An experimental study of the critical heat flux (CHF) using R-134a in uniformly heated vertical tube was performed and 182 CHF data points were obtained from the present work to investigate the CHF characteristics of R-134a. The investigated flow parameters in R-134a were: (1) outlet pressures of 13, 16.5, 23.9 bar, (2) mass fluxes of 285-1300 kg/ m2 s, (3) subcooling temperatures of 5-40C. The CHF tests were performed in a 17.04 mm I.D. test section with heated length of 3 m. The parametric trends of CHF show a general agreement with previous understanding in the water. To assess the suitability of the CHF test using R-134a for modeling the CHF in water, Bowring correlation and Katto correlation were used in the present investigation. It was found that the present test results coincided well with the data predicted with both correlations. It demonstrates that the R-134a can be used as the CHF modeling fluid of water for the investigated flow conditions and geometric condition. 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.