The present invention relates to a fuel cell layer with frames with a central axis comprising: at least a first and second unit fuel cell, wherein the first and second unit fuel cells are disposed adjacent each other to form a front side and back side of the fuel cell layer; a front plenum comprising fuel communicating with the front side; and a back oxidant plenum comprising fuel communicating with the back side, and wherein each unit fuel cell comprises: a front and back process layer; a front and back cavity formed between the back process layers and the front process layer of adjacent unit fuel cells; a front perimeter barrier disposed on the back process layer substantially surrounding the back cavity; and a back perimeter barrier disposed on the front 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 fuel cells 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 a process layer; at least one perimeter barrier disposed on the process layer; and at least one cavity formed in each reactor frame, wherein each cavity is in communication with one side of the fuel cell layer, and wherein at least one of the process layers transports ions between the plenums.