Gas scrubber and method of operation

Apparatus for separating particulate matter from a gas stream comprising:

• a. conduit means having a dirty gas inlet at one end thereof;
• b. fan means having an inlet in communication with said conduit means adjacent the other end of said conduit means, said fan means including drive means for operating said fan means at a relatively low speed, means defining an exhaust passage for clean gas separated by said fan means and means for collecting particulate matter separated from the gas stream by said fan means, said fan drive means including means operative to maintain the speed of operation of said fan means in a low speed range sufficient to move the gas along said conduit means into said fan means up to about 1000 r.p.m.;
• c. means for discharging a liquid into said gas stream prior to separation of the particulate matter from the gas by said fan means, said liquid discharging means comprising nozzle means including means for producing a relatively fine liquid spray of droplets wherein the droplets range in size from about 10 microns to about 30 microns, said liquid discharging means being operative to cause said fine liquid spray to capture the particulate matter and the spray droplets to agglomerate to form relatively larger drops of liquid which absorb the particulate matter and some of said liquid spray droplets evaporate to form vapor in said conduit means, and
• d. said speed maintaining means establishing a fan means speed sufficient to favor condensation in said fan means of said vapor on said particulate matter thereby forming additional particle-containing liquid droplets, and sufficient to precipitate said relatively larger drops of liquid which absorb the particulate matter and said additional condensed particle-containing liquid droplets in said fan means.