Aerosol-generating systems and methods for guiding an airflow inside an electrically heated aerosol-generating system

An aerosol-generating system comprising:

• a cartridge including a liquid storage portion comprising a container for holding a liquid aerosol-generating substrate and defining an opening;
• a heater assembly, wherein the heater assembly comprises at least one electrically operated heating element, and wherein the heating element extends across the opening along a transverse plane of a central axis of the opening;
• a capillary material in contact with the heating element configured for conveying the aerosol forming substrate to the heating element;
• a first channel located in the cartridge and defining a first flow route, wherein a centrally arranged portion of the first channel is arranged with respect to the transverse plane such that the at least the centrally arranged portion of the first channel directs air originating from outside the system to impinge against and across a surface portion of the at least one heating element, wherein the centrally arranged portion of the first channel and the liquid storage portion are located on opposite sides of the heating element;
• wherein the air is brought by the first flow route into orthogonal impingement against a geometric center of a surface of the heating element;
• wherein the system comprises a main unit and the cartridge that is removably coupled to the main unit, wherein the liquid storage portion and heater assembly are provided in the cartridge and the main unit comprises a power supply;
• and
• wherein the cartridge further defines at least one inlet for drawing ambient air from outside the system and at least a first portion of the first channel corresponding to a flow path relative to the heater assembly.