Physical properties of pea (Pisum sativum) seed

The physical properties of pea seed were evaluated as a function of moisture content. The average length, width and thickness were 7.80, 6.41 and 5.55 mm, respectively, at a moisture content of 10.06% dry basis (d.b.). In the moisture range from 10.06% to 35.08% d.b., studies on rewetted pea seed showed that the thousand seed mass increased from 177.7 to 214.1 g, the projected area from 30.84 to 44.08 mm2, the sphericity from 0.836 to 0.851, the porosity from 38.64% to 40.32% and the terminal velocity from 9.0 to 9.4 m/s. The static coefficient of friction of pea seed increased the linearly against surfaces of four structural materials, namely, rubber (0.388–0.413), aluminium (0.292–0.351), stainless steel (0.270–0.311) and galvanised iron (0.360–0.409) as the moisture content increased from 10.06% to 35.08% d.b. The bulk density decreased from 712.1 to 647.5 kg/m3 and the true density from 1160.5 to 1085.0 kg/m3 respectively, with an increase in moisture content from 10.06% to 35.08% d.b.