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Recent emissions standards have become more restrictive in terms of CO2 and NOx reduction. This has been translated into higher EGR rates at higher exhaust gas temperatures with lower coolant flow rates for much longer lifetimes. In consequence, thermal load for EGR coolers has been increasing and the interaction of boiling with thermal fatigue is now a critical issue during development. It is almost impossible to avoid localized boiling inside an EGR cooler and, in fact, it would not be strictly necessary when it is below the Critical Heat Flux (CHF). However when CHF is exceeded, film boiling occurs leading to the sudden drop of the heat transfer rate and metal temperature rise. In consequence, thermal stress increases even when film boiling is reached only in a small area inside the part. It is very difficult to accurately predict under which conditions CHF is reached and to establish the margins to avoid it.