The process of rotating stall developing in a single-stage axial-flow compressor was investigated experimentally.By means of eight dynamic pressure transducers equally located circumferentially in the inlet section of the compressor

the dynamic pressure signals of the rotating stall developing process were measured.The data have been analyzed with the SFC (Spatial Fourier Coefficient) method and the variation of the circumferential phase of initial disturbance signals with time have been obtained.So

it was found that there are two initial disturbance forms of rotating stall

rotating waves and small stall cells.In order to study the factors influencing the initial disturbance forms

the compressor was tested under 55 conditions combining four types of compressor configuration

two solidities of rotor

three rotation speeds

different IGV outlet angles .According to the experimental results

the initial disturbance form of single-stage compressor without IGV was rotating waves.For the isolated rotor without IGV

the forms were rotating waves at high rotor speeds

and small stall cells at low rotor speed.For the compressor with IGV

negative prewhirl angles of IGV enhanced the rotating waves

and increased the pretelling time of stall.Decreasing the solidity of rotor almost did not affect the form of stall initial disturbance.