Nature of Business	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Nature of Business	Nature of Business Fuel Tech, Inc. (Fuel Tech or the Company or “we”, “us”, or “our”) is a fully integrated company that uses a suite of advanced technologies to provide boiler optimization, efficiency improvement and air pollution reduction and control solutions to utility and industrial customers worldwide. Originally incorporated in 1987 under the laws of the Netherlands Antilles as Fuel-Tech N.V., Fuel Tech became domesticated in the United States on September 30, 2006, and continues as a Delaware corporation with its corporate headquarters at 27601 Bella Vista Parkway, Warrenville, Illinois, 60555-1617. Fuel Tech maintains an Internet website at www.ftek.com. Fuel Tech’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended (Exchange Act), are made available through our website as soon as reasonably practical after electronically filed or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Also available on Fuel Tech’s website are the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, as well as the charters of the Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Corporate Governance committees of the Board of Directors. All of these documents are available in print without charge to stockholders who request them. Information on our website is not incorporated into this report. Fuel Tech’s special focus is the worldwide marketing of its nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction and FUEL CHEM^® processes. The Air Pollution Control (APC) technology segment reduces NOx emissions in flue gas from boilers, incinerators, furnaces and other stationary combustion sources by utilizing combustion optimization techniques and Low NOx and Ultra Low NOx Burners; Over-Fire Air systems, NOxOUT^® and HERT™ High Energy Reagent Technology™ SNCR systems; systems that incorporate ASCR™ (Advanced Selective Catalytic Reduction) technologies including NOxOUT-CASCADE^®, ULTRA™ and NOxOUT-SCR^® processes, Ammonia Injection Grid (AIG) and Graduated Straightening Grid (GSG™). The FUEL CHEM^® technology segment improves the efficiency, reliability and environmental status of combustion units by controlling slagging, fouling and corrosion, as well as the formation of sulfur trioxide, ammonium bisulfate, particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon dioxide, NOx and unburned carbon in fly ash through the addition of chemicals into the fuel or via TIFI^® Targeted In-Furnace Injection™ programs. Fuel Tech has other technologies, both commercially available and in the development stage, all of which are related to APC and FUEL CHEM technology segments or are similar in their technological base. We have expended significant resources in the research and development of new technologies in building our proprietary portfolio of air pollution control, fuel and boiler treatment chemicals, computer modeling and advanced visualization technologies. Fuel Tech’s business is materially dependent on the continued existence and enforcement of worldwide air quality regulations.

Nature of Business

Fuel Tech, Inc. (Fuel Tech or the Company or “we”, “us”, or “our”) is a fully integrated company that uses a suite of advanced technologies to provide boiler optimization, efficiency improvement and air pollution reduction and control solutions to utility and industrial customers worldwide. Originally incorporated in 1987 under the laws of the Netherlands Antilles as Fuel-Tech N.V., Fuel Tech became domesticated in the United States on September 30, 2006, and continues as a Delaware corporation with its corporate headquarters at 27601 Bella Vista Parkway, Warrenville, Illinois, 60555-1617. Fuel Tech maintains an Internet website at www.ftek.com. Fuel Tech’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended (Exchange Act), are made available through our website as soon as reasonably practical after electronically filed or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Also available on Fuel Tech’s website are the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, as well as the charters of the Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Corporate Governance committees of the Board of Directors. All of these documents are available in print without charge to stockholders who request them. Information on our website is not incorporated into this report.

Fuel Tech’s special focus is the worldwide marketing of its nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction and FUEL CHEM^® processes. The Air Pollution Control (APC) technology segment reduces NOx emissions in flue gas from boilers, incinerators, furnaces and other stationary combustion sources by utilizing combustion optimization techniques and Low NOx and Ultra Low NOx Burners; Over-Fire Air systems, NOxOUT^® and HERT™ High Energy Reagent Technology™ SNCR systems; systems that incorporate ASCR™ (Advanced Selective Catalytic Reduction) technologies including NOxOUT-CASCADE^®, ULTRA™ and NOxOUT-SCR^® processes, Ammonia Injection Grid (AIG) and Graduated Straightening Grid (GSG™). The FUEL CHEM^® technology segment improves the efficiency, reliability and environmental status of combustion units by controlling slagging, fouling and corrosion, as well as the formation of sulfur trioxide, ammonium bisulfate, particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon dioxide, NOx and unburned carbon in fly ash through the addition of chemicals into the fuel or via TIFI^® Targeted In-Furnace Injection™ programs. Fuel Tech has other technologies, both commercially available and in the development stage, all of which are related to APC and FUEL CHEM technology segments or are similar in their technological base. We have expended significant resources in the research and development of new technologies in building our proprietary portfolio of air pollution control, fuel and boiler treatment chemicals, computer modeling and advanced visualization technologies. Fuel Tech’s business is materially dependent on the continued existence and enforcement of worldwide air quality regulations.