Earnings Per Share Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	$ (230,123)	$ 4,760	$ 17,157	$ 5,246	$ 26,947	$ 22,851	$ 20,069	$ 11,997	$ (202,960)		$ 81,864		$ 83,176
Basic	$ (7.54)	$ 0.16	$ 0.56	$ 0.17	$ 0.89	$ 0.75	$ 0.66	$ 0.40	$ (6.66)	[1]	$ 2.69	[2]	$ 2.75
Diluted	$ (7.54)	$ 0.15	$ 0.56	$ 0.17	$ 0.88	$ 0.74	$ 0.65	$ 0.38	$ (6.66)	[1],[3]	$ 2.67	[2]	$ 2.60
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic									30,493		30,384		30,209
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Share-based Payment Arrangements									0		282		411
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Conversion of Debt Securities									0		0		974
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Call Options and Warrants									0		0		337
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted									30,493		30,666		31,931

[1] Basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share are computed independently for each of the quarters presented. As such, the sum of quarterly basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share may not equal reported annual basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share.

[2] Basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share are computed independently for each of the quarters presented. As such, the sum of quarterly basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share may not equal reported annual basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share.

[3] Zero incremental shares from share-based awards are included in the computation of diluted net loss per share for periods in which a net loss occurs, because to do so would be anti-dilutive.