Debt and Credit Arrangements Foreign Facilities (Details) CZK in Thousands, $ in Thousands, € in Millions	Sep. 30, 2016 CNY (¥)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 CZK	Sep. 30, 2016 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Short-term Debt		$ 6,739			$ 6,160
China Facilities [Member] | Chart Cryogenic Engineering Systems Co., Ltd. [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Bank Guarantees Supported By Credit Facilities	¥ 6,600,000	981
China Facilities [Member] | Chart Cryogenic Distribution Equipment [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Bank Guarantees Supported By Credit Facilities	40,000	7
China Facilities [Member] | Chart Energy & Chemicals Wuxi Co., Ltd. [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Bank Guarantees Supported By Credit Facilities	700,000	101
CCESC Term Loan Maturing May 26, 2024 [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Long-term Debt	¥ 76,624,000	$ 11,474
Long-term Debt, Percentage Bearing Fixed Interest, Percentage Rate	5.39%	5.39%	5.39%	5.39%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] | China Facilities [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	¥ 50,000,000	$ 7,487
Short-term Debt	¥ 0	$ 0
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Line of Credit [Member] | CCESC Facility Maturing July 8, 2015 [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	¥ 0	$ 0
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	4,492
Short-term Debt	0	0
Line of Credit [Member] | Chart Ferox Facilities [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Short-term Debt		0	CZK 0
Bank Guarantees Supported By Credit Facilities		6,348	CZK 153,700
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	40,000,000	5,990
Short-term Debt	¥ 25,000,000	$ 3,744
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	4.35%	4.35%	4.35%	4.35%
Czech Republic, Koruny | Line of Credit [Member] | Chart Ferox Facilities [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity		$ 5,163	CZK 125,000
Euro Member Countries, Euro | Line of Credit [Member] | Chart Ferox Facilities [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity		$ 7,255		€ 6.5
Three Facilities [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Chart Ferox Facilities [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Letter Of Credit And Guarantee Fees Percentage Of Face Amount For Maturities Up To One Year	0.70%	0.70%	0.70%	0.70%
One Facility [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | Chart Ferox Facilities [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Letter Of Credit And Guarantee Fees Percentage Of Face Amount For Maturities Up To One Year	0.90%	0.90%	0.90%	0.90%
Maximum [Member] | CCESC Term Loan Maturing May 26, 2024 [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Long-term Debt	¥ 86,624,000	$ 12,972
Long-Term Debt Principal Payments		$ 10,000