Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($)	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent					$ 11,681,000
Shares outstanding, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2012		30,042,000
Balance, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 699,783,000	$ 300,000	$ 348,526,000	$ 346,011,000	1,641,000	$ 3,305,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	87,362,000	0	0
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	83,176,000			83,176,000
Noncontrolling interests, net of taxes	4,186,000					4,186,000
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest						144,000
Other comprehensive loss	11,825,000
Share-based compensation expense	9,989,000	$ 0	9,989,000
Common stock issued from share-based compensation plans, shares		367,000
Common stock issued from share-based compensation plans, amount	5,339,000	$ 4,000	5,335,000
Excess tax benefit from exercise of stock options	6,673,000	$ 0	6,673,000
Common stock repurchases, shares		(30,000)
Common stock repurchases, amount	(2,002,000)	$ 0	(2,002,000)
Convertible notes conversion feature	(56,563,000)		(56,563,000)
Dividend distribution to noncontrolling interest	(1,369,000)					(1,369,000)
Acquisition of business, noncontrolling interest	969,000					969,000
Other	14,000	$ 0	14,000			0
Shares outstanding, end of period at Dec. 31, 2013		30,379,000
Balance, end of period at Dec. 31, 2013	762,020,000	$ 304,000	311,972,000	429,187,000	13,322,000	7,235,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	(22,008,000)				(22,008,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	83,072,000	0	0
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	81,864,000			81,864,000
Noncontrolling interests, net of taxes	1,208,000					1,208,000
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest						(36,000)
Other comprehensive loss	(22,044,000)
Share-based compensation expense	9,420,000	$ 0	9,420,000
Common stock issued from share-based compensation plans, shares		141,000
Common stock issued from share-based compensation plans, amount	763,000	$ 1,000	762,000
Excess tax benefit from exercise of stock options	1,859,000	$ 0	1,859,000
Common stock repurchases, shares		(38,000)
Common stock repurchases, amount	(3,367,000)	$ 0	(3,367,000)
Convertible notes conversion feature	56,563,000		56,563,000
Dividend distribution to noncontrolling interest	$ (1,206,000)					(1,206,000)
Shares outstanding, end of period at Dec. 31, 2014	30,482,252	30,482,000
Balance, end of period at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 887,080,000	$ 305,000	377,209,000	511,051,000	(8,686,000)	7,201,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	(16,218,000)				(16,218,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	(204,516,000)	0	0
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	(202,960,000)			(202,960,000)
Noncontrolling interests, net of taxes	(1,556,000)					(1,556,000)
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest						(388,000)
Other comprehensive loss	(16,606,000)
Share-based compensation expense	11,325,000	$ 0	11,325,000
Common stock issued from share-based compensation plans, shares		94,000
Common stock issued from share-based compensation plans, amount	486,000	$ 0	486,000
Deferred Tax Benefit from Share-based compensation	(890,000)	$ 0	(890,000)
Common stock repurchases, shares		(31,000)
Common stock repurchases, amount	(948,000)	$ 0	(948,000)
Dividend distribution to noncontrolling interest	(120,000)					(120,000)
Other	$ (75,000)	$ 0	(82,000)			7,000
Shares outstanding, end of period at Dec. 31, 2015	30,545,657	30,545,000
Balance, end of period at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 675,736,000	$ 305,000	$ 387,100,000	$ 308,091,000	$ (24,904,000)	$ 5,144,000