Submarines and ocean going vessels
Battery rooms are found on diesel-electric submarines, where they
contain the lead-acid batteries used for undersea propulsion of the
vessel. Even nuclear submarines contain large battery rooms as backups
to provide maneuvering power if the nuclear reactor is shutdown.
Batteries in surface vessels may also be contained in a battery room.
Battery rooms on ocean-going vessels must prevent seawater from
contacting battery acid, as this could produce toxic chlorine gas. This
is of particular concern on submarines.
Design issues
Since several types of secondary batteries give
off hydrogen and oxygen if overcharged, ventilation of a battery room is
critical to maintain the concentration below the lower explosive limit.
The life span of secondary batteries is reduced at high temperature and
the energy storage capacity is reduced at low temperature, so a battery
room must have heating or cooling to maintain the proper temperature.
Batteries may contain large quantities of corrosive electrolytes such
as sulfuric acid used in lead-acid batteries or potassium hydroxide used
in nickel-cadmium batteries. Materials of the battery room must resist
corrosion and contain any accidental spills. Plant personnel must be
protected from spilled electrolyte. In some jurisdictions, large battery
systems may contain reportable amounts of sulfuric acid, a concern for
fire departments. Battery rooms in industrial and utility installations
typically have an eye-wash station or decontamination showers nearby, so
that workers who are accidentally splashed with electrolyte can
immediately wash it away from the eyes and skin.
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