Quantitative assessment with improved fast Fourier transform based method by signal mirroring

The comparison of calculated results to experimental measurements is very important for thermal-hydraulic code qualification. Recently, it was observed that the fast Fourier transform based method (FFTBM) favors certain trends when an edge (difference) is present in the signal between the first and the last data point of the investigated time signal. Namely, the discrete Fourier transform used for the code accuracy calculation views the time domain signal as an infinite periodic signal. The purpose of the present study was therefore to improve the FFTBM regarding the unphysical edge impact. This was achieved by signal mirroring. In the demonstration it was shown how the improved FFTBM by signal mirroring works. Besides two case studies also the code accuracy of the LOFT L2-5 test calculations performed in the frame of the Best-Estimate Methods Uncertainty and Sensitivity Evaluation (BEMUSE) program was assessed. The results show that the improved FFTBM by signal mirroring judges the accuracy in a consistent and unbiased way.