AbstractPulsating heat pipes (PHP) can be an effcient solution to heat transfer problems in many applications. However, mathematical modelling of a PHP system still has many challenging issues due to the complexity and multiphysics nature of the system. In this paper, we use a simplified mathematical model which can still capture most of the known physics of the two-phase heat transfer system. With appropriate approximations, we can analyze the short-time behaviour of the model and make predictions concerning the startup characteristics. We also solve the full mathematical model using finite difference methods and compare the results with available experimental data. Comparison and simulations show that this model can produce many important features of a real system. Potential improvements and further research topics are also discussed.