TERM-GRAVIMETRIC-EFFICIENCY
Gravimetric Efficiency
Filtration Performance
Also: overall efficiency · mass efficiency · air filter efficiency
Abbrev: GE
Canonical Definition
Air filter efficiency measured by the percentage reduction in mass of standardised test dust (ISO 12103-1) passed through the filter element, as defined in ISO 5011 and SAE J726. Gravimetric efficiency is the primary efficiency metric for air intake filters, reflecting the filter's ability to capture the total mass of airborne contaminants before they enter the engine. A gravimetric efficiency of 99.9% means that for every 1,000 g of test dust introduced upstream, 999 g is retained by the filter element.
Engineering Context
Air intake filters are evaluated by gravimetric efficiency rather than Beta ratio because airborne dust exists in a wide, continuous particle size distribution. Gravimetric efficiency measures the cumulative mass capture across all particle sizes present in the test dust, which correlates directly with the mass of field dust prevented from entering engine cylinders and causing abrasive wear.
Related Technologies
Protection Systems
Knowledge Center Articles
KC-00 Governance Metadata
| Permanent ID | TERM-GRAVIMETRIC-EFFICIENCY |
| Category | Filtration Performance |
| Status | Published |
| Version | 1.0 |
| Last Reviewed | 2026-07-05 |