This paper presents a theoretical and experimental analysis of the influence of particle size and sphericity on the pickup velocity in horizontal pneumatic conveying. An analytical model was developed to predict the pickup velocity based on force and moment balances taking particle size and sphericity into account. In this work it was demonstrated analytically that the pickup velocity of a particle increases when particle sphericity decreases. An experimental apparatus was developed in order to verify the influence of the diameter particle and pipeline on pickup velocity, and to validate the proposed analytical model. The obtained equations to the pickup velocity prediction cover a particle diameter range of 20-4000 mu M, densities range 1000-5000 kg/m(3) and pipeline diameter ranging from 25 to 150 mm in the prediction of the minimum gas velocity required to pickup particles. These results agree with the experimental data available from the literature. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.