Screw　machines,　mainly　including　single-screw　type　and　twin-screw　type,　have　gone　through　significant　development　and　improvement　during　the　past　decade.　This　paper　reviews　the　relevant　studies　available　in　the　open　literature　for　acquiring　insight　into　and　to　establish　the　state　of　the　art　of　the　research　and　application　status　of　screw　machines.　The　related　research　on　different　aspects,　which　would　affect　the　performance　and　reliability　of　screw　machines　includes　rotor　profile　and　geometric　characteristics,　thermodynamic　modelling,　vibration　and　noise,　lubrication　and　wear,　control　of　capacity　and　built-in　volume　ratio,　and　liquid　injection　technology.　In　the　aspect　of　thermodynamic　modelling,　the　available　methods,　i.e.,　empirical　or　semi-empirical　model,　lump　model,　and　3D　CFD　model,　adopted　for　the　performance　prediction　and　optimal　design　of　screw　machines　are　summarized.　Then,　the　review　covers　the　application　status　of　screw　machines　in　the　fields　of　air　compression　and　expansion,　refrigeration　and　heat　pump,　organic　Rankine　cycle　(ORC),　and　other　popular　applications,　with　an　emphasis　on　the　reported　performance　and　progress　in　technologies　of　screw　machines.　Finally,　conclusions　and　perspectives　for　future　research　in　the　area　of　screw　machines　are　presented.　The　review　provides　readers　with　a　good　understanding　of　the　research　focus　and　progress　in　the　field　of　screw　machines.