A self-cleaning, hydrodynamic fume scrubber for scrubbing a gaseous phase effluent with a scrubbing liquid, includes an inlet stage for receiving the particulate laden gaseous effluent. A negative pressure stage creates suction by spraying a first pressurized component of the scrubbing liquid into a stream of the effluent passing from the inlet stage. A main scrubbing chamber includes at least one hydrodynamic spray assembly driven by a second pressurized component of the scrubbing liquid; a filter media layer disposed below the spray assembly for filtering and mixing the effluent gas and scrubbing liquid; a scrubbing liquid, scrubbed gas separation region below the filter media for separating and discharging scrubbed gas effluent collected therein; a splash plate or diverter plate at the lower boundary of the separation region; and, a scrubbing liquid reservoir below the splash plate in a lowermost region of the chamber for receiving excess scrubbing liquid. Scrubbing liquid is supplied to the scrubber  from a source, and is discharged from the reservoir to a drain at a flow rate matching incoming scrubbing liquid flow.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5011520.html