Radioisotope power source

1. A power source comprising:

a dielectric liquid, held within a vessel;

a radioisotope material, dissolved as an ionic salt within the dielectric liquid thereby forming an ionic salt solution; and

a thermal-to-electric power conversion system configured to receive thermal heat generated from the decay of the radioisotope material and to generate electrical power.

2. The power source of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first electrode disposed on a first end of the vessel;

a second electrode disposed on a second end of the vessel opposite the first end of the vessel; and

an electric power supply in communication with the first and second electrodes, the electric power supply capable of providing a positive electrical charge to the first electrode and a negative electrical charge to the second electrode.

3. The power source of claim 2 , wherein the thermal-to-electric power conversion system is disposed on either one of the first end of the vessel and the second end of the vessel based at least in part on an ionic charge of the radioisotope material.

4. The power source of claim 3 , wherein the electric power supply comprises a controllable electric power supply configured to adjust a magnitude of both the positive electrical charge and the negative electrical charge, wherein the electric power supply is controlled to maintain an operational temperature of the ionic salt solution at the first end of the vessel or the second end of the vessel having the thermal-to-electric power conversion system.

5. The power source of claim 2 , wherein the radioisotope material is Strontium-90 having a +2 ionic charge, and the thermal-to-electric power conversion system is disposed on the second end with the second electrode configured to receive the negative electrical charge.

6. The power source of claim 2 , wherein the electric power supply further includes a switch configured to selectively interrupt or permit the positive electrical charge and the negative electrical charge, respectively, to the first electrode and the second electrode.

7. The power source of claim 2 , wherein a first cross-sectional area near the first end is greater than a second cross-sectional area near the second end.

8. The power source of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric liquid is selected from a group, the group consisting of one of water, glycerol, formamide, and propylene glycol.

9. The power source of claim 1 , wherein the radioisotope material is selected from a group, the group consisting of one of Strontium-90, Cesium-137, Cobalt-60.

10. The power source of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric liquid is pressurized to raise a boiling point of the dielectric liquid above an operational temperature of the thermal-to-electric power conversion system.

11. A power source for a vehicle, the power source comprising:

a dielectric liquid, held within a vessel having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;

a radioisotope material, dissolved as an ionic salt within the dielectric liquid thereby forming an ionic salt solution;

a first electrode disposed on the first end of the vessel and a second electrode disposed on the second end of the vessel;

an electric power supply in communication with the first and second electrodes, the electric power supply capable of providing a positive electrical charge to the first electrode and a negative electrical charge to the second electrode; and

a thermal-to-electric power conversion system disposed on one of the first end or the second end based at least in part on an ionic charge of the radioisotope material, the thermal-to-electric power conversion system configured to receive thermal heat generated from the decay of the radioisotope material and to generate electrical power for an electrical load of the vehicle.

12. The power source of claim 11 , wherein the electric power supply further comprises a means to control an operational temperature of the ionic salt solution adjacent to the thermal-to-electric power conversion system.

13. The power source of claim 12 , wherein the means to control the operational temperature comprises a power-supply controller configured to monitor the operational temperature of the ionic salt solution and to control magnitudes of the positive electrical charge and the negative electrical charge.

14. The power source of claim 12 , wherein the means to control the operational temperature comprises heat-driven diffusion of the radioisotope material and ionization by radioactive emissions controlling a conductivity of the dielectric liquid at the first end of the vessel and the second end of the vessel.

15. The power source of claim 12 , wherein the means to control the operational temperature is based on either one of a radiation detector measuring radiation in proximity to the second end and monitoring an electrical output of the thermal-to-electric power conversion system.

16. A method of operating a power source, the method comprising:

dissolving a radioisotope material as an ionic salt in a dielectric liquid contained within a vessel to form an ionic salt solution;

applying a positive electrical charge to a first end of the vessel and applying a negative electrical charge to a second end of the vessel opposite the first end of the vessel; and

generating electrical power from a thermal-to-electric power conversion system disposed on either one of the first end of the vessel and the second end of the vessel based at least in part on an ionic charge of the radioisotope material.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

monitoring an operational temperature of the ionic salt solution;

responsive to determining the operational temperature of the ionic salt solution is too high, decreasing magnitudes of the positive electrical charge and the negative electrical charge; and

responsive to determining the operational temperature of the ionic salt solution is too low, increasing the magnitudes of the positive electrical charge and the negative electrical charge.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising pressurizing the dielectric liquid to raise a boiling point of the dielectric liquid above an operational temperature of the power source.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the positive electrical charge and the negative electrical charge are applied to the first end of the vessel and the second end of the vessel, respectively, responsive to receiving an operational command signal.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the radioisotope material is Strontium-90.