The overall process scheduling problem of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production by calcium carbide method is studied in this paper

which is a hybrid system involving all production sections from calcium carbide production process and brine electrolysis process to polymerization of vinyl chloride (VCM). Calcium carbide production and VCM polymerization are batch processes

while other processes are continuous ones. Two hypothesis are made based on the process characters. Then the cost of electricity consumption

inventory

changeover and delivery delay is considered as an optimization objection

and the mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model of scheduling is constructed. The model is validated by a case of a PVC plant and comparing with the model with constant productivities of continuous stages.