908.1–908.4 Equipment, access, location and support
Install per the manufacturer’s instructions; factory-built towers listed to UL 1995 or UL/CSA 60335-2-40.
Ready access for towers, evaporative condensers and fluid coolers.
Keep plumes out of occupied spaces: discharge at least 5 ft above or 20 ft away from any ventilation inlet.
Property location, supports and seismic restraints through the IBC.
908.5–908.7 Water, drainage and fluids
Approved water supply sized for peak demand; water quality per the manufacturer.
Potable-water protection and piping per the IPC.
Drains, overflows and blowdown discharge indirectly to an approved location.
Chemical waste discharge approved by the regulatory authority.
Closed refrigeration systems with refrigerant → IMC Chapter 11; flammable, combustible or hazardous heat-transfer fluids → IFC.
908.8 Bleed control and drift
Automated bleed based on conductivity, metered makeup, metered bleed, recirculating pump run time or bleed time.
Drift eliminators with a maximum drift rate of 0.005 percent of circulated water flow, per the equipment design specifications.
The coordination lesson
Mechanical → equipment, plume, refrigeration and controls.
Plumbing → makeup water, potable-water protection and drainage.
Structural → supports, anchorage and seismic restraint (and wind on Florida roofs).
Architectural → access and intake/opening coordination.
Fire and regulatory → hazardous fluids and chemical discharge.
Permit-set QA/QC before issue
Exact equipment and listing.
Ready access.
Plume-to-intake dimensions on the plan.
Structural support coordination.
Peak makeup-water demand.
Potable-water protection.
Drain, overflow and blowdown disposition.
Refrigeration or hazardous-fluid code path.
Automated bleed strategy.
0.005 percent maximum drift in the equipment data.
Field tip
Put the cooling tower, outside-air intakes, piping, drains and structural supports on one coordinated roof plan. Reviewed separately, the conflicts surface in permitting or construction. Series: part 1 · part 2 · part 3. Next: #177 — IMC 909 Vented Wall Furnaces.
Code basis
2024 IMC Section 908 model-code education from the owner-provided Daily Code Talk series. Confirm the adopted edition, local amendments, listings and the manufacturer’s instructions. Not an equipment selection, structural design or discharge-permit determination.