Batch processes are widely used in producing many high-value chemical products for its good flexibility. However

the production and costeffectiveness of batch plants mostly depend on short-term scheduling. The construction of traditional models for batch scheduling relies on the definition of time slots or time events

which lead to the result that many binary variables are involved in the models and it takes much time to solve the problems with the branch and bound method.A new kind of model for scheduling of multi-product batch plants is presented. The new model uses a continuous-time domain representation that does not rely on the definition of time slots or time events. The symmetrical and complemental feature of binary variables is also considered to simplify the model. As a result

the number of binary variables of the new model is successfully reduced to no more than half of the traditional ones. A medium-scale example is presented to prove that the new model quickly solve and reach the global optimal result. Comparisons with traditional model are also provided with large-scale problems. Moreover

the principle of the new model can be not only used in the multi-product problem

but also easily applied in other aspects such as multi-purpose batch scheduling and so on.