A new mechanism model for determination of the critical heat flux (CHF) in subcooled impingement boiling on the stagnation zone is proposed in this paper. It is based on the combination of the Helmholtz instability theory of macrolayer and the model of bubble induced turbulent heat transfer in subcooled impingement boiling. A semi-theoretical and semi-empirical correlation and its nondimensional form of the CHF for subcooled jet impingement boiling on the stagnation zone are also derived. Under the circumstances of CHF, the bubble induced turbulent heat transfer coefficient gets doubled as compared to the single-phase laminar heat transfer coefficient according to the theoretical model and the experimental data. And this kind of bubble induced turbulent heat transfer enhancing effect can be considered as a fixed ratio. The theoretical analysis result for the present case is successfully verified by the experimental result obtained on the smooth heating surface. Through the discussions, it is obtained that the CHF ratio of the subcooled jet impingement boiling against the saturated jet impingement boiling is theoretically related to the surface condition of the heater and the properties and impact velocity of the working fluid. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.