DE3401794A1 - ELECTRICITY BATTERY - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a power storage battery. In particular The invention relates to a power storage battery consisting of a plurality of secondary or rechargeable electrochemical elements suitable for use in a motor vehicle.

According to the invention, a power storage battery consists of a plurality of electrically interconnected electrochemical Secondary elements, which are arranged in a thermally insulating housing, which one or more Having heat transfer tubes which are at least partially arranged in the interior of the housing, wherein one or several of the heat transfer tubes with a catalytic converter for flameless catalytic combustion one

IQ hydrocarbon fuel is or are provided, each converter forming a heat source for supplying heat via the associated heat transfer tube or tubes into the interior of the housing A Each catalytic converter can be arranged on or in the housing and in one embodiment at least one heat transfer tube extends through the housing from the inside to the outside and the catalytic converter is arranged outside the housing. It is clear, however, that the catalytic converter is within the housing either

2g with the elements or * as described below in one separate compartment can be arranged in the housing, and the associated heat transfer tube is used for the promotion and distributing the heat from the converter to at least some of the elements.

Elements of the type in question require electrical vias through the thermally insulating housing of the battery to generate electrical current during heating of the Battery with the help of a heater in the housing

oc or to the battery connections while charging and do

Direct discharge.

According to a particular aspect of the invention is at least

one of the heat transfer tubes therefore with an electrical through-connection from the interior of the battery housing provided to the outside and the plated-through hole runs through the housing at the same point as the associated one Heat transfer tube. J The electrical through-hole plating can consist of electrically conductive material, which is an outer jacket around the heat transfer tube, for example a copper jacket for the heat transfer tube, forms. The electrical through-hole can be electrically conductive material such as copper have, which can be arranged in a longitudinal passage or in an outer groove in the heat transfer tube may, where it forms an electrical conductor away from the interior of the heat transfer tube, or the via can only be a conductor that extends along the • heat transfer tube through the housing.

The plated-through hole can be inside the housing with one of the connections of the battery or with an electrical one Be connected to heater for the battery.

Each catalytic converter can be used as a metal catalyst from the group comprising platinum and palladium containing _f and the catalyst can be added to -the pores of a porous ceramic substrate.

The batteries of the invention are typically used as power storage like batteries in electric vehicles and they consist of electrochemical high-temperature secondary elements. Such elements commonly use alkali metals such as sodium as the active Anode material, with liquid electrolytes containing molten metal halide salts, and they often use solid electrolytes such as ß-aluminum oxide.

In order for the elements to be reversibly charged and discharged, the anode material and the liquid electrolyte must be melted, including operating temperatures generally of 100 C or more and typically more

than 150 ° C are required. For example, if sodium aluminum chloride (NaAlCl.) Is used as the liquid electrolyte, the temperature should preferably be above about 150 ° C. For sodium-sulfur elements, the minimum temperature is the solidification temperature of the sodium polysulfide, which is about 275 ° C. In such cases, a safety margin of about 25 ° C. above the minimum or solidification temperature of the elanent components in question should preferably be provided. Furthermore, in the case of elements using β- alumina as the solid electrolyte, the internal resistance of the elements resulting from the G-alumina is reduced with an increase in temperature, and the typical operating temperature of such elements is in the range of about 300 ° C to 400 ° C.

The maximum operating temperature for the items in question is usually determined by the temperature characteristics of the various element components. Aluminum, which is often used for seals and current collectors in the elements in question, has a softening point in the Range of about 550 C and this range is used for practical purposes as the upper limit of the operating temperature considered for the elements in question, again with a safety range of about 25 ° C to 50 ° C is observed, which leads to an intended upper limit of about 500 ° C to 525 ° C.

When batteries of the type in question are charged or discharged, they can run through at their operating temperatures a heater caused by its internal resistance can be maintained together with the use of a suitable one thermal insulation, and if charging power is available from electrical lines, for example, it is not difficult to maintain such batteries at their operating temperature. If such batteries However, it can be used for the electric propulsion of motor vehicles, maintaining the operating temperature

especially for long periods of time without discharging the battery at low temperatures it can be difficult despite the use of effective thermal insulation of the battery. In these cases it is of particular advantage to use batteries according to the invention, the heat transfer tube c that have been assigned hydrocarbon fuel catalytic converters. One safe, flameless combustion of the fuel takes place in the catalytic converters and each associated heat transfer tube conducts heat into the interior of the battery in an extremely effective way through the thermally insulating Holder or the thermally insulating housing which acts to avoid any temperature fluctuations in the heat source balance.

Therefore, according to a particular embodiment of the Invention the elements be high-temperature elements with an operating temperature in the range from 100 ° to 500 ° C and each heat transfer tube has, as an active vaporizable material, a substance selected from the group containing sodium and potassium.

The operation of the catalytic converter can be continuous or intermittent in order to maintain the battery temperature and the size of the catalytic conversion or the combustion of the fuel can be controlled, mn the battery at its operating temperature or at a to maintain a suitable lower temperature at which the battery is operational, and it can quickly get to its Operating temperature. Obtained after initiating a discharge has been. Even if the battery was allowed to cool down completely to ambient temperature (although this is undesirable due to the stress on the solid parts of the battery due to solidification of the liquid parts), Both the heat transfer tube and the catalytic converter can be used to make them quickly and efficiently either to their minimum operating temperature or to their planned or intended operating temperature.

-δ-

During rapid charging or discharging of the batteries of the type in question, especially at high ambient temperatures excessive temperatures may be reached inside the battery. In these cases the Heat pipes are used as safety devices that reverse their operation to remove heat to lead the inside of the battery to the outside through the thermally insulating battery housing.

Although different heat transfer tubes or different Sets of heat transfer tubes can be used to heat the battery and to cool the battery Batteries can suitably use the same heat transfer tubes for both battery heating and cooling be used. Therefore, the active material of the heat transfer tubes, i.e. the material . which is evaporated and condensed in the heat transfer pipes, at a temperature above the planned one The operating temperature of the battery will evaporate, but below the temperature at which the parts of the battery will be damaged or can be overheated. In either case, the heat transfer tubes should be inoperable at the planned operating temperature of the battery or below, otherwise it will lead to considerable undesirable heat losses from the battery.

Batteries of the type in question, typically adopted over a temperature range of a minimum between 100 and 300 C to a maximum between assumed

500 ° and 550 ° C are operated, - are heat transfer pipes, who use potassium as an active material are most suitable. According to the invention therefore contain the heat transfer tubes preferably potassium as the active material in a corrosion-resistant or stainless steel pipe or Nickel tube, a porous or fibrous interwoven material also made of a similar steel or nickel can be arranged inside the tube. Such heat transfer tubes can be designed for operational

Temperatures of around 525 ° C to around 975 ° C and are ideal for emergency cooling of the batteries and also for the Heating of the batteries with the help of a catalytic converter for hydrocarbon fuels, which are in them Working temperature ranges. Similarly, heat transfer tubes with sodium as the active material can be made from a Nickel or stainless steel can be used for heating, but because their possible working temperature is in the range is from about 625 ° C to 1275 ° C, they are not entirely suitable for emergency cooling when their minimum operating temperature is above the maximum allowable working temperatures provided for these elements in question.

The cooling zone and the catalytic converter can be provided in separate compartments in the housing, which are separated from the compartment in the housing in which the elements are arranged. Of course, however, the Cooling zone, which can be part of the heat transfer tube, which is formed with cooling fins or the like. To for example to improve the air cooling, and the catalytic converter is arranged completely outside the housing be. But it is also possible in principle to have the cooling zone and the catalytic converter inside the housing with, for example, a cooling air line that goes into the housing to the cooling zone and back out of the housing.

mxt

running, and similar / a fuel line going into the housing into the catalytic converter / with a combustion exhaust line passing through the housing from the converter away to the outside, to be provided. In this case, the heat transfer pipe or the heat transfer pipes work, to distribute heat from the converter to the other parts of the interior of the housing and / or a To collect excess heat from the parts of the housing and to transport to the cooling zone.

High temperature batteries of the type in question typically show a temperature profile with the highest temperatures in the middle areas and the lowest temperatures

-ιο ί in the peripheral areas adjacent to the thermally insulating housing. Effective emergency cooling requires at least one heat transfer tube that runs through a central area in the battery and is optionally provided with cooling fins, pipe branches or the like, which in turn run through the peripheral areas of the battery, and such pipe branches, cooling fins or the like can also be effective during the Battery heaters act to transfer heat to the peripheral areas of the battery. However, several heat transfer tubes can be provided in its place, for example from the same catalytic hydrocarbon fuel converter or several such converters to different points in

the
the battery, / are arranged both centrally and peripherally in order to effect both heating, cooling or maintaining the temperature in the battery. Any heat transfer tube, even if inoperative and extending through the housing, results in inevitable heat loss from the elements during normal operation, and this disadvantage must be considered when selecting the number and location of heat transfer tubes used.

To prevent heat loss and improve performance To improve heat retention, the dimensions of the battery can be appropriately selected depending on the shape of the battery used, so that the external area relative to its volume becomes a minimum. Form the battery in turn influences the shape, the geometry and the arrangement of the heat transfer tube used or the heat transfer tubes used.

To determine the temperature at which heat is supplied to the battery with a more or less constant value, while changing the size of the heat input into the

to regulate

Battery takes place, / the heat transfer tubes can be gas-controlled or heat transfer tubes with changeable Be conductance (changeable conductance). Such heat

Transfer tubes are described in the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, John Wiley & Sons, 3rd Ed. Vol. 12, on pages 191 to 201, and in an article by G. YaIe Eastman, "Heat Pipe", in ECT, 1st Ed. Supply Vol., Pages 448 to 499. Such heat transfer tubes contain a suitable inert gas under pressure and during use of the heat transfer tube for the transfer of heat into the battery, the volume occupied by such a gas changes inversely the size of the heat transfer; the smaller the volume of the gas, the larger the area of the heat transfer tube inside the battery, which is available for heat transfer to the inside of the battery, and the like the resulting warming is greater.

An embodiment of the invention is based on the Drawing explained. Show it:

1 shows a section through a battery according to the invention and

2 shows a section through a heat transfer tube.

In Fig. 1, a battery according to the invention is general provided with the reference number 10. The battery has a bevy 12 of electrically interconnected electrochemicals Elements or cells. The flock or cluster of elements is with a passing through it Passage 14 is provided which usually extends upwardly as shown in the drawing.

The cluster 12 is circular or hexagonal in outline in plan view and the passage 14 is centrally located. The coulter 12 is in a thermally insulating holder or housing 16 of a suitable thermal insulating material arranged. The housing 16 has an upper compartment within its insulating wall above the passage 14 and a lower compartment 20 below the passage 14. A heat transfer tube 22 extends upwardly longitudinally from the lower compartment 20

of the passage 14 into the upper compartment 18. In the upper compartment 18 is the heat transfer tube 22 with a cooling zone 23 provided, which with a plurality of cooling fins

24 is provided. In the lower compartment 20 is the lower one

End of the heat transfer tube 22, which is a heating zone

25 of the heat transfer tube forms inside a catalytic converter 26 for the flameless catalytic Combustion of a fuel from a hydrocarbon arranged. The arrangement 12 is thus in a separate one Compartment, which is designated by 27, arranged separately from the compartments 18 and 20.

The compartment 18 has an inlet duct 28 for cooling air which is connected to a fan or blower (not shown) is, and an air outlet duct 30 on. An inlet pipe 32 for a hydrocarbon fuel leads into the converter 26, which in turn has an outlet line 34 for a combustion gas. An annular electrical heater 36 surrounds the accumulation 12 the elements and the heat transfer tube 22 has a plurality of circumferentially above and below the accumulation 12 equally spaced, radially extending pipe branches 38. The inside of the holder or case 16 including the compartments 20 and 27 and excluding the compartment 18 is with a suitable corpuscular or fibrous material filled, which can have thermally insulating properties and / or sorbent properties, to provide a safety factor, for example in a crash situation, when escaping from the elements Content from the battery accumulation 12 is sorbed. j

Appropriate electrical leads (not shown) extend from the battery terminals through compartment 20 and 14 externally from the holder or housing 16 via a passage 40 around the outlet 34. For example, one of the Conduits include heat transfer tube 22 connected to one of the battery terminals and suitable

Lines can also be provided for the electrical heating device 36, which pass through the passage 40 enter the holder or housing 16.

For example, the electrochemical elements of the battery cluster 12 may be of the type comprising anodes of molten sodium, liquid electrolytes of molten sodium-aluminum chloride, and solid electrolytes of Q -alumina. The elements themselves have suitable aluminum connections, gaskets, etc., and the heat transfer tube 22 has walls made of stainless steel and braided material and therein potassium as the active material. The battery 10 is intended for use as a drive for a motor vehicle.

In use, the battery 10 has a normal operating temperature in the range of 300 ° to 400 ° C, which during normal operation is maintained by heating, which is caused by the internal resistance of the elements in connection with the insulation of the battery. This operating temperature is also maintained by controlling the charge level while the battery is charging. In those cases where the vehicle is stationary at a charging station, the heater 36 can be used to maintain normal operating temperature of the battery or to maintain at least a minimum temperature of approximately 175 ° C, at which the battery can operate and the vehicle can move away while it is on itself heats up to its normal operating temperature. The heater 36 can also be used to power the battery to heat up if for some reason the temperature has dropped significantly and the liquid components become have solidified.

The heat transfer tube 22 is designed for example for a minimum operating temperature of 525 ° C, which safely below the maximum safe operating temperature

of the battery 10, which is assumed to be 550 ° C. If this temperature is reached, for example by charging or discharging too quickly and / or extremely high Ambient temperatures, the heat transfer tube 22 automatically starts operating to remove potassium in the pipe branches 38 and evaporate in the tube 22 inside the passage 14, with the potassium in the cooling zone 23 at the upper end of the heat transfer tube 22 is condensed in the compartment 18. At the same time, a thermocouple works at 42 is located at the hottest part of the flock 12, i.e.

at the top of the passage 14, when a temperature of 525 C is reached, the fan, the air over the Inlet 28 into compartment 18 directs to start. This causes condensation of the potassium in the cooling zone 23 of the heat transfer tube adjacent to the ribs 24 in the compartment 18 causes.

If for any reason the vehicle is stopped away from the charging station, the converter 26 used to heat the battery and / or to maintain the battery temperature. A thermocouple, that at 44 at the lowermost outer circumferential point of the coulter 12, which corresponds to the coolest point is activated to start a pump (not shown) to transfer an appropriate organic fuel To pump the inlet line 32 into the converter 26, which contains platinum, palladium or the like. Catalyst, if the temperature at 44 has dropped to a value assumed to be below 175 ° C.

The pump is oriented to stop supplying the hydrocarbon fuel to the converter, if the temperature at 44 presumably exceeds 200 ° C and likewise the fan is provided such that it stops the air supply to the compartment 18 when the temperature at 42 becomes below a temperature of 500 ° C drops. The catalytic converter can also be used for heating if for any reason

the temperature of the battery 10 has dropped significantly and its components or parts have solidified, although it is of course desirable, for reasons of stress on the various components, such consolidation to avoid.

Of course, depending on the specific components that are in the battery and its elements, in the heat transfer tube and used in the other parts of the construction, the exact temperature at which a Heating via the converter 26 begins and ends can be varied within limits, as can the starting and ending Stopping the fan during cooling by means of the heat transfer tube.

Although a simple heat transfer tube containing potassium as the active vaporizable material is shown in FIG is, and is suitable for both heating and cooling, several such heat transfer tubes can in its place be provided. Furthermore, separate heat transfer tubes can be used for the heating and the Cooling. Thus, a heat transfer tube containing potassium as an active material can be accessed from compartment 27 where it branches into the coulter 12, in particular at the hotter spots as at 42, lead into the compartment 18, in which this heat transfer tube has a cooling zone 23. Another heat transfer tube, for example Contains sodium as an active material, in this case can and can have its heating zone 25 in the compartment 20 branch into the flock or accumulation 12 of the elements, in particular at the cooler parts such as e.g. at 44.

In Fig. 2, a typical heat transfer tube is shown schematically and the same reference numerals are used for same parts used in Fig. 1; the heat transfer tube is indicated generally at 22 and the branch tubes 38 are omitted for simplicity of illustration.

The illustrated heat transfer tube 22 has a closed-ended tube 46 made of stainless or corrosion-resistant steel, which on the inner surface of the curved portion is lined with an interwoven material 48 made of a stainless steel. The material 48 is fibrous and / or porous and is inside with capillaries for the transport of molten active material such as sodium, potassium or the like. ' provided by capillary action. The outside of the curved Section of the tube 46 is provided with a housing or lining 50 made of copper. Electrical lines 52 and 54 are connected to opposite ends of the housing or shell 50; line 54 is with a Connection (not shown) of the array of elements 12 (Fig. 1) connected. The intertwined material contains the active one Material sorbs in its pores and there is a vacuum inside the heat transfer tube.

In operation, the heating zone 25 receives heat from the heat source (the converter 26 of Fig. 1) which is in the braided Material 48 melts sorbed active material and then evaporates. The vaporized active material moves along the inside of the tube in the direction of the arrows and is attached to the cooling zone 23, which acts as a heat sink acts, condenses. The condensing active material is in the braided material 48 in the cooling zone 23 sorbed and is in liquid form by capillary action along the interwoven material 48 back into the heating zone transported, in which it is evaporated again.

This results in a continuous process of evaporation in zone 25 and condensation in the zone 23, with the active material along the interior of the tube as vapor from zone 25 to zone 23 and back as Liquid in the braided material from zone 23 flows to zone 25. Heat is transported from zone 25 to zone 23 essentially as latent heat of vaporization.

at a
It is clear that / heat transfer tube 22, the tube adapter

has two measurements 38, as shown in FIG. 1 and during

- shown

the heater of the battery accumulation 12 / each branch pipe comprises braided material 48 (although not necessarily a copper coating). In addition, the essentially the entirety of the heat transfer tube 22 in the passage 14 and the entirety of each branch pipe 38 as a cooling zone, in which condensation follows.

The cooling zone 23 in the compartment 18 and the associated fan

then
are / not operational. Similarly, essentially all of the tube 22 in the passage 14 and the work during cooling. Pipe branches 38 as heating zones, the fan and the cooling zone 23 in operation and the converter 26 and the heating zone 25 not in operation.

An embodiment of the heat transfer tube 22 is shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, in which it into a so-called gas-controlled heat transfer tube or heat transfer tube with variable conductance (variable conductance) can be converted. The heat transfer tube 22 in this form has an extension or additional chamber 56 connected at its end and a cooling zone 23 via passage 58 having. The chamber 56 is made of stainless steel and is integral with the tube 46 of the tube 22.

The tube 22 and extension 56 in this embodiment contain a suitable inert gas that is inert compared to the other materials used and has a suitable pressure.

In operation, as described above, vaporized active material moves along the interior of the tube 22 from the Heating zone 25 to cooling zone 23. This moving steam pushes the inert gas along tube 22 for extension 56 down until the extension 56 is filled with the inert gas, which also has the passage 58 and a section of the tube 22 adjacent to the passage 58 fills. A sharp interface forms between the inert Gas and the steam out and the gas in the pipe 22 is prevented

an access of the steam to at least part of the wall of the tube 22 in the cooling zone. The cut surface is indicated at 60 in Fig. 2 and it can be seen that during during operation in the stable state of the pipe, only the area of the cooling zone 23 on the same side of the cut surface 40 such as the heating zone 25 is available for condensation of vaporized active material.

During operation, increasing heating in the heating zone, i.e. increased heat input into heating zone 25, becomes one lead to increased evaporation rate and to an increase in the pressure in the pipe 22. The increased pressure leads to that compressing inert gas in extension 26 and moving cutting surface 60 toward extension 56, whereby an enlarged area of the cooling zone 56 for the steam on the side of the cut surface 60 opposite the Extension 56 is exposed. The capacity of the cooling zone 23 is thereby increased. The type and pressure of the inert Gas in the heat transfer tube 22 'can be selected taking into account the type of active material and the temperature at which it is vaporized, together with the volume and linear dimensions of the tube and the extension 56, so that a slight increase in temperature, which results from an increased heat output in the heating zone 25 is connected to a substantial movement of the cutting surface 60 away from the heating zone and a substantial increase in the capacity of the cooling zone 23. Correspondingly, a decrease in the heating power moves in the zone 25 the cut surface 60 to the left and reduces the capacity of the cooling zone 23 again at one relatively small temperature change. The use of the inert gas and the extension 56 provide substantial benefits Possible variations in the capacity of the heat transfer tube 22 / in the duration of the heat transfer from the Zone 25 to zone 23 with relatively small and often negligible temperature changes at which heat is transferred, i.e. at which heat is absorbed in the cooling zone.

The use of a heat transfer tube to heat the battery with the aid of the catalytic converter has the advantage that the heat transfer tube any irregular Power from the converter smooths or directs and a power density on the cooling zone 23 provides, which is less than the power density at which heat is delivered by the converter. Using the catalytic converter has the advantage that no ignition system is required that the temperatures are simple what is to be controlled is that no flames are generated and that combustion occurs to an acceptable degree Degrees at acceptably low temperatures with low fuel / air ratios. The system is reliable and if the heat pipe is expected to be used only a few times a year, is the use of a suitable fuel from a hydrocarbon such as gasoline, butane or propane, would be economically acceptable since it is used in extremely small amounts, even when requested becomes that it is completely free of catalytic poisons, and it can be expensive. Are platinum or palladium typically provided in a porous ceramic substrate.

Although it has been described that the pipe branches 38 of the heat transfer tube in the form of radially extending spokes are formed, a pipe branch can of course spiral or circular / (mxt a diameter which is the same as that of the arrangement 12 with a radial branch that this spiral or the circle with the upwardly extending heat transfer tube 22) or have some other suitable shape. Furthermore, it is possible that the simple upward standing central tube 22 can be arranged alone. Furthermore is emphasize that an upwardly extending central tube 22 is the capillary action in the heat transfer tube supports the return of the condensed potassium downwards both during the heating up and during a Emergency cooling.

Claims (13)

Patent Attorneys European Patent Attorneys Dr. W. Müller-Bore f Dr. Paul Deufel Dipl.-Chem., Dipl.-Wirtsdi.-Ing. Dr. Alfred Sdrön DipL-Chem. Werner Hertel Dipl.-Phys. Dr. Müller-Born and Partner · POB 28 0247 · D-MOO Mündien 26 Dietrich Lewald Dipl.-Ing. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Otto Dipl.-Ing. Ot / la - S 4075 * 9 JAN. f.994 South African Inventions Development Corporation Pretoria, Transvaal Province, Republic of South Africa Electricity storage battery claims 1. Power storage battery (10) made of a variety of electric electrochemical interconnected / secondary elements (12) within a thermally insulating housing (16) are arranged, characterized in that one or more Heat transfer tubes (22) are provided, which are at least partially arranged in the interior of the housing that a or more of the heat transfer tubes with a catalytic! Converter (26) to the flameless catalytic Combustion of hydrocarbon fuels is provided and that each converter is a heat source for the supply of heat via the connected heat transfer tube or forms the connected heat transfer tubes into the interior of the housing. D-8000 Munich 2 POB 2G 02 47 Cable: Telephone Telecopier Infotec G400 B Telex ΠΤί + ΠΙ f089) 229Ü43 S-2-1285 2. Battery according to claim 1, characterized in that each catalytic converter (26) is attached to or in the housing (16). 3. Battery according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one heat transfer tube (22) extends through the housing (16) from the inside of the housing to the outside thereof and that the catalytic converter (26) is arranged outside the housing. 4. Battery according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one heat transfer tube (22) with an electrical through-connection (50, 52, 54) from the interior of the battery housing to the latter Outside is connected, and that the via runs at the same point through the housing as the associated heat transfer tube. 5. Battery according to claim 4, characterized in that the electrical plated through-hole comprises electrically conductive material which forms an outer housing (50) around the heat transfer tube. 6. Battery according to claim 4, characterized in that the electrical plated through-hole having electrically conductive material in a longitudinal passage or in an outer groove in the heat transfer tube is arranged in which there is a 2Q electrical conductor removed from the inside of the heat transfer tube forms. 7. Battery according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized marked that the via οι- within the housing with one of the connections of the if Battery (10) is connected. 8. Battery according to one of the preceding claims, there- characterized in that each catalytic converter (26) is a metal as a catalyst from the group that includes platinum and palladium. 9. Battery according to claim 8, characterized in that the catalyst in the pores of a porous ceramic substrate is included. 10. Battery according to one of the preceding claims, characterized characterized in that the elements (12) have high temperature elements and have an operating temperature in the range of 100 to 500 ° C, and that each Heat transfer tube (22) contains as active vaporizable material a substance selected from the group which composed of sodium and potassium. 11. Battery according to claim 10, characterized in that each heat transfer tube (22) has interwoven material (48) in its interior and that the tube has walls and interwoven material, selected from the group consisting of nickel and stainless or corrosion-resistant steel. 12. Battery according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that g e k e η η, that the active vaporizable material is potassium; and that the heat transfer tube is attached to a Position away from its associated catalytic converter (26) with a cooling zone (23) is. 13. Battery according to claim 12, characterized in that the cooling zone (23) and the catalytic Converters (26) are provided in separate compartments (18, 20) in the housing (16), and that the Compartments are arranged separately from a compartment in the housing in which the elements are arranged.