A process for bulk hydrogenation of an olefin-containing feedstock
containing a plurality of different unsaturated olefinic hydrocarbon
compounds, for example a feedstock containing from 60 to 100 mass %
unsaturated olefinic hydrocarbon compounds, by subjecting the olefinic
feedstock to bulk hydrogenation in a catalytic distillation zone
containing a hydrogenation catalyst, and in the presence of hydrogen,
under conditions favoring bulk hydrogenation to hydrogenate unsaturated
olefinic hydrocarbon compounds present in the feedstock into their
corresponding saturated compounds, and withdrawing the saturated
compounds from the catalytic distillation zone.