The design of the end socket of the air chamber in commercial proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stacks significantly affects the flow field within the manifold. Optimizing the end socket configuration is therefore critical for improving air distribution uniformity, extending stack lifespan, and enhancing overall performance. In this work, a numerical simulation is conducted on a U-type commercial PEMFC stack comprised of 164 single cells with an active area of 321.9 cm², using a proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) reduced-order model of a single cell in conjunction with a three-dimensional flow distribution model of the stack. The influence of end socket eccentricity in the air chamber on the distribution of key physical quantities within the stack is systematically studied and analyzed. The results show that the end socket induces vortex formation within the manifold, which has a critical impact on the distribution of physical quantities inside the stack. Within the scope of this study, the most uniform distribution is achieved when the eccentricity of the end socket is 0.25.
 

PEMFC stack,end socket,eccentricity,POD,distribution of physical quantities