Air core solenoids, possibly single layer and with significant spacing between turns, are often used to ensure low stray capacitance, as they are used as part of many sensors and instruments. The problem of the correct estimation of the stray capacitance is relevant both during design and to validate measurement results; the expected value is so low to be influenced by any stray capacitance of the external measurement instrument. A simplified method is proposed that does not perturb the stray capacitance of the solenoid under test; the method is based on resonance with an external capacitor and on the use of a linear regression technique.

Electrified railways are an example of AC single phase distribution networks. A non-negligible amount of active and nonactive power may be related to harmonics, especially for distorted highly-loaded systems. The paper considers the relevance of the harmonic power terms in order to identify distortion sources in a single-point perspective, in line with the approach of EN 50463 for the quantification of the power and energy consumption. Some single-point Harmonic Producer Indicators (HPI) based on harmonic active power direction and nonactive distortion power terms are reviewed and evaluated using pantograph voltage and current measured during several hours of runs in two European AC railways (operated at 16.7 and 50 Hz). The HPI based on active power shows to be consistent and provides detailed information of rolling stock characteristic components under variable operating conditions; those based on nonactive distortion power are global indexes and hardly can operate with complex harmonic patterns in variable operating conditions.

The problem of a closed-form accurate determination of self and mutual capacitance of conductors in air and earth is considered: the application is the complete modeling of a railway line including buried conductors. The Generalized Potential Method (GPM) is presented and analyzed with regard to conditions of validity and solution methods. The accuracy of the GPM is evaluated solving some reference cases using the Complex Image Method and a commercial Finite Element Method simulator, comparing the model results with experimental data, and including the sensitivity on soil conductivity and permittivity, distance of conductors from the air–earth interface and frequency.