Transient analysis of Ghana Research Reactor-1 using PARET/ANL thermal–hydraulic code

PARET/ANL (Version 7.3 of 2007) thermal–hydraulic code was used to perform transient analysis of the Ghana Research Reactor-1. The reactivities inserted were 2.1 mk, 4 mk and 6.71 mk. The results obtained are similar to experiment and theoretical studies performed to demonstrate that the reactor is safe to operate. The PARET/ANL (Version 7.3 of 2007) could not simulate the reactivities above 5 mk insertions which were successfully performed in earlier theoretical and experimental studies. This may be attributed to different fluid flow and heat transfer regimes within the flow channels of the reactor that were considered by the codes.