Abstract Inspired by the ancient Chinese glass melting process, a honeycomb coal furnace was improved with refractory materials made of aluminum silicate, and a small coke furnace was made. Combustion tests were conducted and it was found that the equipment could be used for glass melting experiments. Melting experiments were designed for ordinary glass and Qing dynasty Boshan snuff bottle glass. A mixture of silicon dioxide, soda ash, calcium carbonate, and a mixture of silicon dioxide, potassium nitrate, and calcium carbonate were added to crucibles and heated in a coke oven to produce transparent sodium glass and potassium glass.
