Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015
Sales		$ 988,800	[1]	$ 859,200		$ 1,040,200
Cost of sales		716,700		592,800		751,700
Gross profit		272,100		266,400		288,500
Selling, general and administrative expenses		215,100		195,900		200,800
Amortization expense		15,000		11,900		17,300
Asset impairments		0		1,200		253,600
Operating expenses		230,100		209,000		471,700
Operating income (loss)	[3]	42,000	[1],[2],[4]	57,400	[5]	(183,200)	[6]
Other expenses:
Interest expense, net		19,400		17,300		16,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt		4,900		0		0
Financing costs amortization		(1,279)		(1,284)		(1,290)
Foreign currency loss		2,800		400		1,300
Other expenses, net		28,400		19,000		18,600
Income (loss) before income taxes		13,600		38,400		(201,800)
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Continuing Operations [Abstract]
Current		13,900		16,300		27,100
Deferred		(29,800)		(2,600)		(24,400)
Income tax (benefit) expense, net		(15,900)		13,700		2,700
Net income (loss)		29,500		24,700		(204,500)
Less: Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of taxes		1,500		(3,500)		(1,500)
Net income (loss) attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.		$ 28,000		$ 28,200		$ (203,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. per common share:
Basic		$ 0.91	[7]	$ 0.92	[8]	$ (6.66)
Diluted		$ 0.89	[7],[9]	$ 0.91	[8],[10]	$ (6.66)
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic		30,740		30,580		30,490
Diluted		31,340		30,990		30,490
Retained Earnings [Member]
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Continuing Operations [Abstract]
Net income (loss) attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.		$ 28,000		$ 28,200		$ (203,000)

[1] Hudson, included in these results since the acquisition date, September 20, 2017, added net sales and operating income of $58.0 and $6.4 for the year ended December 31, 2017, including $6.1 and $1.2 in the third quarter and $51.9 and $5.2 in the fourth quarter, respectively.

[2] Includes acquisition-related expenses of $10.1 for the year ended December 31, 2017.

[3] Includes restructuring costs of $15.6, $10.9 and $12.2 for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively

[4] The fourth quarter of 2017 includes additional expense as a result of a litigation award in China. Refer to Note 18, Commitments and Contingencies, for further information.

[5] During the third quarter of 2016, we recovered for breaches of representations and warranties primarily related to warranty costs for certain product lines acquired in the 2012 acquisition of AirSep under the related representation and warranty insurance. For the year ended December 31, 2016, this reduced BioMedical segment’s cost of sales by $15.2 and Corporate SG&A expenses by $0.3, net of associated legal fees recorded in 2016. The 2016 operating income also includes asset impairment charges of $1.2 attributed to D&S.

[6] Includes asset impairment charges of $255.1 for the year ended December 31, 2015, attributed to E&C – $68.8, D&S – $2.0, and BioMedical – $184.3.

[7] 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.

[8] 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.

[9] 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.

[10] 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.