Mathematical modeling of pulsating heat pipes through ‘first’ principles is a contemporary problem which remains quite elusive. Simplifications and assumptions made in all the modeling approaches developed so far render them unsuitable for engineering design. In this paper, a more realistic modeling scheme is presented which provides considerable try for thought toward the next progressive step. At high enough heat flux level, closed loop pulsating heat pipes experience a bulk internal unidirectional fluid circulation. Under such a condition, conventional two-phase flow modeling in capillary tubes may be applied. This has been attempted for single-loop PHPs. A homogeneous model and a separated two-fluid flow model based on simultaneous conservation of mass, momentum and energy, have been developed for an equivalent ‘open flow’ system. The model allows prediction of two-phase flow parameters in each sub-section of the device thereby providing important insights into its operation. The concept of ‘void fraction constraint’ in pulsating heat pipe operation is introduced and its relevance to future modeling attempts is outlined.
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