I had installed a K&N Air filter for the same reason; Blow-by was shortening the life of the Paper Element Filter.
See the Response I got from the below question:
Washing K&N air filters
Washing K&N air filters - PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum
I stuck with the K&N till I did the below:
Washable Air Filter and Intake Mod , With Larger Breather
Washable Air Filter and Intake Mod , With Larger Breather - PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum
I also had a K&N on My Chevy Van. I also replaced that with a Fram Washable Air Filter.
On thing concerning the K&N Air Filters. The rubber sealing area on them is stiff. I think a lot some of the poor filtering of the K&N Filters is due to the poor sealing of the Rubber to the Housing. When I installed Mine I put a bead of Silicon Sealant on both side of the Filter along the Sealing edge. That way I was sure it sealed well.
Concerning Paper Air Filter Elements. Where I worked the moved to a 40 acre dirt lot. They had Shipping Container lifters, Fork lifts, Trucks and assorted Step Vans and regular Pick-up Trucks that gronned around the yard.
On the large equipment that moved a lot around the Yard any time they were stopped long enough to do so I swapped out the Air Filters and used an Air Gun to blow out the Dust from the one I pulled of and put that in a plastic Bag to reuse. I tried to do that to all of the large equipment at least 4 times a day.
The one Shipping Container Lifter had an outer Air Filter that cost $90 and an inner Air Filter that cost more than $60. If I had not been Blowing out the Air Filters ever 2 days we would have been throwing out those expensive Air Filters away. And, that was just one piece of equipment.
I forgot to mention that the expensive Air Filters can most often also be washed. I also did that when the Weather was hot enough fir them to dry fast.
All of the little Refer Diesel Generators at that place had Oil Bath Air Filters. What was not mentioned about the Air Bath Oil Filters is that as the Dirt settles to the bottom the Oil level rises.
If the Oil level rises high enough it starts to restrict the Air Flow.