Patent ID: 7063910

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 reactors 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 layers and the first process layer of adjacent unit reactors; v. a front perimeter barrier disposed on the second process layer substantially surrounding the back cavity; and vi. a back perimeter barrier disposed on the first process layer substantially surrounding the front cavity and wherein the front cavity is in communication with the front side and the back cavity is in communication with the back side and wherein at least one of process layers facilitates a transport process between the reactant plenums; and wherein at least one of the unit reactors comprise at least one frame formed from one of the process layers, at least one of the perimeter barriers, and at least one of the cavities; and wherein each cavity is in communication with one side of the compact chemical reactor, and wherein the process layer facilitates a transport process between the reactant plenums.