How Are Air-Filter Consumables Classified by Efficiency?

2025-08-20 22:13:44

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“ Air-filter consumables are commonly divided into coarse, medium, high-efficiency (HEPA), and ultra-high-efficiency (ULPA) classes under major international standards. ”

Efficiency classifications for air-filter consumables are generally based on the principal international standards. They fall into four main groups—coarse, medium, high-efficiency, and ultra-high-efficiency. The corresponding grades and applications under different standards are outlined below.

Classification by Filtration Precision and Efficiency

Coarse Filters

Grades: C1–C4 under the Chinese national standard (GB), G1–G4 under the European standard (EN), and MERV 1–4 under the U.S. standard.

Target particles: Large particles measuring 5 μm and above, such as dust, hair, and skin flakes.

Applications: Prefiltration in fresh-air systems and return-air filtration in air-conditioning systems, protecting downstream higher-efficiency filters.

Medium-Efficiency Filters

Grades: Z1–Z3 under the Chinese national standard, F5–F9 under the European standard, and MERV 8–12 under the U.S. standard.

Target particles: Particulate matter measuring 1–5 μm, such as pollen, mold spores, and PM10.

Applications: Commercial air-conditioning systems, general hospital wards, and fresh-air systems in offices.

High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filters

Grades: High-efficiency and sub-high-efficiency grades under the Chinese national standard (GB), H10–H14 under the European standard, and MERV 13–16 under the U.S. standard.

Target particles: Fine particles measuring 0.3 μm and above, such as PM2.5, bacteria, and smoke. H13 filters can achieve 99.97% efficiency.

Applications: Residential fresh-air air-conditioning systems, operating rooms, laboratories, and Class 10,000 clean manufacturing facilities.

Ultra-Low Penetration Air (ULPA) Filters

Grades: U15–U17 under the European standard and ultra-high-efficiency grades under the Chinese national standard.

Target particles: Ultrafine particles measuring 0.12 μm and above, including viruses, aerosols, and semiconductor dust. Filtration efficiency can exceed 99.9995%.

Applications: Chip manufacturing, P3/P4 biosafety laboratories, and Class 10 cleanrooms.

Key Differences Among the Standards

Chinese national standard (GB/T): Coarse (C) → medium (Z) → medium-high efficiency (GZ) → sub-high efficiency (YG) → high efficiency → ultra-high efficiency.

European standard (EN): Coarse (G1–G4) → medium (F5–F9) → high efficiency (H10–H14) → ultra-high efficiency (U15–U17).

U.S. standard (ASHRAE): Uses MERV ratings from 1 to 20. MERV 1–4 corresponds to coarse filtration, MERV 5–12 to medium filtration, MERV 13–16 to sub-high-efficiency filtration, and MERV 17 and above is approximately equivalent to high-efficiency filtration.

Key Selection Considerations

Household applications: A combination of coarse (G4), medium-efficiency (F8), and high-efficiency (H13) filtration can meet typical PM2.5 filtration needs.

Industrial and medical applications: Select HEPA or ULPA filters according to the required cleanliness class, such as Class 100 or Class 10, and ensure that the filters meet the applicable DOP/PAO testing and certification requirements.

In simple terms, the higher the efficiency rating, the finer the filtration precision and the more specialized the application. For everyday selection, consider both the pollution level of the operating environment and the intended purification target.

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How Are Air-Filter Consumables Classified by Efficiency?

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