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

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SUMMARY

Lead acid batteries in submarines during WW1 and WW2 occasionally produced chlorine gas due to interactions with seawater. The primary mechanism involved seawater flooding the battery compartment, leading to hydrolysis of sodium chloride (NaCl) rather than leakage of sulfuric acid into the bilges. The USS Squalus incident exemplified this phenomenon, where seawater interacted with battery components, supporting the electrolysis theory. Additionally, chemical reactions between battery acid and seawater can generate hydrochloric acid, which further contributes to chlorine gas production.

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  • Basic principles of submarine operations and environmental conditions
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Submarine engineers, marine chemists, historians studying naval warfare, and safety professionals involved in battery management and hazardous materials handling.

Baluncore
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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.
 
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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.
 

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