REFPROP 10 (Reference Fluid Thermodynamic and Transport Properties) is the gold standard for researchers and engineers needing high-accuracy thermophysical property data for fluids. Version 10, released by NIST, introduced significant improvements over previous versions, including new equations of state and expanded fluid mixtures. Because it is a highly specialized, proprietary software developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, it is not available as a free download.
This write-up summarizes what REFPROP is, the legal and practical considerations around obtaining it, why searching for a “free download” (especially for a specific year like 2021) is problematic, and recommended legitimate options.
: While REFPROP 10 was released in 2018, its official documentation and FAQ were significantly updated on March 29, 2021 . This update introduced better Excel examples, optimized Fortran code for speed, and expanded fluid data for refrigerants like R1123 and R1233zd(E). REFPROP | NIST
(Reference Fluid Thermodynamic and Transport Properties) is proprietary software developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) . It is not legally available as a free download, especially not for the 2021 version (REFPROP 10.0). NIST provides a free evaluation version with limited fluid packages, but full versions require a paid license.
CanteraCantera is an open-source suite of tools for problems involving chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, and transport processes. It is highly favored in combustion research and complex fluid systems. How to Legally Access REFPROP