Patent ID: 7402189

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a first conditioning element comprising a concentrator; a second conditioning element comprising a filter; a control system for autonomously initiating a purge cycle, wherein said control system comprises: (a) a downstream control valve, wherein said downstream control valve is disposed downstream of said first conditioning element and is in fluidic communication with said first conditioning element; and (b) an upstream control valve, wherein said upstream control valve: (i) is disposed upstream of said first conditioning element; (ii) is in fluidic communication with said first conditioning element; (iii) has a first state wherein said upstream control valve fluidically couples said concentrator to said filter; and (iv) has a second state wherein said upstream control valve fluidically couples said concentrator to a location for receiving particles that have been removed from said concentrator during said purge cycle; and a purge system for conducting the purge cycle, wherein said purge system comprises a pump, wherein said pump is fluidically coupled to said first conditioning element via said downstream control valve during said purge cycle and wherein said pump is operative to force air from said pump toward said downstream control valve, wherein during said purge cycle, gas flows through said first conditioning element in a reverse direction, wherein said reverse direction is opposite to a direction of flow during normal operation.