A device for cooling and dehumidifying a first stream of air, comprising: a first heat exchanger that is configured for cooling the first stream of air from a first temperature to a lower second temperature; an absorber comprising: a porous bed of contact media the surfaces of which are configured for wicking and adapted for being wetted by a first flow of liquid desiccant that is supplied to the absorber and through which flows the first stream of air after it has been cooled in the first heat exchanger , wherein a ratio of a mass flow rate of the first flow of liquid desiccant divided by a mass flow rate of the first stream of air is less than 0.147 under a condition in which both mass flows are measured in the same dimensional units; and a first collection reservoir that is configured to receive the liquid desiccant that flows off the porous bed of contact media ; a regenerator that is configured to receive at least a portion of the liquid desiccant that flows into the first collection reservoir and that is configured to remove water from the received liquid desiccant; and one or more pumps and conduits that that are configured to perform at least one of the following: exchange liquid desiccant between the absorber and the regenerator , recirculate liquid desiccant within the absorber , or recirculate liquid desiccant within the regenerator ; and wherein the device is configured to operate under conditions where the liquid desiccant removes moisture from the first stream of air in the absorber and the second temperature of the first stream of air that leaves the first heat exchanger is lower than the temperature of the liquid desiccant supplied to the absorber . a first heat exchanger that is configured for cooling the first stream of air from a first temperature to a lower second temperature; an absorber comprising: a porous bed of contact media the surfaces of which are configured for wicking and adapted for being wetted by a first flow of liquid desiccant that is supplied to the absorber and through which flows the first stream of air after it has been cooled in the first heat exchanger , wherein a ratio of a mass flow rate of the first flow of liquid desiccant divided by a mass flow rate of the first stream of air is less than 0.147 under a condition in which both mass flows are measured in the same dimensional units; and a first collection reservoir that is configured to receive the liquid desiccant that flows off the porous bed of contact media ; a porous bed of contact media the surfaces of which are configured for wicking and adapted for being wetted by a first flow of liquid desiccant that is supplied to the absorber and through which flows the first stream of air after it has been cooled in the first heat exchanger , wherein a ratio of a mass flow rate of the first flow of liquid desiccant divided by a mass flow rate of the first stream of air is less than 0.147 under a condition in which both mass flows are measured in the same dimensional units; and a first collection reservoir that is configured to receive the liquid desiccant that flows off the porous bed of contact media ; a regenerator that is configured to receive at least a portion of the liquid desiccant that flows into the first collection reservoir and that is configured to remove water from the received liquid desiccant; and one or more pumps and conduits that that are configured to perform at least one of the following: exchange liquid desiccant between the absorber and the regenerator , recirculate liquid desiccant within the absorber , or recirculate liquid desiccant within the regenerator ; and wherein the device is configured to operate under conditions where the liquid desiccant removes moisture from the first stream of air in the absorber and the second temperature of the first stream of air that leaves the first heat exchanger is lower than the temperature of the liquid desiccant supplied to the absorber . <EOS>