The　addition　of　small　amounts　of　surfactant　to　water　can　enhance　boiling　heat　transfer　substantially.　In　this　experiment,　2-ethylhexanol　is　used　as　the　surfactant,　and　the　critical　micelle　concentration　(CMC)　of　the　2-ethylhexanol　aqueous　solution　is　determined　to　be　1000　mg/L.　The　boiling　heat　transfer　coefficients　of　the　solutions　in　different　concentrations　on　a　horizontal　copper　rod　surface　at　subatmospheric　pressures　(1.8　kPa　to　3.3　kPa)　are　calculated　according　to　the　experiment　results.　The　results　indicate　the　following:　when　the　concentration　is　500　mg/L　(lower　than　the　CMC),　the　boiling　heat　transfer　can　be　enhanced　by　up　to　22%;　when　the　concentration　is　1000　mg/L　(equal　to　the　CMC),　enhancement　is　up　to　about　60%;　when　the　concentration　is　2000　mg/L　(two　times　the　CMC),　boiling　heat　transfer　is　diminished　by　about　60%.　To　a　certain　extent,　this　experiment　will　guide　the　enhancement　of　evaporator　heat　transfer　in　water　vapor　compression　refrigeration　and　heat　pump　systems.　©　2016　Wiley　Periodicals,　Inc.