---
title: "Collection efficiency"
description: "Collection efficiency is the fraction of inlet particulate captured by an ESP, baghouse, cyclone or other particulate-control device. It is calculated as (inlet mass loading − outlet mass loading) / inlet mass loading and reported as a percentage."
canonical_url: "https://sylio.co/glossary/collection-efficiency"
last_updated: "2026-06-28T02:29:34.303Z"
---

**Collection efficiency** is the fraction of inlet particulate captured by an [ESP](/glossary/electrostatic-precipitator), [baghouse](/glossary/baghouse), [cyclone](/glossary/cyclone-separator) or other particulate-control device. It is calculated as (inlet mass loading − outlet mass loading) / inlet mass loading and reported as a percentage.

## Typical values

<table>
<thead>
  <tr>
    <th>
      Device
    </th>
    
    <th>
      Typical collection efficiency
    </th>
  </tr>
</thead>

<tbody>
  <tr>
    <td>
      Single <a href="/glossary/cyclone-separator">
        cyclone separator
      </a>
    </td>
    
    <td>
      70–90%
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      <a href="/glossary/multi-cyclone-multiclone">
        Multi-cyclone
      </a>
    </td>
    
    <td>
      85–95%
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      <a href="/glossary/venturi-scrubber">
        Venturi scrubber
      </a>
    </td>
    
    <td>
      95–99%
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      <a href="/glossary/electrostatic-precipitator">
        Electrostatic precipitator
      </a>
      
       (modern)
    </td>
    
    <td>
      99.5–99.95%
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      <a href="/glossary/baghouse">
        Baghouse
      </a>
    </td>
    
    <td>
      99.9–99.99%
    </td>
  </tr>
  
  <tr>
    <td>
      <a href="/glossary/wet-esp">
        Wet ESP (WESP)
      </a>
    </td>
    
    <td>
      99.9% (especially fine PM)
    </td>
  </tr>
</tbody>
</table>

## How fouling erodes collection efficiency

Each device fouls in characteristic ways that degrade its collection efficiency:

- **ESP** — [back-corona](/glossary/back-corona), [hopper bridging](/glossary/esp-hopper), [re-entrainment](/glossary/re-entrainment)
- **Baghouse** — [bag blinding](/glossary/bag-blinding), [cake bridging](/glossary/cake-bridging-cake-blinding), bag failures
- **Cyclone** — wall build-up, [dipleg](/glossary/cyclone-dipleg) pluggage

[Sonic horns](/glossary/sonic-horn) address the first three mechanisms in their respective applications.

## Related terms

- [Electrostatic precipitator](/glossary/electrostatic-precipitator)
- [Baghouse](/glossary/baghouse)
- [Removal efficiency](/glossary/removal-efficiency)
- [Specific collection area (SCA)](/glossary/specific-collection-area)