Fiber optic temperature sensing system and method utilizing brillouin scattering for large, well-ventilated spaces

A method of monitoring temperature change in a first space including a plurality of monitoring areas, the method comprising:

• generating, for a first time interval, first temperature values indicative of the temperatures of the plurality of monitoring areas based on light information generated by a plurality of temperature sensors located in the plurality of monitoring areas, the plurality of temperature sensors being fiber optic Brillouin scattering temperature sensors, the plurality of temperature sensors being divided between a plurality of safety divisions;
• determining, for each of the plurality of safety divisions, a first mean value corresponding to the first time interval by performing an averaging operation on the first temperature values generated by temperature sensors of the safety division;
• updating, for each of the plurality of safety divisions, a running average value, by performing an averaging operation on the first mean value and a plurality of earlier mean values generated, respectively, for a plurality of time intervals that precede the first time interval and fall within a sliding window;
• performing a comparison operation based on the first temperature values of each of the plurality of safety divisions and the running average values of each of the plurality of safety divisions,
• performing a first determination operation including,
• determining, based on the comparison operation, that one or more of the safety divisions are indicated safety divisions, each indicated safety divisions being a safety division that includes at least one temperature sensor that generated a first temperature value that exceeds the running average value of the safety division by more than a threshold amount, and
• generating a trip indication for each of the one or more indicated safety divisions, respectively;
• and
• executing a trip operation based on the first determination operation.