Liquid level control of expansion valves in climate control systems

A climate control system comprising:

• a condenser that is configured to at least partially condense a refrigerant;
• an actuatable component that is configured to adjust a flow characteristic of the refrigerant;
• a conduit in fluid communication with an outlet of the condenser and positioned upstream of the actuatable component such that the conduit is configured to channel the refrigerant discharged out of the condenser toward the actuatable component;
• a receptacle in fluid communication with the conduit such that at least a portion of the refrigerant flowing through the conduit is diverted into the receptacle, wherein the receptacle is a stand tube coupled to the conduit;
• a sensor configured to detect a parameter indicative of a liquid level of the refrigerant in the receptacle and the parameter is a liquid level of the multiphase fluid in the stand tube;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and the actuatable component, wherein the actuatable component is an expansion valve that is in fluid communication with the conduit, the stand tube is coupled to the conduit in between the expansion valve and the condenser, and the controller is configured to control a position of the expansion valve based at least in part on the liquid level.

A chiller for conditioning an indoor space, the chiller comprising:

• an evaporator configured to at least partially vaporize a refrigerant;
• a compressor downstream of the evaporator that is configured to compress the refrigerant;
• a condenser downstream of the compressor that configured to at least partially condense the refrigerant;
• an economizer in fluid communication between the condenser and the evaporator that is configured to divert gaseous refrigerant to the compressor in bypass of the evaporator;
• a conduit that connects the condenser to the economizer;
• an expansion valve positioned along the conduit;
• a stand tube in fluid communication with the conduit and positioned upstream of the expansion valve and downstream of the condenser;
• a sensor configured to detect a parameter indicative of a refrigerant liquid level in the stand tube;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and the expansion valve, wherein the controller and configured to adjust a position of the expansion valve based at least in part on the parameter that is indicative of the refrigerant liquid level in the stand tube.