As critical safety accessories, safety valves are widely used in steam boilers, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank trucks or railway tank cars, oil wells, high-pressure bypasses in steam power generation equipment, pressure pipelines, and pressure vessels. High-temperature and high-pressure safety valves have important applications in oil refining units and natural gas processing in the petrochemical industry, boiler and steam systems in the power industry, as well as in metallurgy and shipbuilding. Furthermore, explosion-proof safety valves are also used in the new energy vehicle sector, such as in the battery covers of electric vehicles.
According to statistics, in 2024, China's safety valve production was approximately 94,000 tons, market demand was approximately 86,000 tons, and the industry market size was approximately 7.918 billion yuan. In terms of imports and exports, in 2024, imports were approximately 6,000 tons, and exports were approximately 14,100 tons, showing a trade surplus.
With the advancement of industrial automation and intelligence, the market demand for new technologies such as intelligent pressure safety valves, remote monitoring, and automatic alarm functions is constantly increasing. With the strengthening of environmental protection policies and the adjustment of the energy structure, the market demand for energy-saving and environmentally friendly safety valves is also continuously increasing. The industry is developing towards intelligentization, energy conservation, and environmental protection, and is showing broad market potential in emerging fields such as new energy.
In April 2026, Harbin Electric Machinery Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Harbin Electric Corporation, successfully developed the world's largest hydroelectric pressure relief valve (nominal diameter 3.5 meters), which will be used in the fifth phase expansion project of the Tabera Hydropower Station in Pakistan. The product passed the design, manufacturing, and assembly tests under extreme high-head conditions on the first attempt, demonstrating China's design and manufacturing capabilities in the field of high-end safety valves.
