Category Archives: Latest News

On April 29, 2026, PFR Engineering released REFORM-3PC v8.0.6. The new version includes a number of enhancements, upgrades and new features. Following are some highlights:

1. Improved the GUI “tree” and “dialog” formatting so that required input items are better identified.
2. In the default Output Spreadsheets, made the ‘Warnings’ tab the default, so that users can better identify possible model issues.
3. Made Notepad the default full-output app, since Wordpad is no longer available after Windows 10.
4. Allow zero and negative values for select input items where appropriate.

If you would like additional information about REFORM-3PC v8.0.6 or any of the other PFR Engineering software products, please email us at query@pfrengineering.com.

On May 22, 2025, PFR Engineering released FRNC-5PC v9.6.2. The new version includes a number of enhancements, upgrades and new features. Following are some highlights:

1. Added Stack Options to specify different Damper Adjustment modes and Bridgewall Draft values.
2. Added 1-sided Distributor and Collector options to the Optional ‘Manifold’ fitting.
3. Added Total Heat Loss and Stack actual flue gas Velocity to the output.
4. Reorganized the GUI Tree’s main category items so the lesser-used ‘Optional’ inputs are listed last.

If you would like additional information about FRNC-5PC v9.6.2 or any of the other PFR Engineering software products, please email us at query@pfrengineering.com.

On April 2, 2024, PFR Engineering released FRNC-5PC v9.6.1. The new version includes a number of enhancements, upgrades and new features. Following are some highlights:

1. Added fitting options to the Coil fitting drop-down list.
2. Enhanced user’s ability to navigate Tree, QuickEdit, and Schematic views.
3. Improved overall Pressure Drop profile when Manifold fitting(s) are present.
4. In Optional ‘Fittings’, allow negative pressure drops. This could be used to simulate Process pumps in the flow path, or Gravity head that is not included in the Coils.

If you would like additional information about FRNC-5PC v9.6.1 or any of the other PFR Engineering software products, please email us at query@pfrengineering.com.

On December 13, 2023, PFR Engineering released REFORM-3PC v8.0.5. The new version includes a number of enhancements, upgrades and new features. Following are some highlights:

1. For non-Raschig Ring catalysts, added optional Catalyst Volume and Surface Area inputs.
2. Added new visibility-enhancing features so users know what “Tree” item and Dialog tab has been selected.
3. Added more “hot keys” for enhanced usability.

If you would like additional information about REFORM-3PC v8.0.5 or any of the other PFR Engineering software products, please email us at query@pfrengineering.com.

On March 25, 2023, PFR Engineering released FRNC-5PC v9.6.0. Version 9.6.0 includes a number of enhancements, upgrades and new features. Following are some highlights:

1. Added option to choose ‘Convection-only case’ modeling option (to minimize required inputs for that case).
2. For Convection coils, automatically calculate upstream flue gas ‘zone’ radiation using ‘Distance Upstream’.
3. Improve the calculations of Firebox ‘Mean Beam Length’ and ‘Radiating-to-Bridgewall DeltaT’ for non-simple cases.
4. Added the option to input % Liquid Static (Gravity) head loss for ALL cases (including ‘0’ for no Static head loss).
5. Added new visibility-enhancing features so user knows what input item has been selected.

If you would like additional information about FRNC-5PC v9.6.0 or any of the other PFR Engineering software products, please email us at query@pfrengineering.com.

On March 17, 2022, PFR Engineering released FRNC-5PC v9.5.1. Version 9.5.1 includes a number of enhancements, upgrades and new features. Following are some highlights:

1. Added options to run ‘Process Composition-only’ and ‘Transfer line-only’ cases, without needing to input unrelated items such as Firebox, Firing, etc. as in the past.
2. Added a 2-Phase Critical Velocity calculation option using Gas-Phase properties with a multiplier.
3. Added a Combustion-air flow rate input to the Air Preheater module, mostly for use with the automatic FRNC-5/REFORM-3 link feature in REFORM-3.

If you would like additional information about FRNC-5PC v9.5.1 or any of the other PFR Engineering software products, please email us at query@pfrengineering.com.

On July 6, 2021, PFR Engineering released REFORM-3PC v8.0.3. Following are some of the improvements made to REFORM-3PC:

1. Added the ability to change the units (‘US/English’ or ‘International’) of an entire model.
2. Expanded the radiation calculation correlation range of tube Pitch/Diameter ratios to include values greater than 4.0, and improved the circumferential temperature calculation for single-fired tubes (Box and Circumferential-cylindrical fireboxes). Also improved the calculation of ‘Alpha’ for double-row tubes when Pitch/Diameter ratio is greater than 8.0.
3. For multiple-fuel cases, allowed one of the fuels to contain no combustible components. This can be useful for modeling ‘tramp’ air leakage.
4. Fixed a bug in the calculation of Flue Gas flow rate when there is O2 in the fuel.

If you would like additional information about REFORM-3PC v8.0.3 or any of the other PFR Engineering software products, please email us at query@pfrengineering.com

On March 18, 2021, PFR Engineering released FRNC-5PC v9.5. Version 9.5 includes a number of enhancements, upgrades and new features. Following are some highlights:

1. Added option to run a ‘Combustion-only” case, without needing to input unrelated items such as Firebox, Coils and Process data as in the past.
2. Improved the ‘Inject H2O’ input dialog to help users specify the correct Steam Injection ENTHALPY. Before, it was confusing about how to specify the correct Enthalpy.
3. Added utility to convert an entire input file from ‘US/English’ to ‘International’ units, and vice-versa.
4. Added Therminol VP-1 (R) two-phase fluid to the built-in Property Grid library.

If you would like additional information about FRNC-5PC v9.5 or any of the other PFR Engineering software products, please email us at query@pfrengineering.com.

On February 27, 2020, PFR Engineering released FRNC-5PC v9.4.1. Version 9.4.1 includes a number of enhancements, upgrades and new features. Following are some highlights:

1. Added option to specify Tube Design Stress parameters, to be used in the Tube Wall Thickness calculations.
2. Added utility to display Process Stream properties at a specified Pressure and Temperature.
3. Added utility to display Steam/Water properties at specified conditions.
4. Added option to disable automatic Stack-damper adjustment (to avoid positive Bridgewall draft).
5. Added additional built-in Thermal Fluid properties (for Dowtherm and Exeltherm fluids).
6. Added ability to specify “0” Process stream flow rates. There will be no process-side heat transfer or pressure drop calculations, but any Coils’ tubes will be included in the Flue Gas draft calculations.

If you would like additional information about FRNC-5PC v9.4.1 or any of the other PFR Engineering software products, please email us at query@pfrengineering.com.