Subscribe to the daily news Sign in
En
World HAC&R Compressors – China market overviewWorld HAC&R Compressors – China market overview
29 July 2020

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.

Related tags: refrigeration, heat pump, HFO
Share
Subscribe to the Refindustry Daily Newsletter
Trusted by 3,000+ refrigeration professionals worldwide
or sign up with
Google
LinkedIn
Facebook
By subscribing, you create a free Refindustry account and agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
No spam. Only industry-relevant news.
Unsubscribe anytime.

Related news

Chinese researchers develop new barocaloric fluid cooling method
A team led by Prof. LI Bing from the Institute of Metal Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has introduced a novel cooling technology based on the "dissolution barocaloric effect." Publishe...
03 Feb 2026
China Refrigeration Exhibition 2026 was held in Beijing, China
The 37th China Refrigeration Exhibition was held from April 8 to 10, 2026, at the Beijing Capital International Exhibition & Convention Center in China. The event covered 115,000 sq m (approx. ...
today
UNEP OzonAction held 2026 Ozone2Climate Forum in China
UNEP OzonAction, in cooperation with the Government of China and the China Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Industry Association (CRAA), held the 2026 Ozone2Climate (O2C) Technology Roadshow and ...
11 Apr 2026
AHRI reports February 2026 U.S. HVAC shipment data
AHRI said U.S. shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps totalled 638,841 units in February 2026, up 0.4% from 636,302 units in February 2025. Air conditioner shipments fe...
yesterday
RV Refrigerator Market to Reach USD 2.59 Billion by 2032
The global recreational vehicle (RV) refrigerator market is expected to grow from USD 1.46 billion in 2025 to USD 2.59 billion by 2032, according to a new report by Research and Markets. The expans...
23 Jan 2026
Embraco showcases high-efficiency refrigeration solutions at HVAC&R...
Embraco, a global brand under Nidec Global Appliance, will present its latest high-efficiency refrigeration solutions at HVAC&R Japan 2026, held from January 27 to 30 at Tokyo Big Sight. The co...
21 Jan 2026