Patent ID: 7796727

Claim:
A method for configuring a device to neutralize an aerosol while generating an insignificant amount of radiolytically generated particles, comprising: providing a soft x-ray emitter operatively coupled with an aerosol conditioning chamber defining an interior flow passage, said soft x-ray emitter being configured to produce soft x-rays of a rated intensity; causing said x-ray emitter to emit soft x-rays; reducing the intensity of at least a portion said soft x-rays produced by said soft x-ray emitter to provide soft x-rays of a reduced intensity relative to said rated intensity; causing at least a portion of said soft x-rays of said reduced intensity to enter said aerosol conditioning chamber; causing said aerosol to pass through said conditioning chamber; bombarding said aerosol with said soft x-rays of said reduced intensity as said aerosol passes through said conditioning chamber; determining that said soft x-rays of said reduced intensity adequately condition said aerosol; and determining that said soft x-rays of said reduced intensity do not produce radiolytically generated particles above a predetermined amount.