Debt and Credit Arrangements Foreign Facilities (Details) CZK in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2015 CNY (¥)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 CZK	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Short-term Debt		$ 6,288		$ 4,903
China Facilities [Member] | Chart Cryogenic Engineering Systems Co., Ltd. [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Bank Guarantees Supported By Credit Facilities	¥ 10,200,000	1,598
China Facilities [Member] | Chart Cryogenic Distribution Equipment Co. Ltd. [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Bank Guarantees Supported By Credit Facilities	5,200,000	813
China Facilities [Member] | Chart Energy & Chemicals Wuxi Co., Ltd. [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Bank Guarantees Supported By Credit Facilities	600,000	88
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | China Facilities [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	50,000,000	7,860
Short-term Debt	¥ 30,000,000	$ 4,716
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	5.40%	5.40%	5.40%
Line of Credit [Member] | China FX Facility [Member] [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	¥ 10,000,000	$ 1,572
Short-term Debt	0	0
Line of Credit [Member] | CCESC Facility Maturing July 8, 2015 [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	100,000,000	15,720
Short-term Debt	0	0
Line of Credit [Member] | HSBC CCESC Unsecured Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	30,000,000	4,716
Short-term Debt	¥ 0	0
Line of Credit [Member] | Chart Ferox Facilities [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity		7,211	CZK 175,000
Short-term Debt		0	0
Bank Guarantees Supported By Credit Facilities		$ 1,944	CZK 47,200
Letter Of Credit And Guarantee Fees Percentage Of Face Amount For Maturities Up To One Year	0.70%	0.70%	0.70%
Line of Credit [Member] | Chart Luxembourg Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity		$ 5,000
Short-term Debt		0
Line of Credit - Working Capital [Member] | CCDEC Facility Maturing August 7, 2015 [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	¥ 50,000,000	7,860
Short-term Debt	¥ 10,000,000	$ 1,572
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	5.70%	5.70%	5.70%
Line of Credit - Non-financing Bank Guarantee [Member] | CCDEC Facility Maturing August 7, 2015 [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	¥ 30,000,000	$ 4,716
Short-term Debt	¥ 0	$ 0