In order to improve the cleaning effect of filtration system in a pulse-jet cartridge filter, the nozzle area ratio on a semi industrial pulse-jet cartridge filter was studied, using peak pressure and fabric acceleration as indices. Nozzle area ratio, defined as the total area of nozzles/the cross-sectional area of the blow tube. The experimental results show that the cleaning effect of the filter cartridge firstly increases and then decreases with the increase of nozzle area ratio. The optimum nozzle area ratio is 38.72% in this study. Furthermore, the performance of pulse valve will directly affect the influence of the nozzle area ratio on cleaning effect of a pulse jet cartridge filter. The study also shows that the optimum nozzle area ratio of a pulse-jet cartridge filter and a pulse jet bag filter are different, and they are verified by experiment and literature in the study. It suggests that the nozzle area ratio of a pulse-jet cartridge filter cannot be designed in accordance with the parameter of a pulse-jet bag filter.