An experimental study on the characteristics of several kinds of packing materials was carried out in order to get the optimum design data for the packed-type rectification system of an NH$_3$/$H_2O$ GAX absorption heat pump. Several suitable packing materials were examined and the bulk of steel wire was shown as the most effective packing material in rectifier. The optimum volumetric ratio of packed steel wire in rectifier was obtained as around 36%. The performance results can be adapted in rectifier design of absorption heat pump.