Method for making compact chemical reactors

A method for making a high aspect ratio fuel cell layer with high aspect ratio cavities from components with low aspect ratio cavities, comprising the steps:

• a. forming at least two low aspect ratio process layers;
• b. forming a perimeter barrier on at least one side of one of the low aspect ratio process layers creating an intermediate assembly with low aspect ratio cavities;
• c. repeating steps (a) to (b) to create additional intermediate assemblies with at least one low aspect ratio cavity;
• d. joining intermediate assemblies to create a fuel cell layer with high aspect ratio cavities;
• and
• e. joining the fuel cell layer with high aspect ratio cavities to an oxidant plenum comprising oxidant, and a fuel plenum comprising fuel, to facilitate a transport process between the fuel plenum, oxidant plenum and the process layers.

A method for making of a high aspect ratio compact chemical reactor using low aspect ratio layers comprising the steps:

• a. creating a plurality of low aspect ratio process layers by depositing precursor materials on a substrate and forming a precursor material into a shape;
• b. creating a plurality of low aspect ratio perimeter barriers by depositing a barrier precursor material on a substrate and forming the barrier precursor material into a shape;
• c. creating low aspect ratio cavities by joining the low aspect ratio perimeter barrier to at least one side of one of the low aspect ratio process layers;
• d. creating high aspect ratio cavities by joining one of the low aspect ratio process layers to the low aspect ratio cavities;
• e. repeating steps (c) and (d) to create a plurality of formed layers;
• and
• f. assembling the plurality of formed layers to form a compact chemical reactor with high aspect ratios.