The effect of moisture content on the packing and flow properties of lignite powders was experimentally investigated using an FT4 Powder Rheometer and a PT-X powder tester to gain flow parameters like angle of repose, packing density, Hausner ratio, and shear test profiles. Flow criteria showed that flowability decreased with increasing moisture content. The flowability and packing properties were different both above and below the critical moisture content. To explain this phenomenon, a model was proposed to relate the inter-particle force at the microscale from shear test data to the packing properties at the macroscale. The model was further modified to predict effects of moisture content on flowability and packing properties. The term rho(p)d(3)g phi(2)epsilon was defined to describe the influence of water addition. (C) 2017 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.