Recently, the Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) Branch of the China Electrical Equipment Industry Association conducted research on the current development status of high-voltage VFDs , visiting and surveying relevant member units and enterprises. The collected data indicates that, with the continuous maturation of high-voltage VFD product technology and the market, this industry will become a new force in the VFD industry and even the electrical appliance industry as a whole.
Entering a period of rapid growth
According to statistics from the Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) Branch of the China Electrical Equipment Industry Association, the output of high-voltage VFDs in 2018 increased by 120,000 units compared to 2019 , with a contract value of 2.02 billion yuan . In 2020 , the output increased by 20,000 units compared to 2019 , with a contract value of 2.65 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year increase of 61.8% . Currently, the trend of VFD products developing towards higher power is very obvious.
Data shows that the current high-power frequency converter market in China is still dominated by foreign products. However, with the continuous maturation of China's high-voltage frequency converter technology, it is gradually entering the high-power product market and gradually replacing imported high-power frequency converters. The high-voltage frequency converter industry is ushering in a period of accelerated development. It is estimated that by the end of the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" period, the size of China's frequency converter market will reach approximately 11.5 billion yuan.
The market is developing towards diversification
In 2020 , driven by energy conservation and emission reduction policies, the application of high-voltage frequency converters rapidly expanded in light industries such as cement, non-ferrous metals, and papermaking. According to data from the Frequency Converter Branch, with the maturation of high-voltage frequency converter technology, the continuous improvement of upstream component performance, years of experience accumulated in numerous industries, and the promotion of government energy conservation and emission reduction policies, high-voltage frequency converters, in addition to their widespread application in industries such as power, metallurgy, petrochemicals, and municipal water supply, have begun to see the emergence of more niche markets. Simultaneously, with manufacturers comprehensively improving their technology, suppliers are increasingly focusing on providing overall energy-saving solutions and services.
Three major trends are emerging
1. Series multilevel power unit technology remains the mainstream technology in the market. Currently, high-voltage frequency converters using series multilevel power unit technology have a domestic market share of over two-thirds, and manufacturers such as Leadway, Dongfang Hitachi, and Shandong Fengguang all use this technology.
2. Development towards higher power. In previous years, the market share of high-power frequency converters was basically controlled by foreign manufacturers. However, with the improvement of the technical level of domestic enterprises, the power of domestic frequency converter products has gradually increased.
3. With the maturation of high-voltage variable frequency technology, the demand for variable frequency speed regulation in process control will be greatly expanded. This will lead to applications in industrial fields such as rolling mills, mine hoists, and electric locomotive traction systems, as well as high-end military fields, further broadening the application areas of high-voltage variable frequency speed regulation technology.
