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Overview
In 2023, the rotary compressor industry, amidst the intricate global economic landscape, surged to new heights, with a worldwide annual output of approximately 270 million units. China, as the primary global production hub for rotary compressors, accounted for nearly 95% of the global production, reaching an annual output of 261 million units, a year-on-year increase of 12.2%.
Listening to these figures, it’s evident that rotary compressors hold a significantly crucial position on the compressor stage. They find applications in areas such as rotary compressors for air conditioners, dehumidifiers, dryers, heat pump water heaters and heating, base stations, and equipment.
Today, we’ll delve into aspects such as the definition of rotary compressors, their advantages, applications, factors to consider when selecting a rotary compressor, and common rotary compressors found in the current market.
What are Rotary Compressors?
Rotary compressors are a type of positive displacement compressor. They are driven by an engine or electric motor (mostly electric motor). One rotor (also known as the male rotor or convex rotor) is driven by the main rotor through an oil film formed by injection, or by synchronous gears at the ends of the main rotor and the convex rotor. They are generally divided into fixed vane type and sliding vane type, with advantages such as simple structure, small size, and high efficiency. Their applications include air conditioners, dehumidifiers, heat pump water heaters, dryers, etc. Major manufacturers include Toshiba, Panasonic , Mitsubishi, Hitachi, LG, and others.
What Are the Advantages of Rotary Compressors?
Compactness: Rotary compressors boast a smaller footprint compared to other types, making them ideal for space-constrained applications.
Reliability: With fewer moving parts than reciprocating compressors, rotary compressors offer enhanced reliability and reduced maintenance needs.
Smooth Operation: The rotary motion ensures a smooth and vibration-free operation, contrasting with the reciprocating motion of piston compressors.
High Efficiency: Rotary compressors can be tailored for excellent efficiency and performance, catering to specific types and applications.
Low Noise Levels: Thanks to their smooth operation, rotary compressors typically generate minimal noise compared to alternative compressor types.”
What’s The Applications of Rotary Compressors?
Compressors, machines designed to increase gas pressure or transport gas, are widely utilized and often referred to as “universal machinery”. At the outset, the remarkable annual production of rotary compressors reflects their extensive applications and sales volume.
Traditionally, rotary compressors have predominantly served the household air conditioning sector. However, recent years have witnessed a diversification and subdivision of their applications, fueled by economic development and technological advancements.
Beyond household air conditioning, rotary compressors are poised to seize promising opportunities in the following domains:
New Energy Vehicles: With growing environmental awareness and governmental support for electric vehicles, coupled with increased user demands for comfort, the market for truck-mounted parking air conditioners is experiencing rapid growth. Rotary compressors, particularly, are finding significant development opportunities in this upstream segment. Their application in electric and hybrid vehicles is expected to broaden, providing efficient and reliable compressed air for vehicle air conditioning systems and battery cooling systems.
Truck-mounted Parking Air Conditioners: Within this field, both rotary compressors and electric scroll compressors are present. However, compared to electric scroll compressors, rotary compressors boast higher efficiency, energy conservation, simpler structures, scalability, and better performance under varying conditions. It is anticipated that rotary compressors will further encroach upon the market share of electric scroll compressors in the field of truck-mounted parking air conditioners.
Industrial Refrigeration: The annual sales of refrigerated trucks have been consistently increasing, and rotary compressors, leveraging their advantages in energy efficiency, price, and structure, are expected to further expand their market share in the refrigerated truck market.
Heat Pump Drying: With the continuous improvement of products and integrated solutions in the drying industry, coupled with the influence of policies such as the dismantling of small boilers, the heat pump drying industry is entering a golden development period. Household drying, sludge drying, and grain drying sectors all exhibit a healthy growth trend. The upstream market for heat pump drying compressors is experiencing explosive growth, with rotary compressors rapidly capturing the market, especially in household drying, particularly in the drying of flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
Environmental Protection Industry: In environmental sectors such as sewage treatment and waste disposal, rotary compressors can be employed in pneumatic conveying and aeration processes, enhancing processing efficiency.
Dehumidifiers: The application of rotary compressors in the field of dehumidifiers is well-known and widespread.
It is believed that with the continuous advancement of rotary compressor technology, they will play increasingly important roles in various fields. We can anticipate rotary compressors bringing more convenience and innovation to our lives in the future.
Considerations Before Choosing a Rotary Compressor
Application Filed: Determine the intended application of the rotary compressor. Rotary compressors find extensive applications in household air conditioning, commercial air conditioning, heat pump water heaters, dehumidifiers, portable air conditioners, among others. Depending on the application, rotary compressors come in varying sizes. When selecting a suitable rotary compressor, it’s essential to clarify where it will be used, such as in air conditioning, whether for fixed-speed or variable-speed units.
Refrigerant Type: Each compressor contains refrigerant oil, and different types of refrigerant oils correspond to different refrigerant gas types. Ten years ago, most air conditioners used R22 refrigerant. In recent years, R410A series models have become the most popular for both household and commercial air conditioning. Nowadays, R32 and R290 refrigerants are gaining popularity. In addition to these mainstream refrigerant types, there are also R134A, R454B, R407C, and others. We can provide rotary compressors for all these refrigerant types and offer you multiple choices based on your budget.
Voltage Type: The most common voltages are 220-240V 50Hz 1PH, 380-460V 50Hz 3PH; 1PH 208-230V 60Hz, 380V 60Hz, 3PH; 208-230V 3PH 60Hz; 115V 60Hz 1PH. Apart from these, there are also some special voltage requirements. Choose a rotary compressor that corresponds to the voltage requirements of your application.
Capacity Selection: Regardless of the compressor type, cooling capacity and input power are crucial technical parameters. When selecting a rotary compressor, choose a size that suits your needs in terms of cooling capacity. Based on nearly a decade of experience in this industry, the best-selling cooling capacities for rotary compressors are 9000BTU, 12000BTU, 18000BTU, 24000BTU, and 30000BTU. Some customers in the market describe their required refrigeration capacity in “tons,” such as 0.75-ton, 1-ton, 1.5-ton, 2-ton, and 2.5-ton rotary compressors. Our company, Ningbo Yuyue Technical&Science Co., Ltd., offers a wide range of rotary compressors from well-known brands to lesser-known Chinese brands, with a broad range of cooling capacities to meet your needs.
Brand Selection: The most mainstream brands of rotary compressors on the market include Panasonic, GMCC (TOSHIBA), LG, HITACHI, HIGHLY, MITSUBISHI, SAMSUNG, GREE, RECHI, among others. Some customers prefer specific brands and have their own brand preferences. For such customers, there’s no need to hesitate; they can directly choose their preferred and trusted brand. However, many customers prioritize cost-effectiveness and require professional guidance from experts familiar with these brands to recommend suitable options based on their budget and product requirements.
Ningbo Yuyue Technical & Science Development Co., Ltd (YUE for shor) is a professional enterprise specializing in compressors for many years. We are the kind of company that devotes ourselves wholeheartedly to the compressor industry, continuously advancing on the path of operating and studying compressors. With our professional sales team, we can tailor and recommend product models suitable for you and your market. Our deep cultivation in this industry enables us to bring greater benefits to our customers.
We currently have several models from GMCC available, including PA145G1C-4FT1 , KTM185D43UMT, KTM240D57UMT, KTM240D43UKP, KTM225D43UMT, and Panasonic 9RD220ZBB21 on promotion. Your inquiries are welcome!
Conclusion
Rotary compressors, with their compact structure, higher cost-effectiveness, and appropriate range of refrigeration capacities/cooling capacity, are an excellent choice for the household air conditioning sector. Moreover, with technological advancements and economic development, the application areas of rotary compressors are becoming increasingly diverse. For example, they are used in heat pump water heaters, heat pump heating, small dehumidifiers, portable air conditioners, some base stations, and new energy applications. The most significant market shares are for rotary compressors with refrigeration capacities of 0.75 tons, 1 ton, 1.5 tons, and 2 tons. The mainstream refrigerants include R410A, R32 (also compatible with R410A), R290, and R22. Voltage selection can be made based on your region’s requirements.
