Patent ID: 7052795

Claim:
A compact chemical reactor with a central axis, comprising: a. at least a first unit reactor and a second unit reactor, wherein the first and second unit reactors are disposed adjacent each other to form a front side and a back side of the compact chemical reactor; b. a front reactant plenum communicating with the front side; c. a back reactant plenum communicating with the back side, wherein at least one of the reactant plenums comprises a reactant; and d. wherein each unit reactor comprises a front face and a back face and further each unit reactor comprises: i. a first process layer; ii. a second process layer; iii. a front cavity formed between the first and second process layers; iv. a back cavity formed between the second process layer and a first process layer of an adjacent unit reactor; v. a front perimeter barrier disposed on the second process layer substantially surrounding the back cavity; vi. a back perimeter barrier disposed on the first process layer substantially surrounding the front cavity; and vii. wherein the front cavity is in communication with the front side, the back cavity is in communication with the back side, and wherein at least one of the process layers facilitates a transport process between the reactant plenums.