The measurement of water content of silicate ester dielectric fluids by electronic means

The Hughes Phoenix radar transmitter uses a liquid dielectric as a coolant. In order to withstand the high temperatures in the transmitter, a silicate ester (the ester of silica acid and 2-ethyl butanol) has been chosen. One of the disadvantages of this liquid is the degradation products caused by contaminants such as water, organic acids, and inorganic salts. Since the radar systems may be repaired aboard an aircraft carrier, contamination of the liquid dielectric coolant is likely and it is important to monitor the concentrations of these contaminants. This is particularly true for the high voltage radar transmitter. The amount of ionizable contaminant is measured by monitoring the volume resistivity of the coolant. The water content of the coolant is measured by an electronic water sensor.