Digestion

Enzyme Catalytized and Autocatalytic Digestion Combined

Combining the two cases of a purely enzyme catalytized reaction and a purely autocatalytic reaction it is easily seen which ideal reactor is desired. For any point within the digestive system when an autocatalytic reaction is occurring a CSTR will be more efficient than a PFR, but when a enzyme catalytized reaction occurs a PFR is more efficient than a CSTR. Hence, in the case of the hippopotamus where autocatalytic digestion occurs within the stomach, which is followed by enzyme catalytized digestion within the intestines, a CSTR-PFR reactor scheme is desired.