Selected physico-mechanical properties of lentil seed

This study was conducted to investigate the physico-mechanical properties of lentil seed. The average diameter, thickness, thousand-grain mass, angle of repose and porosity of lentil seed increased by about 10, 8, 17, 10 and 6%, but both true and bulk density decreased by about 10 and 13%, respectively, with increase of moisture content from 8 to 20% w.b. Coefficient of static friction increased against surfaces of glass (by 31%), galvanized steel (by 33%), and plywood (by 17%) as the moisture content increased. Deformation, rupture energy and rupture force of lentil seed decreased with increasing moisture content. Compressive tests were conducted at loading rates of 1, 3, 6 and 10 mm min(-1) at a moisture content of 8%. Results indicate that force required to crack the seed increased from 159.6 to 182.32 N as the loading rates increased from 1 to 10 mm min(-1), respectively. With this increase in loading rate, seed deformation showed a negative trend as it decreased from 0.61 to 0.18 mm.