MONITORING HEALTH OF HEAT TRANSFER FLUIDS FOR ELECTRIC SYSTEMS

A method of operating a heat transfer system includes circulating a heat transfer fluid through a heat transfer circuit in fluid communication with an electric system, and obtaining real-time measurements of fluid properties of the heat transfer fluid. A dimensional effectiveness factor for the heat transfer fluid (DEF) is calculated based on the fluid properties and for a selected pump and a selected dominant flow regime within the heat transfer circuit, and a dimensional effectiveness factor for a reference fluid (DEF) is calculated for the selected pump and the selected dominant flow regime within the heat transfer circuit. A normalized effectiveness factor (NEF) of the heat transfer fluid is then obtained, whereby a health of the heat transfer fluid is obtained. If the NEFis below a predetermined threshold, the health will be considered deteriorated, and if the NEFis above the predetermined threshold, the health will be considered viable.