- Scope
This criteria document establishes environmental requirements for residential refrigerative (vapor compression) air-source unitary (single-stage) heat pumps with maximum cooling capacity less than 65,000 Btu/hour, powered by a single-phase electric current. These systems are commonly referred to as "central" heat pumps. For split systems, the components shall be designed to work together and the criteria requirements apply to the matched components.
- Definitions
For the purpose of this criteria document, the following definitions apply:
2.1 Air-Source, Unitary Heat Pump: An air-source unitary heat pump system consists of one or more major components, designed to provide the functions of air cooling and/or heating and circulating with controlled temperature. The components normally include an indoor conditioning coil, and an outdoor compressor and conditioning coil combination.
2.2 Cooling Capacity: The rated ability of the heat pump to cool (remove heat from a defined indoor area and transfer it outdoors), measured in British thermal units (Btu) of cooling per hour.
2.3 Heating Capacity: The rated ability of the heat pump to heat (remove heat from outdoors and transfer it to a defined indoor area), measured in British thermal units (Btu) of heating per hour.
2.4 Refrigerant or Coolant: The working fluid of a refrigerative or vapor-compression air conditioning system. The coolant is contained in a pressurized, closed-loop piping system and transfers heat from one location to another by boiling and condensing.
2.5 Class I Ozone Depleting Substances: Chemical compounds defined by section 602 of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments as ozone depleting substances and scheduled for production phase-out at the end of 1995. Class I chemical compounds include chlorofluorocarbon compounds (CFC-11, 12, 113, 114, 115), Halons (1211 and 1301), tetrafluorocarbon and methyl chloroform .
2.6 Class II Ozone Depleting Substances: Chemical compounds defined by section 602 of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments as ozone depleting substances. Class II chemical compounds include all of the hydrochlorofluorocarbon compounds (HCFCs).
2.7 S.N.A.P: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Significant New Alternatives Policy program. SNAP is an implementation of the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments' Section 612, which requires EPA to evaluate and regulate substitutes for ozone depleting substances to reduce overall risk to human health and the environment.
2.8 Certified ARI Rating: Products listed under the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute's (ARI) voluntary certification program.
2.9 SEER or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio: The total cooling output of an air conditioning system in British thermal units (Btu) during its normal usage period for cooling, divided by the total electrical energy input in watt-hours (Wh) during the same period, as determined by the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute's reference test method ARI 210/240-94, Standard for Unitary Air-Conditioning Equipment and Air Source Heat Pump Equipment.
2.10 HSPF or Heating Seasonal Performance Factor: The total heating output of a heat pump in watts (W) during its normal usage period for heating, divided by the total electrical energy input in watt-hours (Wh) during the same period, as determined by the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute's reference test method ARI 210/240-94, Standard for Unitary Air-Conditioning Equipment and Air-Source Heat Pump Equipment.
2.11 Sound Rating: The sound power level of a working condensing unit in decibels, as measured by the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute's reference test method ARI 270-95, Standard for Sound Rating of Outdoor Unitary Equipment.
2.12 Postconsumer Materials: Those finished products, packages or materials generated by a business or consumer that have served their intended end uses, and that have been recovered from or otherwise diverted from the waste stream for the purpose of recycling.
- Performance Requirements
A sample of the product selected at random, when tested, must have cooling capacity ratings, heating capacity ratings, coefficients of performance, seasonal energy efficiency ratios, heating seasonal performance factors and sound ratings, where applicable, not less than 95% of the claimed ratings.
- Product Specific Environmental Requirements
4.1 Production Process Requirements
4.1.1 Utilization of Class I Ozone Depleting Substances in Manufacturing: Product must not be manufactured with processes that use Class I ozone depleting substances. Suppliers of components to original equipment manufacturers are not subjected to this requirement.
4.1.2 Design for Recycling: Major plastic parts shall be identified by resin type for future recycling.
4.2 Refrigerant Requirements: The use of a Class I or Class II ozone depleting refrigerant or one determined unacceptable for Home Heat Pump and Air Conditioner use under EPA's SNAP program is prohibited.
4.3 Product Operating Requirements
4.3.1 Energy-Efficiency Requirement: The product must have the minimum efficiencies listed in Table 1.
| Table 1 |
| Cooling Efficiency |
Heating Efficiency |
| SEER 12.0 |
HSPF 7.6 |
4.3.2 Sound Ratings Requirement: The outdoor unit must not exceed a sound rating of 78 decibels.
- Packaging Requirements
5.1 Toxics in Packaging: The sum of the concentration levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, and hexavalent chromium present in any package or packaging component shall not exceed 100 parts per million by weight.
5.2 Recycled Content: Products packaged in fiberboard packaging must contain a minimum of 30% postconsumer materials.
- Product Information Requirements
6.1 Product Labeling: Products should be labeled in accordance with industry standard practice to identify the model number, unit serial number, and other pertinent consumer and contractor/installer information, including efficiency ratings, refrigerant used and sound rating, where applicable.
6.2 Instructions: Installation materials, such as training manuals or videotapes, shall be made available to contractors and other installers to ensure proper and effective system installation.