Vapor purification with self-cleaning filter

An apparatus for purifying vapor streams comprising:

• a chamber having an inlet and an outlet,
• a filter in the chamber, the filter including dielectric material,
• at least two electrodes on opposing sides of the filter,
• at least one source of an electric potential connected to selectively apply a potential between the at least two electrodes to polarize the dielectric material and to form a nonthermal plasma around at least a portion of the filter, and
• a controller connected to the at least one source for selectively controlling application of the electric potential to form the nonthermal plasma, the controller adapted to select formation of the nonthermal plasma according to at least one predetermined criteria.

A vapor purification device with a self cleaning filter comprising:

• a chamber having an inlet and an outlet,
• a serpentine filter in the chamber, the filter including dielectric material,
• a plurality of electrodes and at least one source of an electric potential connected to the plurality of electrodes, the plurality of electrodes configured to apply a potential across the filter to form a nonthermal plasma around at least a portion of the filter,
• wherein electrodes of the same pole are positioned between successive corresponding curves of the filter and spaced from the filter such that the nonthermal plasma can be formed primarily around the filter to clean the filter.