Can Lead Acid Batteries and Sea Water Create Chlorine Gas in Submarines?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Baluncore
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Gas Submarine
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential production of chlorine gas in submarines during WW1 and WW2, specifically in the context of lead acid batteries interacting with seawater. Participants explore various mechanisms that could lead to chlorine gas formation, including the role of battery electrolyte and seawater chemistry.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that chlorine gas was produced due to broken lead acid batteries leaking sulfuric acid into seawater, leading to chemical reactions.
  • Others argue that seawater flooding the battery compartment and the subsequent electrolysis or mixing of seawater with battery electrolyte is the more likely cause.
  • A participant questions the certainty of the latter explanation, suggesting that under different circumstances, the first scenario could also be plausible.
  • Another participant presents a chemical reaction pathway that could produce chlorine gas from mixing battery acid with seawater, without relying on electrolysis between battery terminals.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the mechanisms leading to chlorine gas production, with no consensus reached on which scenario is more likely or if both could occur under certain conditions.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights the complexity of the chemical interactions involved and the potential for multiple contributing factors, but does not resolve the uncertainties surrounding the specific conditions that would lead to chlorine gas formation.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in historical submarine operations, chemical reactions involving lead acid batteries, and the effects of seawater on battery systems may find this discussion relevant.

Baluncore
Science Advisor
2025 Award
Messages
16,810
Reaction score
10,441
Submarines that had lead acid batteries and were depth charged during WW1 or WW2 sometimes produced chlorine gas inside the submarine. Was that because;
1. Broken batteries leaked sulphuric acid into the bilges where sea water with NaCl had accumulated, or;
2. Leaking seawater flooded the battery compartment and the NaCl brine was hydrolysed between the battery terminals.
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
The latter.

If you are interested in such things, you might want to read about the USS Squalus.
 
Vanadium 50 said:
The latter.
How do you know it can not be the first under different circumstances ?

The USS Squalus was clearly a case of sea water flooding the battery compartment. Electrolysis is highly probable, but so is mixing of battery electrolyte with sea water.
I am interested because of the many unexplained stories told. Such as in WW1, no leak in the hull, but broken battery cases that spilled electrolyte into the bilges and produced chlorine gas. It seems to me that there is no electrolysis cell in that scenario.
The fog of war and deliberate misinformation tend to hide the truth.
 
How about the following two reactions.

Mix battery acid with sea water to produce hydrochloric acid.
H2SO4 + 2 NaCl = 2 HCl + Na2SO4

Then use lead dioxide from the battery plate as an oxidiser to release chlorine gas.
4 HCl + PbO2 = Pb + 2 H2O + 2 Cl2

That could produce chlorine gas without the hydrolysis of sea water between battery conductors.
 

Similar threads

Can Reverse Polarity Charging Convert Old Lead Acid Batteries into Pure Pb?
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Is it possible to sink and tow icebergs to drought areas for water supply?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
9K