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					$ (16,200,000)
Shares outstanding, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2014		30,480,000
Balance, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 887,100,000	$ 300,000	$ 377,200,000	$ 511,100,000	(8,700,000)	$ 7,200,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	(204,500,000)	0	0
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	(203,000,000)			(203,000,000)
Less: Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of taxes	(1,500,000)					(1,500,000)
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest						(400,000)
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(16,600,000)
Proceeds from Issuance of Warrants	0
Share-based compensation expense	11,300,000	$ 0	11,300,000
Common stock issued from share-based compensation plans, shares		100,000
Common stock issued from share-based compensation plans, amount	500,000	$ 0	500,000
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Income Tax Deficiency from Share-based Compensation	(900,000)	$ 0	(900,000)
Common stock repurchases, shares		(30,000)
Common stock repurchases, amount	(900,000)	$ 0	(900,000)
Dividend distribution to noncontrolling interest	(200,000)					(200,000)
Other	(100,000)	$ 0	(100,000)			0
Shares outstanding, end of period at Dec. 31, 2015		30,550,000
Balance, end of period at Dec. 31, 2015	675,700,000	$ 300,000	387,100,000	308,100,000	(24,900,000)	5,100,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	(10,300,000)				(10,300,000)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	24,700,000	0	0
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	28,200,000			28,200,000
Less: Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of taxes	(3,500,000)					(3,500,000)
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest						0
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(10,300,000)
Proceeds from Issuance of Warrants	0
Share-based compensation expense	10,700,000	$ 0	10,700,000
Common stock issued from share-based compensation plans, shares		100,000
Common stock issued from share-based compensation plans, amount	400,000	$ 0	400,000
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Income Tax Deficiency from Share-based Compensation	(1,700,000)	$ 0	(1,700,000)
Common stock repurchases, shares		(40,000)
Common stock repurchases, amount	(700,000)	$ 0	(700,000)
Other	$ (200,000)	$ 0	0			(200,000)
Shares outstanding, end of period at Dec. 31, 2016	30,613,166	30,610,000
Balance, end of period at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 698,600,000	$ 300,000	395,800,000	336,300,000	(35,200,000)	1,400,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	27,100,000				27,100,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	29,500,000	0	0
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	28,000,000			28,000,000
Less: Income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of taxes	1,500,000					1,500,000
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest						100,000
Other comprehensive (loss) income	27,200,000
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Equity Component of Convertible Debt	36,600,000		36,600,000
Proceeds from Issuance of Warrants	46,000,000		46,000,000
CovertibleNotesAdditionalPaidInCapitalEffectOfCallOptionsNetOfTax			(38,100,000)
Repurchase of convertible notes associated with additional paid-in capital	(5,800,000)		(5,800,000)
Share-based compensation expense	11,100,000	$ 0	11,100,000
Common stock issued from share-based compensation plans, shares		250,000
Common stock issued from share-based compensation plans, amount	2,000,000	$ 0	2,000,000
Common stock repurchases, shares		(50,000)
Common stock repurchases, amount	(2,000,000)	$ 0	(2,000,000)
Other	$ 100,000	$ 0	100,000			0
Shares outstanding, end of period at Dec. 31, 2017	30,804,832	30,810,000
Balance, end of period at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 805,200,000	$ 300,000	$ 445,700,000	$ 364,300,000	$ (8,100,000)	$ 3,000,000