Development and experimental study of an automated system for monitoring the level of operating fluids (fuel, oil, water) for river vessels

An experimental practical study of a three-circuit automated microprocessor-based system for monitoring the levels of operating fluids (fuel, oil, and coolant) on Project 758B (OTA-900) river vessels was conducted. The aim of the study was to develop and substantiate the implementation of a unified hybrid automated monitoring system based on an Arduino Mega microcontroller, combining capacitive and hydrostatic sensors to improve measurement accuracy, reliability, and fault tolerance under real operating conditions. The study was carried out over a period of 30 days of continuous operation of the vessel’s power plant, with monitoring of fuel, oil, and coolant levels. Key accuracy metrics were calculated, including the root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE). According to the results, the RMSE values were 2.0% for fuel, 2.3% for oil, and 1.8% for coolant. The hybrid system provides automatic cross-checking of sensor readings, adaptation to climatic conditions, and data transmission via RS-232/RS-485 communication protocols; if required, data can also be transmitted via TCP directly to the vessel’s ECDIS or to a remote control system for autonomous vessels. The obtained results demonstrate the feasibility of integrating the developed system into shipboard automation systems, which can improve the safety and efficiency of river vessel main engine operation through the timely prevention of emergency situations associated with violations of operating fluid levels. Prospects for further research include expanding the system functionality through the implementation of predictive fluid consumption analysis and integration into more advanced vessel control systems. The implementation of the proposed system increases measurement accuracy by a factor of 5–6 compared to traditional float-type level sensors and ensures continuous monitoring of main engine operating fluids as well as emergency alarm generation.