摘要 |
The present application relates to apparatus for generating steam. It comprises a water inlet (19), a evaporation surface (24),and a heater (26) disposed adjacent to the evaporation surface (24) to heat the evaporation surface (24) to a predetermined temperature such that water fed onto the evaporation surface (24) via the water inlet (19) forms a film on the evaporation surface (24) and is evaporated. The apparatus is configured so that water is fed to one or more regions of the evaporation surface (24),and the temperature of the water fed onto the evaporation surface (24) is lower than the predetermined temperature, so that scale on the or each region of the evaporation surface (24) to which water is fed cools at a different rate at which water on a remainder of the evaporation surface (24) cools. This causes scale on the evaporation surface (24) to break apart and be dislodged from the evaporation surface (24). |