The removal of propanal from high pressure return gas by adsorbing with activated carbon has been carried out. The effect of temperature and feed gas velocity on the removal rate and breakthrough curve has been studied, and the recycled sorbents by different recycling methods were also evaluated. The experimental results show that removing rate of propanal was the highest at 30 ℃. The removing rate of propanal maintained between 70%~90% at the feed gas flow of 30 mL/min. After active carbon adsorbed for 570 minutes, the removing rate of propanal has dropped to about 30% and reached to its adsorption saturation. The removal rate of propanal was above 95% after recycling activated carbon for 3 times at 120 ℃ by steam, which is better method compared with N2blowing method and heating in vacuum.

The experiment of screening agents of removing propanal has carried on. The experimental results showed that the removing rate of propanal by anion resin had reduced to less than 40% after adsorbing 120 minutes. And the removing rate of propanal by 3A molecular sieve had also reduced to less than 40% after adsorbing 200 minutes. But the removing rate of propanal by activate carbon still had about 60% after adsorbing 300 minutes. Propanal was removed more than 99% by sodium hydrogensulfite solution. The rate of removal propanal has been improved when increased the amount of 3A molecular sieve and activated carbon, which had a better absorbing effect for propanal. But the 3A molecular sieve had a smaller saturated adsorption. Meanwhile, activate carbon, which had a larger saturated adsorption for propanal, was choosed for the different feed gas flow rate and selectivity experiments. It was concluded that the removing rate of propanal was the highest in the feed gas flow of 30 mL/min and the lowest in the feed gas flow of 70 mL/min. And the ethylene adsorption rate of active carbon had reduced to less than 1% after adsorbing 40 minutes, what is more, the propanal removing rate of active carbon was nearly the same as the previous one.