Zapopan, Jalisco, May 23, 2025. The Universidad Panamericana campus Guadalajara has achieved a significant technological breakthrough by receiving a patent patent granted by the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) for its innovative development for its innovative development: the Solar collector with independent movement in each panel and each base, designed to optimize the collection of solar thermal energy.designed to optimize the collection of solar thermal energy.
Innovative design to maximize energy efficiency
Registered under request MX/a/2020/002490 and officially granted on May 23, 2025, this invention consists of a mirror bed with autonomous mirror bed with autonomous movementwhere each one can adjust its height thanks to a linear actuator. This makes it possible to to accurately redirect the sun's rays towards a receiver tube with a reflecting involute, maximizing efficiency even during hours of darkness.maximizing efficiency even during hours of low solar radiation.
Unlike traditional systems, which operate as a single unit, this design allows at least 20 mirrors to be adjusted individually. at least 20 mirrors can be individually adjusted, which reduces maintenance costs, improves performance and adds weather protection through a safety algorithm capable of by means of a safety algorithm capable of retracting the mirrors in the event of phenomena such as hailstorms.
The design developed by the Universidad Panamericana allows for a more accurate focusing of the sun's rays, which not only increases energy generation, but also makes its application in large-scale projects more viable.
Leadership in applied research and technology transfer
The inventors of this innovative system are Dr. Leonardo Jesús Valdivia Parga, an expert in control systems, and Dr. Leonardo Jesús Valdivia Parga, an expert in control systems.expert in control systems, and Dr. Orlando Dr. Orlando Montoya Márquezspecialist in solar energy, both from the Faculty of Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering of the Universidad Panamericana campus Guadalajara..
Their work is a clear demonstration of the institutional commitment to applied research and the generation of knowledge that positively impacts society.
According to Dr. Leonardo Jesús Valdivia Parga, the design starts from a common problem in traditional systems: "industrial solar collectors are usually a single piece that reflects the sun's rays on a central tube. What is the main disadvantage? Being only one piece, if it gets damaged, it is more complex, because you need to change the piece as such"..
The innovative solution consists of a "mirror bed" with independent with independent movement. Through linear motors and actuators, each of the at least 20 mirrors can adjust its height and direction autonomously.
This not only allows for greater precision in concentrating solar radiation, but also unprecedented versatility: "if it's too hot we deflect mirrors... if we want all the heat, all the mirrors we're aiming at"he explained. This flexibilityhe explained, protects the system from extreme weather phenomena, such as hailstormsThe system also protects the system from extreme weather events, such as hailstorms, thanks to a protection algorithm that can automatically flip the mirrors.
This technological solution, specially designed for industrial steam generation, seeks to replace the use of fossil fuels in sectors such as the tequila industry, which is key to the economy of Jalisco, seeks to replace the use of fossil fuels in sectors such as the tequila industry, which is key to Jalisco's economy. Its thermal efficiency, combined with a mobile support structure, makes it possible to better conserve temperature and take advantage of the most difficult solar angles.
The central tube, made of carbon and vacuum-sealed, is designed to conserve temperature efficiently, with the supporting structure (the movable mirror bed) being the true patented innovation. This design makes it possible to maintain optimal solar energy collection even when the sun is at low angles, such as at sunrise or sunset.
From research to industry: a sustainable and profitable proposition
This technological development was made possible thanks to the Research Promotion Fund of the Universidad Panamericana and the support of the Intellectual Property Management Centerthrough the Inventor Assistance Program.
Six people participated in the project: two researchers, two scholarship holders and two social service students, achieving a functional prototype in a year and a half, while the entire process of obtaining the patent took four years.
The program is part of the Institutional Innovation and Transfer Strategy, "the purpose is to accompany and advise our researchers in the protection of their inventions, ensuring the maximum benefit for society and industry".said Dr. Juan Alberto González Piñón Dr. Juan Alberto González Piñóncorporate director of Innovation and Transfer.
The next step is to bring this technology to market. Approaches have already been with companies in the energy and industrial sectors, especially in the tequila industry, toespecially in the tequila industry, to initiate the commercialization of the technology. commercialization of the system.
According to Dr. Leonardo Jesús Valdivia's estimates, the return on investment could be achieved in as little as eight to nine months. eight to nine monthsmaking the project both a sustainable and economically sustainable and economically viable solution..
Pan-American innovation with global impact
With this patent, Universidad Panamericana not only reaffirms its leadership in technological research, but also demonstrates how science and engineering can offer concrete solutions to today's energy challenges. science and engineering can offer concrete solutions to today's energy challenges.. This tapatía innovation positions the institution as a national and international reference in sustainable innovation and knowledge transfer.
Learn more about the research projects promoted by our university at: https://www.up.edu.mx/investigacion-noticias/
