Abstract: The tabu search (TS)method is one of the modern optimization algorithms developed from local search.It is generally used in combinatorial optimization problem.The TS method performs a “guided search” which enables it to escape from local optima.The improved TS methed has introduced to search the global optimal solution to optimization problems with continuous variables.First, according to the property of the continuous variable problem, an easy function of producing adjacent state was proposed and the function of the declining search scale was improved.The effects of tabu space, search scale and initial solution on the optimal calculation were analyzed as well.Then, the example of solving heat exchangers network problem showed the efficiency of the improved tabu search method applied to continuous variables optimization problems in chemical engineering.