Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University
Abstract
In 1976, the U.S. Congress passed the National Energy
Conservation Policy Act (NECPA) P.L. 95-619, which requires
the imposition of minimum efficiency standards on eight
major household appliances. The law required that the
proposed standards be both technologically feasible and
economically justifiable. One of the appliances for
standards consideration was the room air conditioner (RAC).
In 1980 the Department of Energy first proposed minimum
efficiency standards on new room air conditioners on seven
other appliances[1]. In 1983, "no standard" standards were
issued by DOE for all eight appliances because the energy
savings of standards were not significant enough to justify
minimum efficiency standards.[2] The "no standard"
standards were challenged in court ion 1984. In 1985, the
"no standard" standards were ruled unlawful [3]. In 1983
However, due to a court challenge of the 1982 standards,
they were not allowed.
In 1987, Congress passed the National Appliance Energy
Conservation Act (NAECA), P.L. 100-12 which specified
minimum efficiency levels for major appliances, including
RACs (Table 1.1). The minimum efficiency standards for RACs
must be met by January 1, 1990. Periodically, the
Department of Energy can publish amendments to the standards
after analyses have been performed to determine their
technical and economic feasibility. This report summarizes
the results of an engineering analysis used to evaluate the
technical feasibility of improving the efficiency of RACs.
The objectives of this study included: (1) evaluation
and selection of a suitable RAC design model, (2) selection
of design options that can be used to improve RAC
performance, and (3) development of high efficiency RAC
designs