Piping erosion monitoring system

A system for monitoring reduction in wall thickness in piping due to erosion or corrosion, which system comprises:

• a. at least one point of reduced strength in said pipe in the area anticipated to undergo the highest rate of reduction in wall thickness;
• b. hollow casing means encircling at least a portion of said pipe and positioned to overlie and encompass said point, said hollow casing means having its inside wall spaced outwardly from the outside pipe wall at least at said point;
• c. sealing means for achieving a fluid seal between said pipe casing, said sealing means providing a fluid seal zone encompassing said point;
• and
• d. an aperture through said hollow casing extending to said zone and having conduit means attached thereto for communicating fluid pressure changes in said zone to a sensory means in fluid pressure communication with said aperture, wherein said point of reduced strength is a notch formed into the outside wall of said pipe to a preselected depth whereby the remaining pipe wall thickness at the site of said notch is sufficient to contain the fluid pressure in said pipe until a predetermined amount of said pipe wall at said notch has been reduced in thickness by erosion or corrosion.