Ageing Management Activities at the Ghana Research Reactor-1 Facility

The Ghana Research Reactor-1 (GHARR-1) is a Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR) designed as a tank in a pool reactor. The reactor in the erstwhile (1994-2017) used HEU core, 90.2% enriched fuel for the core assembly with a nominal power of 30 kW, corresponding to neutron flux of 1.0 x 1012 ncm-2s-1. After a successful feasibility study had been carried out under the auspices of US DoE and IAEA as well as other stakeholders like CIAE of China, SOSNY of Russia, UJV and SKODA of Czech Republic and all MNSR operating Countries, the GHARR-1 was converted to a Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) core (13.0 % U-235) in July 2017. The nominal power of the LEU is 34 kW, corresponding to a neutron flux of 1.0 x 1012 ncm-2s-1. The GHARR-1 received a new core but still operates in the old existing structures and auxiliary systems. The control systems circuit boards for the instrumentation and sample transfer system pipes were refurbished. For over two decades of continuous operation, the facility is undoubtedly ageing. This work presents ageing management activities carried out to keep the GHARR-1 HEU core operational until the core was changed to the LEU core. The instrumentation and control problems encountered since the LEU core became operational and how these problems were resolved to keep the LEU core operational including proactive and reactive maintenance programmes put in place to address instrumentation and control problems, obsolescence of components and the containment structures are also presented.