World HAC&R Compressors – China market overview

Date: 29 July 2020
World HAC&R Compressors – China market overview
World HAC&R Compressors – China market overview

In August 2020 BSRIA will publish the first of its series of reports on the Global market for compressors used in applications such as Air Conditioning, Heat Pumps and Refrigeration. The set of reports covers 5 world regions: Americas, EMEA, China, Japan and Rest of Asia. In addition, one global overview report will also be issued.

The study will look at reciprocating, rotary, scroll, screw and centrifugal (including oil-free) compressors and provide detailed quantitative information by type of compressors and applications. Qualitative market information as well as company profiles will also be included.

Product segmentation applied in the study:

  • Horse Power (HP): hermetic and semi-hermetic compressors
  • RT / kWof cooling capacity
  • Swept volume (m³/h): open type compressors
  • Refrigerants: HFC, HFO, blends, HC, natural
  • Inverter vs non inverter (AC or DC)
  • Key applications
  • Oil/lubricant

The China report will be the first to be published, with updated quantitative and qualitative data considering the current trends in terms of size, technology, refrigerants and applications in the market.

“In 2019, the total market for HAC&R compressors in China was estimated at some 273 million units. Growth has slowed in 2019 and in 2020 the impact of COVID-19 will drive the market down, even below the 2018 levels. Nevertheless, recovery is forecast to take place in 2021.” – said Greg Corty, the manager of the project.

The study analyses the market of compressors aimed at three applications:

  • Air conditioning, or comfort cooling – compressors for high temperatures; -10° C - +10° C
  • Air to water heat pumps; designed for heating and hot water applications; up to +40°C for heating and +80°C for water heating
  • Refrigeration, or process cooling. Covering:
    • HBP – High back pressure; -5°C / +15°C
    • MBP – Medium back pressure; -35°C / -5°C
    • LBP – Medium back pressure; -35°C -/-10°C.

Note that compressors for transport applications are not included in this study.

Air Conditioning applications account for most of the compressor market in China. With about 156 million units sold in 2019, they make 57% of the Chinese compressor market while refrigeration applications account for 42% of the total. The sales volume of heat pump compressors is small accounting for just 1% of all compressor sales.

Benefiting from the huge demand in the residential market, rotary and reciprocating compressors are the dominant types of compressors present in terms of sales volume. The sales volume of scroll compressors is small in comparison, accounting for 2% of the total. The shares of other types of compressors are almost negligible.

After satisfying the domestic demands, a significant proportion of compressors gets exported to customers overseas. Rotary compressors are mainly exported to South East Asia and Latin America; hermetic reciprocating compressors are mainly exported to South East Asia.

In terms of refrigerants, China is in the transition phase from HCFC to HFC. A growing number of equipment manufacturers are introducing products using HFO and natural refrigerants, but their share in total is still relatively small.

Find out more on our website about: refrigeration, heat pump, HFO

Related News


generated: 0.0206