Modeling of biological wastewater treatment; study in pilot plant of rotating biological contactors

The present work studied the performance of the biological treatment through a system of Rotating Biological Counters (RBC) built at the laboratory of the Universidad Politecnica Salesiana. Wastewater obtained from the Wastewater Treatment Plant of UcubambaCuenca was used, the control and operation was carried out by measuring physical-chemical parameters; nitrates, nitrites, chlorine, ammonium, pH, conductivity, sedimentation, turbidity and chemical oxygen demand. Next, the kinetic model of substrate degradation was established and validation of the model was done with the data obtained in the laboratory. Finally, the experimental results were compared with the theoretical model, obtaining a comparable result between both; an experimental fit was verified with a k value (coefficient of degradation of organic matter) equal to 0,056 and with an R2 of 0.85 and 0.97 in the theoretical and experimental model respectively.