heating purposes for a substantial amount of time. In the
Burke Portable AC Study, the 19 metered test units were determined to
operate solely in cooling mode, fan mode, or off/standby mode, even for
an example test site where monthly average outdoor temperatures ranged
from 59.8[emsp14][deg]F to 71.5[emsp14][deg]F. Input from manufacturers
during confidential interviews confirmed the conclusion that any
heating function for portable ACs is infrequently used, and no further
substantiation was provided by the California IOUs to support their
assertion that heating mode is a significant operating mode. DOE
concludes that doubling the active mode testing time and
correspondingly increasing test burden is not justified. Therefore, DOE
maintains the November 2015 SNOPR proposal and does not establish a
heating mode test or efficiency metric in this final rule. As stated in
the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE will continue to evaluate the need for a
representative heating mode test procedure for portable ACs and may
consider including a test for heating mode in a future test procedure
rulemaking.
E. Air Circulation Mode
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed to not measure energy
consumption in, or allocate annual operating hours to, air circulation
mode due to lack of usage information for this consumer-initiated air
circulation feature. 80 FR 10211, 10216, 10236 (Feb. 25, 2015).
AHAM and DENSO agreed with DOE's proposal to not include a
measurement for air circulation mode. (AHAM, Public Meeting Transcript,
No. 13 at p. 64; DENSO, No. 14 at p. 3)
DOE adopts in this final rule the February 2015 NOPR proposals to
not measure or allocate annual operating hours to air circulation mode.
F. Off-Cycle Mode
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed a definition for off-cycle
mode and further proposed that off-cycle mode energy use be measured
according to a test beginning 5 minutes after the completion of the
cooling mode test and ending after a period of 2 hours. DOE also
proposed that the electrical supply be the same as specified for
cooling mode (see section III.C.10 of this final rule) and that this
measurement be made using the same power meter specified for standby
mode and off mode. DOE further proposed that for units with adjustable
fan speed settings, the fan remain set at the maximum speed during off-
cycle mode testing. 80 FR 10211, 10232 (Feb. 25, 2015).
AHAM opposed the proposed measurement of off-cycle mode energy use,
suggesting that DOE did not provide sufficient portable AC-specific
usage data to support the inclusion of off-cycle mode and estimate the
burden associated with testing. Specifically, AHAM expressed concern
that DOE based the proposed definition and testing provisions for
portable ACs on a recent dehumidifier test procedure rulemaking because
the two products do not have the same consumer usage. AHAM suggested
that portable ACs have fewer standby operating hours than dehumidifiers
and that off-cycle mode will contribute a negligible amount of energy
use. (AHAM, No. 18 at p. 8)
Because portable ACs have a similar off-cycle mode to
dehumidifiers, DOE used the dehumidifier test procedure as a starting
point for the development of the portable AC definitions and test
procedure. DOE notes that for dehumidifiers and portable ACs, off-cycle
mode is a mode automatically entered when the dehumidifier humidity
setpoint or portable AC temperature setpoint is reached. Therefore,
although the consumer usage of these products affects the time spent in
off-cycle mode by means of the humidity or temperature setpoint
selection, off-cycle mode hours are also a function of the unit
capacity, room size, and ambient heat or humidity load. Therefore,
there is no basis for concluding that the dehumidifier provisions for
testing off-cycle mode are any less applicable to portable ACs than
they are for dehumidifiers. Further,
[[Page 35258]]
because off-cycle mode is performed immediately following active mode,
there are no necessary test setup adjustments and the only burden
associated with off-cycle mode is test time, during which no technician
input is necessary. Therefore, DOE believes the incremental test burden
associated with testing off-cycle mode energy consumption is low. DOE
discusses the burden associated with the adopted portable AC test
procedure in detail in section IV.B of this final rule.
DENSO noted that other similar products, such as room ACs,
generally operate the fans only when the compressor operates, possibly
with a short delay-off at the end of the compressor cycle. In addition,
DENSO commented that it does not believe that the fan would be
operating at the maximum speed unless the compressor is running. DENSO
commented, therefore, that off-cycle mode testing should be conducted
under representative operating conditions, and that the fan control
setting should be in accordance with manufacturer's instructions.
(DENSO, No. 14 at p. 3)
In development of the portable AC test procedure, DOE reviewed
other test procedures for similar products. With respect to DENSO's
comment, DOE recognizes that there may be benefits associated with
running the fan for a short period of time following a compressor
cycle, such as for defrosting and drying coils and providing additional
cooling to the room, and therefore maintains the provisions in this
final rule which specify that the off-cycle mode test procedure begin 5
minutes following the end of a compressor on cycle. Because consumers
are unlikely to readjust control settings, including fan speed, between
cooling mode and off-cycle mode and manufacturers may automatically
adjust fan speed during off-cycle mode regardless of the user control
settings, DOE is specifying that no control settings other than
temperature setpoint are to be manually changed between cooling mode
testing and the subsequent off-cycle mode testing in the appendix CC
established in this final rule.
G. Standby Mode and Off Mode
1. Mode Definitions
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed definitions for standby
mode and off mode, as well as methods to measure standby mode and off
mode energy consumption for portable ACs. DOE also proposed to consider
the power consumption in inactive mode, defined as a standby mode, as
representative of delay-start mode and to include the operating hours
for delay-start mode in the estimate for inactive mode operating hours
for the purposes of calculating a combined metric. Further detail on
each of these modes and the proposal to include the delay-start mode
hours in the estimate for inactive mode operating hours can be found in
the February 2015 NOPR. 80 FR 10211, 10233 (Feb. 25, 2015).
AHAM agreed with DOE's proposed definitions of standby mode and
also agreed with DOE's proposal to incorporate delay start into
inactive mode. (AHAM, No. 18 at p. 9)
In this final rule, DOE establishes in appendix CC the standby
mode, inactive mode, and off mode definitions proposed in the February
2015 NOPR, and also maintains the determination that the power
consumption in inactive mode is representative of delay-start mode and
thus does not require measurement of delay-start mode power
consumption.
2. Determination of Standby Mode and Off Mode Power Consumption
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed to specify testing and
conditions for measuring standby mode and off power consumption
according to International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard
62301, ``Household electrical appliances--Measurement of standby
power,'' Publication 62301, Edition 2.0 (2011-01) (hereinafter referred
to as ``IEC Standard 62301'') in accordance with EPCA. DOE proposed
that the power consumption in inactive mode be measured, and that the
annual hours assigned to that power measurement would be the sum of
annual hours for inactive mode and bucket-full mode,\15\ based on a
determination of commonality in power consumption in inactive and
bucket-full modes. DOE additionally proposed that the test room ambient
air temperatures for standby mode and off mode testing would be
specified in accordance with IEC Standard 62301. 80 FR 10211, 10233-
10234 (Feb. 25, 2015).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\15\ In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE described bucket-full mode
as a standby mode in which the condensate level in the internal
collection container reaches a manufacturer-specified threshold or
the collection container is removed; any cooling, heating, or air-
circulation functions are disabled; and an indication is provided to
the consumer that the container is full.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
AHAM agreed with each of these proposals. (AHAM, No. 18 at p. 9) In
this final rule, DOE establishes the February 2015 NOPR proposals
regarding the determination of standby mode and off mode power
consumption, the test room ambient temperature during testing, and the
assignment of power consumption and operating hours for inactive mode
and bucket-full mode.
H. Energy Efficiency Metrics
1. Annual Operating Mode Hours
As initially presented in the February 2015 NOPR, DOE developed
estimates of portable AC annual operating mode hours for cooling mode,
heating mode, off-cycle mode, and inactive or off mode. In the November
2015 SNOPR, DOE removed consideration of heating mode and updated the
proposed annual operating hours for the remaining modes based on the
``Cooling Only'' scenario presented in the February 2015 NOPR as
follows in Table III.4:
Table III.4--SNOPR Proposed Annual Operating Hours by Mode
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating
Modes hours
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cooling Mode............................................ 750
Off-Cycle Mode.......................................... 880
Inactive or Off Mode.................................... 1,355
------------------------------------------------------------------------
More information on the development of these annual hours for each
operating mode can be found in the February 2015 NOPR. 80 FR 10211,
10235-10237 (Feb. 25, 2015).
AHAM opposed DOE's reliance on room AC data to determine annual
operating hours for portable ACs. According to AHAM, although portable
ACs and room ACs are similar, they have inherent differences in
installation and use patterns. AHAM urged DOE to obtain portable AC-
specific consumer usage data to demonstrate that portable AC and room
AC use are comparable to validate the annual operating hour proposals.
(AHAM, No. 23 at pp. 6-7)
In response to AHAM's concern regarding the lack of portable AC-
specific data, DOE notes that the utility of portable ACs and room ACs
are similar, in that they serve similar applications and are similar in
technologies, cost, and functionality. Therefore, DOE believes that it
is reasonable to assume that usage patterns of portable ACs and room
ACs will also be similar. DOE requested data and information regarding
consumer usage of portable ACs in both the February 2015 NOPR and the
November 2015 SNOPR. DOE notes that no additional information or data
were provided by AHAM or any other party regarding portable AC usage
patterns. Therefore, in the absence of additional consumer usage data
from any available sources, DOE continues to utilize the most
[[Page 35259]]
relevant consumer use data available for portable ACs and establishes
in appendix CC the annual operating mode hours in Table III.4.
2. CEER Calculation
In the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE proposed to revise the CEER metric
calculation that was proposed in the February 2015 NOPR to reflect the
elimination of heating mode and the addition of a second set of testing
conditions for dual-duct units. DOE proposed that the updated CEER
calculation, which would use the same weighting factors as were
developed for SACC, would be determined as:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR01JN16.000
Where:
CEERSD and CEERDD are the combined energy
efficiency ratios for single-duct and dual duct units, respectively,
in British thermal units per watt-hour (Btu/Wh).
ACC95 and ACC83 are the adjusted cooling
capacities at the 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb
outdoor conditions, respectively, in Btu/h.
AECSD is the annual energy consumption in cooling
mode for single-duct units, in kWh/year.
AEC95 is the annual energy consumption in cooling
mode for dual-duct units, assuming all cooling mode hours would be
at the 95[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor conditions, in kWh/year.
AEC83 is the annual energy consumption in cooling
mode for dual-duct units, assuming all cooling mode hours would be
at the 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor conditions, in kWh/year.
AECT is the total annual energy consumption
attributed to all modes except cooling, in kWh/year.
t is the number of cooling mode hours per year, 750.
k is 0.001 kWh/Wh conversion factor for watt-hours to kilowatt-
hours.
0.2 is the weighting factor for the 95[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb
outdoor condition test.
0.8 is the weighting factor for the 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb
outdoor condition test.
80 FR 74020, 74032 (Nov. 27, 2015).
The California IOUs supported the proposed test procedure and CEER
calculations with the ACC metric, which accounts for the impact of
infiltration air due to the draw of condenser air flow from the
conditioned space as well as duct and case heat transfer effects.
(California IOUs, No. 20 at p. 1)
AHAM opposed the proposed CEER equations as proposed in the
February 2015 NOPR, commenting that the equations should be modified to
remove the considerations for air infiltration and duct and case heat
transfer effects. (AHAM, No. 18 at p. 10)
For the reasons discussed previously in this preamble, DOE is
including air infiltration and duct heat transfer effects in its
measurement of portable AC performance, but is not including case heat
transfer effects (see section III.C.2.c, section III.C.5, and section
III.C.6 of this final rule, respectively). DOE maintains the proposals
from the November 2015 SNOPR, and establishes the above CEER
calculations in this final rule.
3. Annual Operating Costs
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed that the annual energy
consumption in cooling mode, AECcm, and the total annual
energy consumption in all modes except cooling and heating,
AECT, would be utilized in calculating the estimated annual
operating cost. The sum of the two annual energy consumption metrics
would then be multiplied by a representative average unit cost of
electrical energy in dollars per kilowatt-hour as provided by the
Secretary to obtain the estimated annual operating cost. 80 FR 10211,
10234 (Feb. 25, 2015). DOE maintained this proposal in the November
2015 SNOPR with slight modifications to address multiple cooling mode
test conditions and to remove reference to heating mode. DOE received
no comments from interested parties in response to either proposal.
Therefore, in the absence of any comments and to support a potential
portable AC labeling program should the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
establish such a program similar to that for room ACs, DOE adopts in
this final rule the annual operating cost calculations that were
proposed in the November 2015 SNOPR.
I. Compliance With Other Energy Policy and Conservation Act
Requirements
1. Test Burden
EPCA requires that any test procedures prescribed or amended be
reasonably designed to produce test results which measure energy
efficiency, energy use, or estimated annual operating cost of a covered
product during a representative average use cycle or period of use and
not be unduly burdensome to conduct. (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(3)) In the
February 2015 NOPR, DOE concluded that establishing a test procedure to
measure the energy consumption of single-duct and dual-duct portable
ACs in active mode, standby mode, and off mode would produce the
required test results and would not be unduly burdensome to conduct.
This determination was driven by the many similarities between the
necessary testing equipment and facilities for portable ACs and other
products, the performance of which is currently certified through a DOE
test procedure. Therefore, DOE tentatively concluded that manufacturers
would not be required to make significant investment in test facilities
and new equipment. 80 FR 10211, 10238 (Feb. 25, 2015)
In the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE proposed modifications to the test
procedure proposed in the February 2015 NOPR, and noted that those
modifications to the portable AC test procedures would not
significantly increase the overall test burden compared to the test
procedure proposed in the February 2015 NOPR and may instead reduce the
overall test burden. 80 FR 74020, 74032-74033 (Nov. 27, 2015).
Because no substantive changes were made between the November 2015
SNOPR and this final rule, DOE maintains its determination from the
November 2015 SNOPR that the portable AC test procedure established in
this final rule would produce test results that measure energy
consumption during representative use and would not be unduly
burdensome to conduct.
[[Page 35260]]
2. Potential Incorporation of International Electrotechnical Commission
Standard 62087
Under 42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(2)(A), EPCA directs DOE to consider IEC
Standard 62087 when amending test procedures for covered products to
include standby mode and off mode power measurements. DOE reviewed IEC
Standard 62087, ``Methods of measurement for the power consumption of
audio, video, and related equipment'' (Edition 3.0 2011-04), and has
determined that it would not be applicable to measuring power
consumption of electrical appliances such as portable ACs. Therefore,
DOE determined that referencing IEC Standards 62087 is not appropriate
for the test procedure established in this final rule.
J. Sampling Plan and Rounding Requirements
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE proposed sampling plan and rounding
requirements for portable ACs to enable manufacturers to make
representations of energy consumption or efficiency metrics, which
would be included in the proposed 10 CFR 429.62. For the sampling plan,
DOE proposed general sampling requirements for selecting units to be
tested and provided direction regarding a sufficient sample size. DOE
also proposed a method to determine a representative value for measures
of energy consumption, that all calculations be performed with the
unrounded measured values, and that the reported cooling or heating
capacity be rounded in accordance with Table 1 of AHAM PAC-1-2014, now
referenced as ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 as discussed in section III.C.1 of
this final rule. DOE further proposed that all energy efficiency
metrics be rounded to the nearest 0.1 Btu/Wh. 80 FR 10211, 10237-10238
(Feb. 25, 2015).
In the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE removed reference to the eliminated
cooling energy efficiency ratio and heating energy efficiency ratio and
replaced cooling mode capacity and heating mode capacity with SACC in
the proposed sampling plan and rounding requirements in 10 CFR part
429. The rated SACC would be based on the test sample mean, rounded as
appropriate. DOE also clarified that the representative CEER for a
basic model would be calculated based on statistical sampling
provisions, which account for manufacturing and testing variability in
product certification and compliance, rather than be determined as the
mean value among tested units. Under these requirements, manufacturers
would rate CEER based on the lower of the sample mean or the lower 95-
percent confidence limit of the true mean divided by 0.90. 80 FR 74020,
74032 (Nov. 27, 2015). The confidence limit and derating factor
proposed are consistent with those applied to other refrigeration-based
consumer products, such as dehumidifiers and refrigerators, as DOE
believes product variability and measurement repeatability associated
with the measurements proposed for rating portable ACs are similar to
those for the other consumer products.
DOE received no comments in response to the sampling plan and
rounding requirements proposed in either the February 2015 NOPR or the
November 2015 SNOPR, and therefore maintains the proposals from the
November 2015 SNOPR to establish a new section 10 CFR 429.62 in this
final rule that specifies the sampling and rounding requirements for
CEER and SACC for portable ACs.
DOE also notes that certification requirements for portable ACs,
which would also be located at 10 CFR 429.62(b), would be considered in
the concurrent energy conservation standards rulemaking, as
certification is not required for any equipment until and unless energy
conservation standards are established.
K. General Comments
De' Longhi stated that a round robin test would be necessary to
compare the results of different laboratories on the same units and
ensure the validity of the test procedure. (De' Longhi, No. 16 at p. 4)
DOE invited manufacturers and other interested parties to submit
testing data on its various proposals, and did not receive any results
pertaining to its proposals.
AHAM stated that it supports energy conservation standards and test
procedures for portable ACs, and requested that DOE finalize the test
procedure prior to publishing a proposed rule for portable AC
standards. (AHAM, No. 18 at p. 2) In issuing this final rule, DOE is
completing its rulemaking to establish a new test procedure for
portable ACs. DOE is continuing to consider portable AC energy
conservation standards in a concurrent rulemaking.
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 (Oct. 4, 1993). Accordingly, this
action was not subject to review under the Executive Order by the
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in the OMB.
B. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) requires
preparation of an initial regulatory flexibility analysis (IRFA) for
any rule that by law must be proposed for public comment and a final
regulatory flexibility analysis (FRFA) for any such rule that an agency
adopts as a final rule, unless the agency certifies that the rule, if
promulgated, will not have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities. A regulatory flexibility analysis
examines the impact of the rule on small entities and considers
alternative ways of reducing negative effects. As required by Executive
Order 13272, ``Proper Consideration of Small Entities in Agency
Rulemaking,'' 67 FR 53461 (Aug. 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:
http://energy.gov/gc/office-general-counsel.
DOE reviewed this final rule under the provisions of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act and the procedures and policies published on February
19, 2003. This final rule establishes test procedures to measure the
energy consumption of single-duct and dual-duct portable ACs in active
modes, standby modes, and off mode. DOE has concluded that the 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 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 333415, ``Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating
Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment
Manufacturing,'' which includes manufacturers of portable ACs, is 1,250
employees.
As discussed in the February 2015 NOPR, DOE surveyed the AHAM
member directory to identify
[[Page 35261]]
manufacturers of portable ACs. DOE also consulted publicly available
data, purchased company reports from vendors such as Dun and
Bradstreet, and contacted manufacturers, where needed, to determine if
the number of manufacturers with manufacturing facilities located
within the United States that meet the SBA's definition of a ``small
business manufacturing facility.''
In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE estimated that there was one small
business that may manufacture single-duct or dual-duct portable ACs and
would be subject to the test procedure proposed in the February 2015
NOPR. After the February 2015 NOPR was published, DOE determined that
the small business does not currently produce single-duct or dual-duct
portable ACs. DOE, therefore, tentatively concluded and certified in
the November 2015 SNOPR that the proposed rule would not have a
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities,
since none could be identified that manufactured products subject to
the test procedure proposed in the November 2015 SNOPR. Since the
publication of the November 2015 SNOPR, DOE did not discover any small
businesses that currently manufacturer single-duct or dual-duct
portable ACs, and therefore, concludes that the test procedure
established in this final rule would not have a significant impact on a
substantial number of small entities. On this basis, DOE has determined
that the preparation of an FRFA is not warranted and has submitted a
certification and supporting statement of factual basis to the Chief
Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for review
under 5 U.S.C. 605(b).
DOE notes that, in response to the February 2015 NOPR, Oceanaire
and NAM commented that the cost of testing and certification for
commercial portable ACs would significantly impact their businesses (or
manufacturers that they represent). These commenters estimated that
approximately 15,000 large capacity commercial portable ACs (rated
capacities up to 65,000 Btu/h) are manufactured annually. Oceanaire and
NAM suggested that their niche industry utilizes specialized designs,
often carrying 45 to 50 basic models and other custom designs for
costumers with models typically manufactured in quantities of 10 or
less annually. Oceanaire asserted that a certification program with
third-party verification and compliance to the DOE statistical sampling
protocol would exceed $1 million per year per company, severely
limiting their ability to create unique products for customers.
Oceanaire and NAM both suggested that the financial and resource
impacts would ultimately force commercial portable AC manufacturers out
of business. DENSO agreed, suggesting that the testing, reporting, and
record-keeping associated with maintaining compliance with any DOE
energy conservation standards would be substantial and place
disproportionate burden on commercial portable AC manufacturers.
(Oceanaire, No. 10 at pp. 1-2; NAM, No. 17 at p. 3; DENSO, No. 14 at p.
4)
Over the course of this rulemaking and the concurrent standards
rulemaking for portable ACs, DOE has sought and carefully considered
inputs received from interested parties regarding test burdens and
associated impacts on all portable AC manufacturers affected by the
rulemakings, including any small entities. Furthermore, DOE established
a definition of a ``portable air conditioner'' in the April 2106
Coverage Determination for portable ACs (81 FR 22514, 22516, 22519-
22520 (April 18, 2016)) that clarifies the characteristics and
operation of this consumer product. The requirement that the product
operate on single-phase electric current would exclude from coverage
many of the high-capacity products to which Oceanaire and NAM referred.
Additionally, any products that meet the portable AC definition as
established in the coverage determination and that do not meet the
definitions for single-duct portable AC or dual-duct portable AC are
not required to be tested under the provisions established in this
final rule. Although Oceanaire, NAM, and DENSO may manufacture products
that meet the portable AC definition (or represent such manufacturers),
DOE has determined that these niche manufacturers do not produce
products that meet the single-duct or dual-duct definitions. Therefore,
as discussed earlier in this section, DOE has not identified any small
businesses that manufacture the single-duct and dual-duct portable ACs
that would be affected by this final rule.
Furthermore, DOE evaluated the impact of the test procedure
established in this final rule, should any small business manufacturers
of single-duct or dual-duct portable ACs be identified in the future.
This final rule adopts the proposals in the November 2015 SNOPR with
minor additional modifications discussed previously in this final rule,
though none of the modifications impact test burden. Therefore, the
analysis regarding small business impacts conducted in the November
2015 SNOPR applies for the test procedure established in this final
rule. The November 2015 SNOPR proposed modifications to the February
2015 NOPR, and DOE determined that those modifications were likely to
reduce overall test burden with respect to the proposals in the
February 2015 NOPR. In the February 2015 NOPR, DOE concluded that the
costs associated with its proposals were small compared to the overall
financial investment needed to undertake the business enterprise of
developing and testing consumer products. DOE determined that no small
business would require the purchase or modification of testing
equipment in order to conduct cooling mode testing, and estimated a
potential cost of approximately $2,000 in the event that a small
business needed to purchase a wattmeter suitable for standby mode, off
mode, and off-cycle mode testing. 80 FR 10211, 10239 (Feb. 25, 2015),
80 FR 74020, 74033 (Nov. 27, 2015).
After estimating the potential impacts of the new test procedure
provisions and considering feedback from interested parties regarding
test burdens, DOE concludes that the cost effects accruing from the
final rule would not have a ``significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities,'' and that the preparation of an
FRFA on that basis also would not be warranted.
C. Review Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
While there are currently no energy conservation standards for
portable ACs, DOE recently published a final determination establishing
portable ACs as a type of covered product (81 FR 22514, 22517 (April
18, 2016)) and is considering establishing energy conservation
standards for such products as part of a parallel rulemaking (Docket
No. EERE-2013-BT-STD-0033). Manufacturers of portable ACs must certify
to DOE that their products comply with any applicable energy
conservation standards, once established. To certify compliance,
manufacturers must first obtain test data for their products according
to the DOE test procedures for portable ACs and maintain records of
that testing for a period of two years, consistent with the
requirements of 10 CFR 429.71. As part of this test procedure final
rule, DOE is establishing regulations for recordkeeping requirements
for portable ACs. The collection-of-information requirement for the
certification and recordkeeping is subject to review and approval by
OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). This requirement
[[Page 35262]]
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 final rule, DOE establishes a test procedure for portable
ACs that will be used to support any future energy conservation
standards for portable ACs. 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 rule considers a test procedure for portable ACs
that is largely based upon industry test procedures and methodologies,
subject to significant input from interested parties in response to the
February 2015 NOPR and November 2015 SNOPR, so it would not affect the
amount, quality or distribution of energy usage, and, therefore, will
not result in any environmental impacts. Thus, this rulemaking is
covered by Categorical Exclusion A5 under 10 CFR part 1021, subpart D.
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 (Aug. 10, 1999)
imposes certain requirements on 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 accountable 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 examined this final rule and determined
that it will 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 products that are the
subject of this final 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)) 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 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,
this final 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. Public Law 104-4, sec. 201 (codified at 2 U.S.C. 1531).
For a regulatory action resulting 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 http://energy.gov/gc/office-general-counsel. DOE examined this final
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 final rule will 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 will not
result in any takings that might require compensation under the Fifth
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
[[Page 35263]]
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 final 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 significant energy action. A
``significant energy action'' is defined as any action by an agency
that promulgates 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 if the regulation is implemented,
and of reasonable alternatives to the action and their expected
benefits on energy supply, distribution, and use.
This regulatory action 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 et seq.), DOE must comply with section
32 of the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-275),
as amended by the Federal Energy Administration Authorization Act of
1977 (Pub. L. 95-70). (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 final rule establishes testing methods contained in the
following commercial standards: ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015, ``Portable Air
Conditioners''; and ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009, ``Methods of Testing
for Rating Electrically Driven Unitary Air-Conditioning and Heat Pump
Equipment''. While the newly established test procedure at appendix CC
is not exclusively based on these standards, the general approach and
many components of the test procedure adopt provisions from these
standards without amendment. DOE has evaluated these standards and is
unable to conclude whether they fully comply with the requirements of
section 32(b) of the FEAA, (i.e., that they were developed in a manner
that fully provides for public participation, comment, and review). DOE
has consulted with the Attorney General and the Chairman of the FTC
concerning the impact on competition of requiring manufacturers to use
the test methods contained in these standards, and neither recommended
against incorporation of these standards.
M. Congressional Notification
As required by 5 U.S.C. 801, DOE will report to Congress on the
promulgation of this rule before its effective date. The report will
state that it has been determined that the rule is not a ``major rule''
as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
N. Materials Incorporated by Reference
In this final rule, DOE incorporates by reference the test standard
published by AHAM, titled ``Portable Air Conditioners,'' ANSI/AHAM PAC-
1-2015 (ANSI Approved). ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 is an industry-accepted
test procedure that measures portable AC performance in cooling mode
and is applicable to products sold in North America. ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-
2015 specifies testing conducted in accordance with other industry-
accepted test procedures (already incorporated by reference) and
determines energy efficiency metrics for various portable AC
configurations. The test procedure established in this final rule
references various sections of ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 that address test
setup, instrumentation, test conduct, calculations, and rounding. ANSI/
AHAM PAC-1-2015 is readily available on AHAM's Web site at https://www.aham.org/ht/d/Store/.
In this final rule, DOE also incorporates by reference the test
standard ASHRAE Standard 37-2009, titled ``Methods of Testing for
Rating Electrically Driven Unitary Air-Conditioning and Heat Pump
Equipment,'' (ANSI Approved). ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009 is an
industry-accepted test standard referenced by ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 that
defines various uniform methods for measuring performance of air
conditioning and heat pump equipment. Although ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015
references a number of sections in ANSI/ASHRAE Standards 37-2009, the
test procedure established in this final rule additionally references
one section in ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009 that addresses test
duration. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37-2009 is readily available at http://www.ashrae.org.
In this final rule, DOE also incorporates by reference the test
standard IEC 62301, titled ``Household electrical appliances--
Measurement of standby power,'' (Edition 2.0, 2011-01). IEC 62301 is an
industry-accepted test standard that sets a standardized method to
measure the standby power of household and similar electrical
appliances. IEC 62301 includes details regarding test set-up, test
conditions, and stability requirements that are necessary to ensure
consistent and repeatable standby and off-mode test results. IEC 62301
is readily available at https://webstore.iec.ch/ and http://www.webstore.ansi.org.
V. Approval of the Office of the Secretary
The Secretary of Energy has approved publication of this final
rule.
List of Subjects
10 CFR Part 429
Confidential business information, Energy conservation, Household
appliances, Imports, Incorporation by reference, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
10 CFR Part 430
Administrative practice and procedure, Confidential business
information, Energy conservation, Household appliances, Imports,
[[Page 35264]]
Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental relations, Small
businesses.
Issued in Washington, DC, on April 26, 2016.
Kathleen B. Hogan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, DOE amends parts 429 and
430 of chapter II 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 (b)(3) to read as
follows:
Sec. 429.4 Materials incorporated by reference.
* * * * *
(b) * * *
(3) ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 (``ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015''), Portable Air
Conditioners, June 19, 2015, IBR approved for Sec. 429.62.
* * * * *
0
3. Add Sec. 429.62 to read as follows:
Sec. 429.62 Portable air conditioners.
(a) Sampling plan for selection of units for testing. (1) The
requirements of Sec. 429.11 are applicable to portable air
conditioners; and
(2) For each basic model of portable air conditioner, a sample of
sufficient size must be randomly selected and tested to ensure that--
(i) Any represented value of energy consumption or other measure of
energy consumption of a basic model for which consumers would favor
lower values is greater than or equal to the higher of:
(A) The mean of the sample:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR01JN16.001
Where:
x is the sample mean;
xi is the ith sample; and
n is the number of units in the test sample.
Or,
(B) The upper 95 percent confidence limit (UCL) of the true mean
divided by 1.10:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR01JN16.002
Where:
x is the sample mean;
s is the sample standard deviation;
n is the number of units in the test sample; and
t0.95 is the t statistic for a 95% one-tailed confidence
interval with n-1 degrees of freedom.
And,
(ii) Any represented value of the combined energy efficiency ratio
or other measure of energy consumption of a basic model for which
consumers would favor higher values is less than or equal to the lower
of:
(A) The mean of the sample:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR01JN16.003
Where:
x is the sample mean;
xi is the ith sample; and
n is the number of units in the test sample.
Or,
(B) The lower 95 percent confidence limit (LCL) of the true mean
divided by 0.90:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR01JN16.004
Where:x is the sample mean;
s is the sample standard deviation;
n is the number of units in the test sample; and
t0.95 is the t statistic for a 95% one-tailed confidence
interval with n-1 degrees of freedom.
And,
(3) The value of seasonally adjusted cooling capacity of a basic
model must be the mean of the seasonally adjusted cooling capacities
for each tested unit of the basic model. Round the mean seasonally
adjusted cooling capacity value to the nearest 50, 100, 200, or 500
Btu/h, depending on the magnitude of the calculated seasonally adjusted
cooling capacity, in accordance with Table 1 of ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015,
(incorporated by reference, see Sec. 429.4), ``Multiples for reporting
Dual Duct Cooling Capacity, Single Duct Cooling Capacity, Spot Cooling
Capacity, Water Cooled Condenser Capacity and Power Input Ratings.''
(4) Round the value of combined energy efficiency ratio of a basic
model to the nearest 0.1 Btu/Wh.
(5) Single-duct and dual-duct portable air conditioners distributed
in commerce by the manufacturer with multiple duct configuration
options that meet DOE's definitions for single-duct portable AC and
dual-duct portable AC, must be rated and certified under both
applicable duct configurations.
(b) Certification reports. [Reserved]
PART 430--ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM FOR CONSUMER PRODUCTS
0
4. The authority citation for part 430 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6291-6309; 28 U.S.C. 2461 note.
0
5. Section 430.2 is amended by adding, in alphabetical order, the
definitions for ``dual-duct portable air conditioner'' and ``single-
duct portable air conditioner'' to read as follows:
Sec. 430.2 Definitions.
* * * * *
Dual-duct portable air conditioner means a portable air conditioner
that draws some or all of the condenser inlet air from outside the
conditioned space through a duct attached to an adjustable window
bracket, may draw additional condenser inlet air from the conditioned
space, and discharges the condenser outlet air outside the conditioned
space by means of a separate duct attached to an adjustable window
bracket.
* * * * *
Single-duct portable air conditioner means a portable air
conditioner that draws all of the condenser inlet air from the
conditioned space without the means of a duct, and discharges the
condenser outlet air outside the conditioned space through a single
duct attached to an adjustable window bracket.
* * * * *
0
6. Section 430.3 is amended by:
0
a. Removing ``appendix AA to subpart B'' in paragraph (g)(4), and
adding in its place, ``appendices AA and CC to subpart B'';
0
b. Redesignating paragraph (i)(8) as (i)(9), and adding a new paragraph
(i)(8); and
0
c. Removing ``and Z to subpart B'' in paragraph (p)(5), and adding in
its place, ``Z and CC to subpart B''.
The addition reads as follows:
Sec. 430.3 Materials incorporated by reference.
* * * * *
(i) * * *
(8) ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015, (``ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015''), Portable Air
Conditioners, June 19, 2015, IBR approved for appendix CC to subpart B.
* * * * *
0
7. Section 430.23 is amended by adding paragraph (dd) to read as
follows:
Sec. 430.23 Test procedures for the measurement of energy and water
consumption.
* * * * *
[[Page 35265]]
(dd) Portable air conditioners. (1) For single-duct and dual-duct
portable air conditioners, measure the seasonally adjusted cooling
capacity, expressed in British thermal units per hour (Btu/h), and the
combined energy efficiency ratio, expressed in British thermal units
per watt-hour (Btu/Wh) in accordance with appendix CC of this subpart.
(2) Determine the estimated annual operating cost for portable air
conditioners, expressed in dollars per year, by multiplying the
following two factors:
(i) For dual-duct portable air conditioners, the sum of
AEC95 multiplied by 0.2, AEC83 multiplied by 0.8,
and AECT as measured in accordance with section 5.3 of
appendix CC of this subpart; or for single-duct portable air
conditioners, the sum of AECSD and AECT as
measured in accordance with section 5.3 of appendix CC of this subpart;
and
(ii) A representative average unit cost of electrical energy in
dollars per kilowatt-hour as provided by the Secretary.
(iii) Round the resulting product to the nearest dollar per year.
0
8. Add and reserve appendix BB to subpart B of part 430 to read as
follows:
Appendix BB to Subpart B of Part 430--[Reserved]
0
9. Add appendix CC to subpart B of part 430 to read as follows:
Appendix CC to Subpart B of Part 430--Uniform Test Method for Measuring
the Energy Consumption of Portable Air Conditioners
1. Scope
This appendix covers the test requirements used to measure the
energy performance of single-duct and dual-duct portable air
conditioners, as defined at 10 CFR 430.2.
2. Definitions
2.1 ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 means the test standard published by
the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, titled ``Portable
Air Conditioners,'' ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 (incorporated by reference;
see Sec. 430.3).
2.2 ASHRAE Standard 37-2009 means the test standard published by
the American National Standards Institute and American Society of
Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers and, titled
``Methods of Testing for Rating Electrically Driven Unitary Air-
Conditioning and Heat Pump Equipment,'' ASHRAE Standard 37-2009
(incorporated by reference; see Sec. 430.3).
2.3 Combined energy efficiency ratio is the energy efficiency of
a portable air conditioner as measured in accordance with this test
procedure in Btu per watt-hours (Btu/Wh) and determined in section
5.4.
2.4 Cooling mode means a mode in which a portable air
conditioner has activated the main cooling function according to the
thermostat or temperature sensor signal, including activating the
refrigeration system, or activating the fan or blower without
activation of the refrigeration system.
2.5 IEC 62301 means the test standard published by the
International Electrotechnical Commission, titled ``Household
electrical appliances-Measurement of standby power,'' Publication
62301 (Edition 2.0 2011-01) (incorporated by reference; see Sec.
430.3).
2.6 Inactive mode means a standby mode that facilitates the
activation of an active mode or off-cycle mode by remote switch
(including remote control), internal sensor, or timer, or that
provides continuous status display.
2.7 Off-cycle mode means a mode in which a portable air
conditioner:
(1) Has cycled off its main cooling or heating function by
thermostat or temperature sensor signal;
(2) May or may not operate its fan or blower; and
(3) Will reactivate the main function according to the
thermostat or temperature sensor signal.
2.8 Off mode means a mode in which a portable air conditioner is
connected to a mains power source and is not providing any active
mode, off-cycle mode, or standby mode function, and where the mode
may persist for an indefinite time. An indicator that only shows the
user that the portable air conditioner is in the off position is
included within the classification of an off mode.
2.9 Seasonally adjusted cooling capacity means the amount of
cooling, measured in Btu/h, provided to the indoor conditioned
space, measured under the specified ambient conditions.
2.10 Standby mode means any mode where a portable air
conditioner is connected to a mains power source and offers one or
more of the following user-oriented or protective functions which
may persist for an indefinite time:
(1) To facilitate the activation of other modes (including
activation or deactivation of cooling mode) by remote switch
(including remote control), internal sensor, or timer; or
(2) Continuous functions, including information or status
displays (including clocks) or sensor-based functions. A timer is a
continuous clock function (which may or may not be associated with a
display) that provides regular scheduled tasks (e.g., switching) and
that operates on a continuous basis.
3. Test Apparatus and General Instructions
3.1 Active mode.
3.1.1 Test conduct. The test apparatus and instructions for
testing portable air conditioners in cooling mode and off-cycle mode
must conform to the requirements specified in Section 4,
``Definitions'' and Section 7, ``Tests,'' of ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015
(incorporated by reference; see Sec. 430.3), except as otherwise
specified in this appendix. Where applicable, measure duct heat
transfer and infiltration air heat transfer according to section
4.1.1.1 and section 4.1.1.2 of this appendix, respectively. Note
that if a product is able to operate as both a single-duct and dual-
duct portable AC as distributed in commerce by the manufacturer, it
must be tested and rated for both duct configurations.
3.1.1.1 Duct setup. Use ducting components provided by the
manufacturer, including, where provided by the manufacturer, ducts,
connectors for attaching the duct(s) to the test unit, sealing,
insulation, and window mounting fixtures. Do not apply additional
sealing or insulation.
3.1.1.2 Single-duct evaporator inlet test conditions. When
testing single-duct portable air conditioners, maintain the
evaporator inlet dry-bulb temperature within a range of
1.0[emsp14][deg]F with an average difference within
0.3[emsp14][deg]F.
3.1.1.3 Condensate Removal. Set up the test unit in accordance
with manufacturer instructions. If the unit has an auto-evaporative
feature, keep any provided drain plug installed as shipped and do
not provide other means of condensate removal. If the internal
condensate collection bucket fills during the test, halt the test,
remove the drain plug, install a gravity drain line, and start the
test from the beginning. If no auto-evaporative feature is
available, remove the drain plug and install a gravity drain line.
If no auto-evaporative feature or gravity drain is available and a
condensate pump is included, or if the manufacturer specifies the
use of an included condensate pump during cooling mode operation,
then test the portable air conditioner with the condensate pump
enabled. For units tested with a condensate pump, apply the
provisions in Section 7.1.2 of ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 (incorporated by
reference; see Sec. 430.3) if the pump cycles on and off.
3.1.1.4 Unit Placement. There shall be no less than 3 feet
between any test chamber wall surface and any surface on the
portable air conditioner, except the surface or surfaces of the
portable air conditioner that include a duct attachment. The
distance between the test chamber wall and a surface with one or
more duct attachments is prescribed by the test setup requirements
in Section 7.3.7 of ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 (incorporated by reference;
see Sec. 430.3).
3.1.1.5 Electrical supply. Maintain the input standard voltage
at 115 V 1 percent. Test at the rated frequency,
maintained within 1 percent.
3.1.1.6 Duct temperature measurements. Install any insulation
and sealing provided by the manufacturer. Then adhere four equally
spaced thermocouples per duct to the outer surface of the entire
length of the duct. Measure the surface temperatures of each duct.
Temperature measurements must have an error no greater than 0.5[emsp14][deg]F over the range being measured.
3.1.2 Control settings. Set the controls to the lowest available
temperature setpoint for cooling mode. If the portable air
conditioner has a user-adjustable fan speed, select the maximum fan
speed setting. If the portable air conditioner has an automatic
louver oscillation feature, disable that feature throughout testing.
If the louver oscillation feature is included but there is no option
to disable it, test with the louver oscillation enabled. If the
portable air conditioner has adjustable louvers, position the
louvers
[[Page 35266]]
parallel with the air flow to maximize air flow and minimize static
pressure loss.
3.1.3 Measurement resolution. Record measurements at the
resolution of the test instrumentation.
3.2 Standby mode and off mode.
3.2.1 Installation requirements. For the standby mode and off
mode testing, install the portable air conditioner in accordance
with Section 5, Paragraph 5.2 of IEC 62301 (incorporated by
reference; see Sec. 430.3), disregarding the provisions regarding
batteries and the determination, classification, and testing of
relevant modes.
3.2.2 Electrical energy supply.
3.2.2.1 Electrical supply. For the standby mode and off mode
testing, maintain the input standard voltage at 115 V 1
percent. Maintain the electrical supply at the rated frequency
1 percent.
3.2.2.2 Supply voltage waveform. For the standby mode and off
mode testing, maintain the electrical supply voltage waveform
indicated in Section 4, Paragraph 4.3.2 of IEC 62301 (incorporated
by reference; see Sec. 430.3).
3.2.3 Standby mode and off mode wattmeter. The wattmeter used to
measure standby mode and off mode power consumption must meet the
requirements specified in Section 4, Paragraph 4.4 of IEC 62301
(incorporated by reference; see Sec. 430.3).
3.2.4 Standby mode and off mode ambient temperature. For standby
mode and off mode testing, maintain room ambient air temperature
conditions as specified in Section 4, Paragraph 4.2 of IEC 62301
(incorporated by reference; see Sec. 430.3).
4. Test Measurement
4.1 Cooling mode. Measure the indoor room cooling capacity and
overall power input in cooling mode in accordance with Section 7.1.b
and 7.1.c of ANSI/AHAM PAC-1-2015 (incorporated by reference; see
Sec. 430.3), respectively. Determine the test duration in
accordance with Section 8.7 of ASHRAE Standard 37-2009 (incorporated
by reference; Sec. 430.3). Apply the test conditions for single-
duct and dual-duct portable air conditioners presented in Table 1 of
this appendix instead of the test conditions in Table 3 of ANSI/AHAM
PAC-1-2015. For single-duct units, measure the indoor room cooling
capacity, CapacitySD, and overall power input in cooling
mode, PSD, in accordance with the ambient conditions for
test configuration 5, presented in Table 1 of this appendix. For
dual-duct units, measure the indoor room cooling capacity and
overall power input in accordance with ambient conditions for test
configuration 3, condition A (Capacity95,
P95), and then measure the indoor room cooling capacity
and overall power input a second time in accordance with the ambient
conditions for test configuration 3, condition B
(Capacity83, P83), presented in Table 1 of
this appendix. Note that for the purposes of this cooling mode test
procedure, evaporator inlet air is considered the ``indoor air'' of
the conditioned space and condenser inlet air is considered the
``outdoor air'' outside of the conditioned space.
Table 1--Evaporator (Indoor) and Condenser (Outdoor) Inlet Test Conditions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evaporator inlet air, [deg]F Condenser inlet air, [deg]F
([deg]C) ([deg]C)
Test configuration ---------------------------------------------------------------
Dry bulb Wet bulb Dry bulb Wet bulb
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 (Dual-Duct, Condition A)...................... 80 (26.7) 67 (19.4) 95 (35.0) 75 (23.9)
3 (Dual-Duct, Condition B)...................... 80 (26.7) 67 (19.4) 83 (28.3) 67.5 (19.7)
5 (Single-Duct)................................. 80 (26.7) 67 (19.4) 80 (26.7) 67 (19.4)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.1.1. Duct Heat Transfer. Measure the surface temperature of
the condenser exhaust duct and condenser inlet duct, where
applicable, throughout the cooling mode test. Calculate the average
temperature at each individual location, and then calculate the
average surface temperature of each duct by averaging the four
average temperature measurements taken on that duct. Calculate the
surface area (Aduct_j) of each duct according to:
Aduct_j = [pi] x dj x Lj
Where:
dj = the outer diameter of duct ``j'', including any
manufacturer-supplied insulation.
Lj = the extended length of duct ``j'' while under test.
j represents the condenser exhaust duct and, for dual-duct units,
the condenser exhaust duct and the condenser inlet duct.
Calculate the total heat transferred from the surface of the
duct(s) to the indoor conditioned space while operating in cooling
mode for the outdoor test conditions in Table 1 of this appendix, as
follows. For single-duct portable air conditioners:
Qduct_SD = h x Aduct_j x
(Tduct_SD = - Tei)
For dual-duct portable air conditioners:
Qduct_95 = [Sgr]j{h x Aduct_j x
(Tduct_95 - Tei){time}
Qduct_83 = [Sgr]j{h x Aduct_j x
(Tduct_83 - Tei){time}
Where:
Qduct_SD = for single-duct portable air conditioners,
the total heat transferred from the duct to the indoor conditioned
space in cooling mode when tested according to the test conditions
in Table 1 of this appendix, in Btu/h.
Qduct_95 and Qduct_83 = for dual-duct
portable air conditioners, the total heat transferred from the ducts
to the indoor conditioned space in cooling mode, in Btu/h, when
tested according to the 95[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb and
83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor test conditions in Table 1 of this
appendix, respectively.
h = convection coefficient, 3 Btu/h per square foot per [deg]F.
Aduct_j = surface area of duct ``j'', in square feet.
Tduct_SD_j = average surface temperature for the
condenser exhaust duct of single-duct portable air conditioners, as
measured during testing according to the test condition in Table 1
of this appendix, in [deg]F.
Tduct_95_j and Tduct_83_j = average
surface temperature for duct ``j'' of dual-duct portable air
conditioners, as measured during testing according to the two
outdoor test conditions in Table 1 of this appendix, in [deg]F.
j represents the condenser exhaust duct and, for dual-duct
units, the condenser exhaust duct and the condenser inlet duct.
Tei = average evaporator inlet air dry-bulb
temperature, in [deg]F.
4.1.2 Infiltration Air Heat Transfer. Measure the heat
contribution from infiltration air for single-duct portable air
conditioners and dual-duct portable air conditioners that draw at
least part of the condenser air from the conditioned space.
Calculate the heat contribution from infiltration air for single-
duct and dual-duct portable air conditioners for both cooling mode
outdoor test conditions, as described in this section. Calculate the
dry air mass flow rate of infiltration air according to the
following equations:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR01JN16.005
For dual-duct portable air conditioners:
[[Page 35267]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR01JN16.006
Where:
mSD = dry air mass flow rate of infiltration air for
single-duct portable air conditioners, in pounds per minute (lb/m).
m95 and m83 = dry air mass flow rate of
infiltration air for dual-duct portable air conditioners, as
calculated based on testing according to the test conditions in
Table 1 of this appendix, in lb/m.
Vco_SD, Vco_95, and Vco_83 =
average volumetric flow rate of the condenser outlet air during
cooling mode testing for single-duct portable air conditioners; and
at the 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor
conditions for dual-duct portable air conditioners, respectively, in
cubic feet per minute (cfm).
Vci_95, and Vci_83 = average volumetric
flow rate of the condenser inlet air during cooling mode testing at
the 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor
conditions for dual-duct portable air conditioners, respectively, in
cfm.
[rho]co_SD, [rho]co_95, and
[rho]co_83 = average density of the condenser outlet air
during cooling mode testing for single-duct portable air
conditioners, and at the 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-
bulb outdoor conditions for dual-duct portable air conditioners,
respectively, in pounds mass per cubic foot (lbm/ft\3\).
[rho]ci_95, and [rho]ci_83 = average
density of the condenser inlet air during cooling mode testing at
the 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor
conditions for dual-duct portable air conditioners, respectively, in
lbm/ft\3\.
[omega]co_SD, [omega]co_95, and
[omega]co_83 = average humidity ratio of condenser outlet
air during cooling mode testing for single-duct portable air
conditioners, and at the 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-
bulb outdoor conditions for dual-duct portable air conditioners,
respectively, in pounds mass of water vapor per pounds mass of dry
air (lbw/lbda).
[omega]ci_95, and [omega]ci_83 = average
humidity ratio of condenser inlet air during cooling mode testing at
the 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor
conditions for dual-duct portable air conditioners, respectively, in
lbw/lbda.
For single-duct and dual-duct portable air conditioners,
calculate the sensible component of infiltration air heat
contribution according to:
Qs_95 m x 60
x [(cp_95 x Tai_95 - Tindoor)) +
Cp_wv
x ([omega]ai_95 x Tai_95 -
[omega]indoor x Tindoor)]
Qs_83 =m x 60
x [(cp_da x (Tai_83 - Tindoor)) +
Cp_wv
x ([omega]ai_83 x Tai_83 -
[omega]indoor x Tindoor)]
Where:
Qs_95 and Qs_83 = sensible heat added to
the room by infiltration air, calculated at the 95[emsp14][deg]F and
83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor conditions in Table 1 of this
appendix, in Btu/h.
m = dry air mass flow rate of infiltration air, mSD
or m95 when calculating Qs_95 and
msd or m83 when calculating Qs_83,
in lb/m.
cp_da = specific heat of dry air, 0.24 Btu/
lbm-[deg]F.
cp_wv = specific heat of water vapor, 0.444 Btu/
lbm-[deg]F.
Tindoor = indoor chamber dry-bulb temperature,
80[emsp14][deg]F.
Tia_95 and Tia_83 = infiltration air dry-
bulb temperatures for the two test conditions in Table 1 of this
appendix, 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F, respectively.
[omega]ia_95 and [omega]ia_83= humidity
ratios of the 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb
infiltration air, 0.0141 and 0.01086 lbw/lbda,
respectively.
[omega]indoor = humidity ratio of the indoor chamber
air, 0.0112 lbw/lbda.
60 = conversion factor from minutes to hours.
Calculate the latent heat contribution of the infiltration air
according to:
Ql_95 m x 60 x Hfg x ([omega]ia_95
- [omega]indoor)
Ql_83 m x 60 x Hfg x ([omega]ia_83
- [omega]indoor)
Where:
Ql_95 and Ql_83 = latent heat added to the
room by infiltration air, calculated at the 95[emsp14][deg]F and
83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor conditions in Table 1 of this
appendix, in Btu/h.
m = mass flow rate of infiltration air, mSD or
m95 when calculating Q1_95 and mSD
or m83 when calculating Q1_83, in lb/m.
Hfg = latent heat of vaporization for water vapor,
1061 Btu/lbm.
[omega]ia_95 and [omega]ia_83 = humidity
ratios of the 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb
infiltration air, 0.0141 and 0.01086 lbw/lbda,
respectively.
[omega]indoor = humidity ratio of the indoor chamber
air, 0.0112 lbw/lbda.
60 = conversion factor from minutes to hours.
The total heat contribution of the infiltration air is the sum
of the sensible and latent heat:
infiltration_95 = Qs_95 + Q1_95
infiltration_83 = Qs_83 + Q1_83
Where:
Qinfiltration_95 and Qinfiltration_83 =
total infiltration air heat in cooling mode, calculated at the
95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor conditions in
Table 1 of this appendix, in Btu/h.
Qs_95 and Qs_83 = sensible heat added to
the room by infiltration air, calculated at the 95[emsp14][deg]F and
83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor conditions in Table 1 of this
appendix, in Btu/h.
Ql_95 and Ql_83 = latent heat added to the
room by infiltration air, calculated at the 95[emsp14][deg]F and
83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor conditions in Table 1 of this
appendix, in Btu/h.
4.2 Off-cycle mode. Establish the test conditions specified in
section 3.1.1 of this appendix for off-cycle mode and use the
wattmeter specified in section 3.2.3 of this appendix (but do not
use the duct measurements in section 3.1.1.6). Begin the off-cycle
mode test period 5 minutes following the cooling mode test period.
Adjust the setpoint higher than the ambient temperature to ensure
the product will not enter cooling mode and begin the test 5 minutes
after the compressor cycles off due to the change in setpoint. Do
not change any other control settings between the end of the cooling
mode test period and the start of the off-cycle mode test period.
The off-cycle mode test period must be 2 hours in duration, during
which period, record the power consumption at the same intervals as
recorded for cooling mode testing. Measure and record the average
off-cycle mode power of the portable air conditioner,
Poc, in watts.
4.3 Standby mode and off mode. Establish the testing conditions
set forth in section 3.2 of this appendix, ensuring that the
portable air conditioner does not enter any active modes during the
test. For portable air conditioners that take some time to enter a
stable state from a higher power state as discussed in Section 5,
Paragraph 5.1, Note 1 of IEC 62301, (incorporated by reference; see
Sec. 430.3), allow sufficient time for the portable air conditioner
to reach the lowest power state before proceeding with the test
measurement. Follow the test procedure specified in Section 5,
Paragraph 5.3.2 of IEC 62301 for testing in each possible mode as
described in sections 4.3.1 and 4.3.2 of this appendix.
4.3.1 If the portable air conditioner has an inactive mode, as
defined in section 2.6 of this appendix, but not an off mode, as
defined in section 2.8 of this appendix, measure and record the
average inactive mode power of the portable air conditioner,
Pia, in watts.
4.3.2 If the portable air conditioner has an off mode, as
defined in section 2.8 of this appendix, measure and record the
average off mode power of the portable air conditioner,
Pom, in watts.
5. Calculation of Derived Results From Test Measurements
5.1 Adjusted Cooling Capacity. Calculate the adjusted cooling
capacities for portable air conditioners, ACC95 and
ACC83, expressed in Btu/h, according to the following
equations. For single-duct portable air conditioners:
ACC95 = CapacitySD - Qduct_SD -
Qinfiltration_95
ACC83 = CapacitySD - Qduct_SD -
Qinfiltration_83
For dual-duct portable air conditioners:
ACC95 = Capacity95 - Qduct_95 -
Qinfiltration_95
ACC83 = Capacity83 - Qduct_83 -
Qinfiltration_83
Where:
CapacitySD, Capacity95, and
Capacity83 = cooling capacity measured in section 4.1.1
of this appendix.
Qduct_SD, Qduct_95, and Qduct_83 =
duct heat transfer while operating in cooling mode, calculated in
section 4.1.1.1 of this appendix.
Qinfiltration_95 and Qinfiltration_83 = total
infiltration air heat transfer in cooling
[[Page 35268]]
mode, calculated in section 4.1.1.2 of this appendix.
5.2 Seasonally Adjusted Cooling Capacity. Calculate the
seasonally adjusted cooling capacity for portable air conditioners,
SACC, expressed in Btu/h, according to:
SACC = ACC95 x 0.2 + ACC83 x 0.8
Where:
ACC95 and ACC83 = adjusted cooling capacity,
in Btu/h, calculated in section 5.1 of this appendix.
0.2 = weighting factor for ACC95.
0.8 = weighting factor for ACC83.
5.3 Annual Energy Consumption. Calculate the annual energy
consumption in each operating mode, AECm, expressed in
kilowatt-hours per year (kWh/year). Use the following annual hours
of operation for each mode:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual
Operating mode operating
hours
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cooling Mode, Dual-Duct 95 [deg]F \1\...................... 750
Cooling Mode, Dual-Duct 83 [deg]F \1\...................... 750
Cooling Mode, Single-Duct.................................. 750
Off-Cycle.................................................. 880
Inactive or Off............................................ 1,355
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ These operating mode hours are for the purposes of calculating
annual energy consumption under different ambient conditions for dual-
duct portable air conditioners, and are not a division of the total
cooling mode operating hours. The total dual-duct cooling mode
operating hours are 750 hours.
AECm = Pm x tm x k
Where:
AECm = annual energy consumption in each mode, in kWh/
year.
Pm = average power in each mode, in watts.
m represents the operating mode (``95'' and ``83'' cooling mode
at the 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor
conditions, respectively for dual-duct portable air conditioners,
``SD'' cooling mode for single-duct portable air conditioners,
``oc'' off-cycle, and ``ia'' inactive or ``om'' off mode).
t = number of annual operating time in each mode, in hours.
k = 0.001 kWh/Wh conversion factor from watt-hours to kilowatt-
hours.
Total annual energy consumption in all modes except cooling, is
calculated according to:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR01JN16.007
Where:
AECT = total annual energy consumption attributed to all
modes except cooling, in kWh/year;
AECm = total annual energy consumption in each mode, in
kWh/year.
m represents the operating modes included in AECT
(``oc'' off-cycle, and ``im'' inactive or ``om'' off mode).
5.4 Combined Energy Efficiency Ratio. Using the annual operating
hours, as outlined in section 5.3 of this appendix, calculate the
combined energy efficiency ratio, CEER, expressed in Btu/Wh,
according to the following:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR01JN16.008
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR01JN16.009
Where:
CEERSD and CEERDD = combined energy efficiency
ratio for single-duct and dual-duct portable air conditioners,
respectively, in Btu/Wh.
ACC95 and ACC83 = adjusted cooling capacity,
tested at the 95[emsp14][deg]F and 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor
conditions in Table 1 of this appendix, in Btu/h, calculated in
section 5.1 of this appendix.
AECSD = annual energy consumption in cooling mode for
single-duct portable air conditioners, in kWh/year, calculated in
section 5.3 of this appendix.
AEC95 and AEC83 = annual energy consumption
for the two cooling mode test conditions in Table 1 of this appendix
for dual-duct portable air conditioners, in kWh/year, calculated in
section 5.3 of this appendix.
AECT = total annual energy consumption attributed to all
modes except cooling, in kWh/year, calculated in section 5.3 of this
appendix.
t = number of cooling mode hours per year, 750.
k = 0.001 kWh/Wh conversion factor for watt-hours to kilowatt-hours.
0.2 = weighting factor for the 95[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor
condition test.
0.8 = weighting factor for the 83[emsp14][deg]F dry-bulb outdoor
condition test.
[FR Doc. 2016-12446 Filed 5-31-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P