Analytical model for heat pipes

Analytical model for conventional sinter and mesh wick heat pipes

THERA

THERA (Tool for Heatpipe Evaluation, Research and Analysis) is a MATLAB based universal analytical model for conventional heat pipes aimed at enabling rapid feature optimisation and parametric analysis. THERA is designed to:

• Be an easy, intuitive and versatile heat pipe modelling tool for sinter and mesh wick heat pipes.
• Compare up to 10 fluids at a time using its extensive inbuilt fluid property database (with up to 500 fluid options).
• Use inbuilt optimisation tools to determine your heat pipe structure.

Instructions

1. Select the principal fluid, metal and wick type.
2. Input the desired heat pipe dimensions in each property section.
3. Enter up to 9 other fluids in the 'compare fluids' section.
4. Select your desired outputs.

Run the model to view several heat pipe performance properties mapped over the entire working range of each fluid.

For any queries, suggestions or bug reports, please contact [e-mail].

Citing this software

If THERA has been useful for you, please consider citing this repository and/or any of the following related works:

T.C. Werner (2025). Tool for Heat Pipe Evaluation, Research and Analysis (THERA). https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/160511, MATLAB Central File Exchange.

T.C. Werner. (2021) Investigation of novel analytical tools and experimental methods for the development of intermediate temperature heat pipes. EngD thesis, University of Nottingham, https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/67012/.

T.C. Werner, et al. (2024) Medium temperature heat pipes – Applications, challenges and future direction, Applied Thermal Engineering, Volume 236, Part A, 2024, 121371, ISSN 1359-4311, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2023.121371.

T.C. Werner, V. Pickert, Y. Yan, Analytical model and comparative fluid analysis tool for screen and sinter wick heat pipes, in: UK Heat Transfer Conference 2024, Elsevier Ltd, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsep.2020.100564.