Process for the hydrogenation of esters of unsaturated fatty acids

A process for the continuous preparation of esters of partially or completely saturated fatty acids or mixtures of a plurality thereof by catalytic hydrogenation of esters of unsaturated fatty acids or mixtures of a plurality thereof, where the acid moiety of the esters contains 6 to 30 C atoms and the alcohol moiety is monohydric to trihydric and contains 1 to 20 C atoms, wherein the hydrogenation is carried out in a hydrogenation reactor in the liquid phase at an H.sub.2 pressure of 50 to 350 bar, at a 20 to 60-times molar amount of H.sub.2, based on the stoichiometric amount and at a temperature of 40.degree. to 150.degree. C. on oxygen-free and support-free catalysts arranged in a fixed bed which are present as pressed shaped bodies produced from metal powders or particles which have a compressive strength of 20 to 250N on the curved shaped body surface and an internal surface area of 10 to 90 m.sup.2 /g and in which the metal powders contain 65 to 100% by weight of one or more ferrous metals, 0 to 15% by weight of one or more metals of subgroup VI and 0 to 20% by weight of one or more hydrogenation-inert elements selected from the group consisting of aluminium, silicon, titanium and carbon, all based on the total weight of the metal powder or particles.