[Mike Ka]

I have a process for thermal treatment of carbon materials. The treatment is based on heating of the materials to ≈1000°C in a flowing air atmosphere. As the carbon reacts with oxygen in the air at higher temperature, it produces CO and CO₂ (combustion). In order to limit the hazard arising from the CO, a catalyst (Pt/Al₂O₃) is connected to the outlet from the furnace. I am looking for a way how to minimise formation of a carbon deposit in the pipework after the catalyst as there are located sampling lines that get blocked by the deposit. According to what I found on the internet, this carbon deposition seems to be caused by the Boudouard reaction (2CO⟶CO₂+C) where C is my problem. Is the solution to the problem to keep the level of oxygen in the furnace as high as possible to ensure almost complete combustion of the material in the furnace? And also to keep the temperature of exhaust gases flowing to the catalyst as high as possible (≈400−500°C) in order to promote oxidation of CO to CO₂ in the catalyst and thus "eliminate"/minimise the Boudouard reaction?

What is the temperature when the Boudouard reaction occurs as this would be the limit temperature for the exhaust gases between the furnace and the catalyst (correct?)?