what is meant by the term "sweating" with reference to tubes in a heat exchanger?

Answer 1

Sweating of exchanger tubing is nothing new or terribly difficult. It does however, work under engineering principles. Basically, it works on 'Capillary-action', where heat applied to the joint with a blow-torch or other high heat appliance, causes the solder material applied to the hot metal to be drawn in between the tube and the ferrule into which it is being 'Sweated'.
This completely fills the space between the fitting and the tubing. When it cools, it creates a solid seal.

Answer 2

Sweating and drop wise condensation can be describing what occurs on glasses of cold water and on condenser tubes , respectively.
During an assembly operation where tubes are attached to fittings or to "tube sheets", headers - the sweating occurs when the parts are heated and the molted solder enters the sometimes tight space between the joint surfaces. This is similar to wicking or to capillary attraction.

Answer 3

Sweating is a terminology used to describe the means to which the tubes are connected. Typically in heating and refrigeration brazing is the most common but soldering and silver soldering are also common, depending on the type of tubing being used.

Answer 4

this is the term a engineer would use when making a joint(sweating the joints )on the heat exchanger

Answer 5

Condensation forming on the cold side of any heat exchanging system.

Answer 6

my guess would be that the tubes/pipes would be aliken to the body....and dots of prespiration/water would occur on the outside of the pipes.