Convective boiling in transparent single microchannels with similar hydraulic diameters but different shaped cross-sections was visualized, along with simultaneous measurement of the local heat transfer coefficient. Two types of microchannels were tested: a circular Pyrex glass microtube (210 mu m inner diameter) and a square Pyrex glass microchannel (214 mu m hydraulic diameter). A 100-nm-thick semi-transparent ITO/Ag thin film sputtered on the outer wall of the microchannel was used for direct joule heating of the microchannel. The flow field visualization showed semi-periodic variation in the flow patterns in both the square and circular microchannels. Such variation was because the confined space limited the bubble growth in the radial direction. In the square microchannel, both the number of nucleation bubbles and the local heat transfer coefficient increased with decreasing vapor quality. The corners acted as active nucleation cavities, leading to the higher local heat transfer coefficient. In contrast, lack of cavities in the smooth glass circular microchannel yielded a relatively smaller heat transfer coefficient at lower vapor quality. Finally, the heat transfer coefficient was higher for the square microchannel because corners in the square microchannel acted as effective active nucleation sites. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.