Final answer:
Exhaust system coke deposits refer to carbon residues from the combustion processes in industrial furnaces or internal combustion engines, which can affect the efficiency of exhaust systems, including those in automobiles, who use catalytic converters to reduce emissions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Exhaust system coke deposits refer to the formation of carbon residues inside the exhaust system of a furnace or an internal combustion engine. In the process of industrial steelmaking, preheated air is blown into the furnace through nozzles, which causes the coke near the nozzles to oxidize into carbon dioxide, releasing heat.
This carbon dioxide then passes through a layer of coke and gets reduced to carbon monoxide, according to the reaction CO₂(g) + C(s) → 2 CO(g). Carbon monoxide is itself a pollutant when produced by vehicles and is treated using a catalytic converter to reduce its impact on the environment. In automotive exhaust systems, this reactor is part of the catalytic converter, which helps convert harmful pollutants into less harmful emissions.