Debt and Credit Arrangements Foreign Facilities (Details)	3 Months Ended								3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 Chart China [Member] CCESC [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 Chart China [Member] CCESC [Member] CNY	Mar. 31, 2014 Chart China [Member] CCDEC [Member] [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 Chart China [Member] CCDEC [Member] [Member] CNY	Mar. 31, 2014 Line of Credit [Member] Chart Ferox [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 Line of Credit [Member] Chart Ferox [Member] CZK	Mar. 31, 2014 Line of Credit [Member] Chart Cryogenic Distribution Equipment Co. Ltd. [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 Line of Credit [Member] Chart Cryogenic Distribution Equipment Co. Ltd. [Member] CNY	Mar. 31, 2014 Overdraft Facility [Member] Chart Cryogenic Engineering Systems Co., Ltd. [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 Overdraft Facility [Member] Chart Cryogenic Engineering Systems Co., Ltd. [Member] CNY	Mar. 31, 2014 Bonding Guarantee Facility [Member] Chart Cryogenic Engineering Systems Co. Ltd. and Chart Cryogenic Distribution Equipment Co. Ltd. [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 Bonding Guarantee Facility [Member] Chart Cryogenic Engineering Systems Co. Ltd. and Chart Cryogenic Distribution Equipment Co. Ltd. [Member] CNY	Mar. 31, 2014 Revolving Line of Credit [Member] Chart Cryogenic Engineering Systems Co. Ltd. and Chart Cryogenic Distribution Equipment Co. Ltd. [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 Revolving Line of Credit [Member] Chart Cryogenic Engineering Systems Co. Ltd. and Chart Cryogenic Distribution Equipment Co. Ltd. [Member] CNY	Mar. 31, 2014 Facility 1 [Member] Line of Credit [Member] Chart Ferox [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity							$ 8,779,000	175,000,000	$ 3,252,000	20,000,000	$ 1,608,000	10,000,000	$ 8,040,000	50,000,000	$ 4,824,000	30,000,000
Repayments of Lines of Credit	3,252,000	31,738,000							3,252,000	20,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding															3,216,000	20,000,000
Bank Guarantees Supported By Credit Facilities			$ 1,034,000	6,400,000	$ 757,000	4,700,000	$ 3,782,000	75,400,000
Letter Of Credit And Guarantee Fees Percentage Of Face Amount For Maturities Up To One Year																	0.70%
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate															6.40%	6.40%