Free cooling in high humidity environments

An air handling system, comprising:

• a thermal storage unit, comprising a phase change material, configured to:
• heat, under a given set of air conditions, air passing across the thermal storage unit to lower a relative humidity of the air passing across the thermal storage unit under the given set of air conditions;
• an air moving device configured to direct the air across the thermal storage unit;
• and a control system configured to control air flow through the air handling system such that an air flow comprising the air that has passed across the thermal storage unit combines with a return air flow such that air of a combined air flow is maintained below a humidity threshold under the given set of air conditions.

A method, comprising:

• directing air, across a thermal storage unit of an air handling system comprising a phase change material;
• condensing, under a given set of ambient air conditions, water vapor from the air as the air passes across the thermal storage unit to lower a relative humidity of the air;
• combining the air with the reduced relative humidity with return air to further reduce the relative humidity of the air;
• and
• directing the combined air toward a thermal load to cool the thermal load.