diff --git a/.github/pull_request_template.md b/.github/pull_request_template.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2c2b0e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/pull_request_template.md
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+<!-- Please provide a general summary of your changes in the title above. -->
+
+## Description of proposed changes
+<!-- Describe your changes in detail. -->
+
+## Types of changes
+<!-- What types of changes does your code introduce? Put an `x` in all the boxes that apply. -->
+<!-- Please try to limit your pull request to one type, submit multiple pull requests if needed. -->
+- [ ] Bugfix
+- [ ] Feature
+- [ ] Refactoring (no functional changes, no api changes)
+- [ ] Build related changes
+- [ ] Documentation updates
+- [ ] Other (please describe): 
+
+## Checklist
+<!-- Go over all the following points, and put an `x` in all the boxes that apply. -->
+- [ ] Code compiles correctly (mandatory for bugfixes / features / refactoring / build process)
+- [ ] Tests for the changes have been added / updated (mandatory for bugfixes / features)
+- [ ] Documentation has been added / updated (mandatory for bugfixes / features)
+
+## Further comments
+<!-- If this is a relatively large or complex change, kick off the discussion by explaining
+why you chose the solution you did and what alternatives you considered, etc... -->
diff --git a/applications/solvers/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/cfdemSolverRhoPimple.C b/applications/solvers/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/cfdemSolverRhoPimple.C
index 45db4b84..19ad293f 100644
--- a/applications/solvers/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/cfdemSolverRhoPimple.C
+++ b/applications/solvers/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/cfdemSolverRhoPimple.C
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
     Info<< "\nStarting time loop\n" << endl;
+    bool firstStep = true;
 
     while (runTime.run())
     {
@@ -135,6 +136,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
             if (pimple.firstIter())
             {
                 #include "rhoEqn.H"
+                if (firstStep)
+                {
+                    rhoeps.oldTime() = rho.oldTime()*voidfraction.oldTime();
+                    firstStep = false;
+                }
                 rhoeps = rho*voidfraction;
             }
 #endif
diff --git a/etc/bashrc b/etc/bashrc
index 1a19a12d..ceb6c91a 100755
--- a/etc/bashrc
+++ b/etc/bashrc
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 export CFDEM_PROJECT=CFDEM
-export CFDEM_VERSION=21.03
+export CFDEM_VERSION=21.11
 
 ################################################################################
 # USER EDITABLE PART: Changes made here may be lost with the next upgrade
diff --git a/etc/cshrc b/etc/cshrc
index 2bbf265a..cb691cfd 100755
--- a/etc/cshrc
+++ b/etc/cshrc
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 setenv CFDEM_PROJECT CFDEM
-setenv CFDEM_VERSION 21.03
+setenv CFDEM_VERSION 21.11
 
 ################################################################################
 # USER EDITABLE PART: Changes made here may be lost with the next upgrade
diff --git a/src/lagrangian/cfdemParticle/cfdTools/versionInfo.H b/src/lagrangian/cfdemParticle/cfdTools/versionInfo.H
index 179e86a9..531daf3f 100755
--- a/src/lagrangian/cfdemParticle/cfdTools/versionInfo.H
+++ b/src/lagrangian/cfdemParticle/cfdTools/versionInfo.H
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ Description
 #ifndef versionInfo_H
 #define versionInfo_H
 
-word CFDEMversion="PFM 21.03";
-word compatibleLIGGGHTSversion="PFM 21.03";
+word CFDEMversion="PFM 21.11";
+word compatibleLIGGGHTSversion="PFM 21.11";
 word OFversion="6";
 
 Info << "\nCFDEMcoupling version: " << CFDEMversion <<  endl;
diff --git a/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/CFD/system/controlDict b/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/CFD/system/controlDict
index 705df9fa..05ee32b2 100644
--- a/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/CFD/system/controlDict
+++ b/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/CFD/system/controlDict
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ functions
             (0.0210  0.00225 0)
             (0.0250 -0.00275 0)
             (0.0250  0.00275 0)
-       );
+        );
 
         // Fields to be probed
         fields (p U T rho);
diff --git a/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/DEM/in.liggghts_run b/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/DEM/in.liggghts_run
index 65be938b..05c99d38 100644
--- a/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/DEM/in.liggghts_run
+++ b/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/DEM/in.liggghts_run
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@
 # copyright: 2021- JKU Linz                                                    #
 ################################################################################
 
+log             ../DEM/log.liggghts
+thermo_log      ../DEM/post/thermo.txt
+
 # define the attributes associated with the particles,
 # 'granular' (or 'sphere') style uses diameter, mass and angular velocity
 atom_style      granular
diff --git a/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/DEM/post/.gitignore b/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/DEM/post/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/prerun.sh b/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/prerun.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..360e0c23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/prerun.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+pushd CFD
+
+transformPoints -scale "(0.001 0.001 0.001)"
+checkMesh
+#- make the linear system more diagonal dominant to speed-up the linear solvers
+renumberMesh -overwrite -noFunctionObjects
+
+popd
+
diff --git a/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/run.config b/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/run.config
index 4f43baad..754adee7 100644
--- a/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/run.config
+++ b/tutorials/cfdemSolverRhoPimple/VortexShedding/run.config
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
       "name" : "cfdemrun",
       "solver" : "cfdemSolverRhoPimple",
       "type" : "CFDEMcoupling/mpi",
-      "nprocs" : 4
+      "nprocs" : 4,
+      "pre_scripts" : ["prerun.sh"]
     }
   ]
 }