The fundamental characteristics of the two-dimensional cavitating flow of liquid helium in a vertical pipe near the lambda point are numerically investigated to realize the further development and high performance of new cryogenic superfluid cooling systems. It is found that the phase transition of the normal fluid to the superfluid and the generation of superfluid counterflow against normal fluid flow based on the thermomechanical effect is conspicuous in the large gas phase volume fraction region where the liquid to gas phase change with cavitation actively occurs. Furthermore, it is clarified that the mechanism of the He I to He II phase transition caused by the temperature decrease is due to the deprivation of latent heat for vaporization from the liquid phase. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.