An aerosol-generating article may comprise a liquid storage portion containing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, and a hydrochromic material provided on the liquid storage portion. The hydrochromic material has a first colour when in the presence of or when in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate and a second colour when in the absence of or when not in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate. An aerosol-generating system may comprise the aerosol-generating article, an aerosol-generating element, and an aerosol-generating device. An aerosol-generating device may comprise an electrical power supply, an electronic photosensor, and a controller configured to control a supply of electrical power from the electrical power supply based on a value of an optical property sensed with the electronic photosensor.

An aerosol-generating article may comprise a liquid storage portion containing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, and a hydrochromic material provided on the liquid storage portion. The hydrochromic material has a first colour when in the presence of or when in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate and a second colour when in the absence of or when not in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate. An aerosol-generating system may comprise the aerosol-generating article, an aerosol-generating element, and an aerosol-generating device. An aerosol-generating device may comprise an electrical power supply, an electronic photosensor, and a controller configured to control a supply of electrical power from the electrical power supply based on a value of an optical property sensed with the electronic photosensor.

An aerosol-generating article may comprise a liquid storage portion containing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, and a hydrochromic material provided on the liquid storage portion. The hydrochromic material has a first colour when in the presence of or when in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate and a second colour when in the absence of or when not in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate. An aerosol-generating system may comprise the aerosol-generating article, an aerosol-generating element, and an aerosol-generating device. An aerosol-generating device may comprise an electrical power supply, an electronic photosensor, and a controller configured to control a supply of electrical power from the electrical power supply based on a value of an optical property sensed with the electronic photosensor.

A high-pressure instant steam generator is disclosed. The steam generator unit comprises a HP unit, a HP water-band heater, an evaporator, a super heater, and at least a spray gun attachment. The high-pressure unit comprises a main pump for supplying a liquid from a storage tank in case of independent unit. The HP water band heater connected to the HP unit via a needle valve and a first manifold. The evaporator connected to the band heater via a second manifold and a check-valve, configured to convert the liquid into steam at a saturation point. The super heater connected to the evaporator via a check-valve, configured to heat the generated steam to the saturated temperature. The high-pressure steam attachment or spray gun connected to the super heater via a fourth manifold, configured to spray the generated high-pressure steam for sanitizing the surface the surface of the object being treated.

A device for converting a liquid into vapor, having an evaporation surface, a liquid inlet, a heater for heating the evaporation surface, a flow controller, a control unit configured to control a liquid flow rate injected into the liquid inlet, a chamber containing the evaporation surface, and a temperature sensor arranged on the evaporation surface. The control unit is configured to control a heating power of the heater according to a flow rate and to a temperature measured by the temperature sensor according to a predetermined control law. The predetermined control law varies, for each flow rate, non-linearly and inversely proportionally to the difference between a reference temperature of the chamber and the measured temperature.

An aerosol-generating article may comprise a liquid storage portion containing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, and a hydrochromic material provided on the liquid storage portion. The hydrochromic material has a first colour when in the presence of or when in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate and a second colour when in the absence of or when not in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate. An aerosol-generating system may comprise the aerosol-generating article, an aerosol-generating element, and an aerosol-generating device. An aerosol-generating device may comprise an electrical power supply, an electronic photosensor, and a controller configured to control a supply of electrical power from the electrical power supply based on a value of an optical property sensed with the electronic photosensor.

An aerosol-generating article may comprise a liquid storage portion containing a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, and a hydrochromic material provided on the liquid storage portion. The hydrochromic material has a first colour when in the presence of or when in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate and a second colour when in the absence of or when not in contact with the liquid aerosol-forming substrate. An aerosol-generating system may comprise the aerosol-generating article, an aerosol-generating element, and an aerosol-generating device. An aerosol-generating device may comprise an electrical power supply, an electronic photosensor, and a controller configured to control a supply of electrical power from the electrical power supply based on a value of an optical property sensed with the electronic photosensor.

A steam supply system having a wet steam source and a steam separator disposed to separated wet steam into dry saturated steam and a saturated condensate. The dry saturated steam is heated in a superheater to produce superheated steam, while the saturated condensate is cooled in a subcooler to produced subcooled condensate with a target temperature selected to prevent immediate evaporation of the subcooled condensate when mixed with the superheated steam. The subcooled condensate is sprayed into a stream of superheated steam using spray nozzles and gradually evaporates downstream of the spray nozzles to produce process steam of a desired % quality. A cooling fluid passing through the subcooler is utilized to cool the saturated condensate. The flow rate of the cooling fluid through the subcooler can be utilized to achieve process steam of a desired % quality.

A high-pressure instant steam generator is disclosed. The steam generator unit comprises a HP unit, a HP water-band heater, an evaporator, a super heater, and at least a spray gun attachment. The high-pressure unit comprises a main pump for supplying a liquid from a storage tank in case of independent unit. The HP water band heater connected to the HP unit via a needle valve and a first manifold. The evaporator connected to the band heater via a second manifold and a check-valve, configured to convert the liquid into steam at a saturation point. The super heater connected to the evaporator via a check-valve, configured to heat the generated steam to the saturated temperature. The high-pressure steam attachment or spray gun connected to the super heater via a fourth manifold, configured to spray the generated high-pressure steam for sanitizing the surface the surface of the object being treated.

A flash steamer water control system for use in connection with the flash-steam cooking of food items comprises a heated platen, an electric power supply for supplying electrical power to the heated platen, a water discharge mechanism for discharging water onto the heated platen such that the water discharged onto the heated platen will be flashed into steam, and a control system operatively connected to the water discharge mechanism for controlling the water discharge mechanism so as to permit the water discharge mechanism to discharge water onto the heated platen only when the temperature level of the heated platen is at or above a predetermined temperature level so as to effectively guarantee that the water, discharged from the water discharge mechanism onto the heated platen, will be flashed into steam throughout a predeterminedly timed flash-steamed cooking cycle without overwhelming the heated platen and flooding the same.