Closure correlations describing bubble nucleation and departure on the heating surface is indispensable when modeling subcooled boiling flow using a two-fluid model. Due to the small contact angle and surface tension, nucleation and departure of nitrogen vapor bubble has different characteristics to those of high-boiling liquids. For the purpose of accurate two-fluid model formulation, these factors have to be taken into consideration. In this study, some closure correlations of the bubble departure diameter, active site density and bubble waiting time were tested in the frame of the two-fluid model and the CFX code. Benchmark experiments were then performed to evaluate the correlations. Comparison of the numerical results against the experimental data demonstrates that the surface tension is crucial to modeling the bubble departure diameter and the active site density. The bubble waiting time correlation formulated according to bubble growth is expected to be used as a criterion of judging the transition from subcooled to saturated boiling. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.