Abstract: The hydrodynamic coupling includes a pump blade wheel and a turbine blade wheel together forming at least one toroidal operating space capable of receiving an operating medium. The housing at least partially in an axial direction contains the pump blade wheel and forms an intermediate space at least with the pump blade wheel. The pump blade wheel defines at least one connection channel between the toroidal operating space and the intermediate space, the connection channel having at least one directional component that is oriented essentially tangentially to the contour of the circulation of the operating medium in the operating state between the pump blade wheel and the turbine blade wheel. The connection channel provides a partial flow of operating medium in the operating space, providing a rinsing effect for deposits collected on the housing in the intermediate space.