Basis of Preparation - Income Statement Impact (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle
Sales	$ 319.9	$ 238.2	$ 599.6	$ 442.3
Cost of sales	235.4	175.0	438.0	323.4
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	55.3	50.2	109.4	102.6
Income tax expense	5.0	2.2	7.3	0.4
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	$ 12.3	$ 2.8	$ 18.1	$ (0.1)
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. per common share:
Basic (usd per share)	$ 0.40	$ 0.09	$ 0.59	$ 0.00
Diluted (usd per share)	$ 0.38	$ 0.09	$ 0.57	$ 0.00
ASU 2014-09 | Balances without adoption of ASC 606
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle
Sales	$ 310.6		$ 588.4
Cost of sales	226.4		428.6
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	55.0		109.2
Income tax expense	5.0		6.9
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	$ 12.3		$ 16.9
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. per common share:
Basic (usd per share)	$ 0.40		$ 0.55
Diluted (usd per share)	$ 0.38		$ 0.53
ASU 2014-09 | Effect of adoption Higher (Lower)
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle
Sales	$ 9.3		$ 11.2
Cost of sales	9.0		9.4
Selling, general, and administrative expenses	0.3		0.2
Income tax expense	0.0		0.4
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	$ 0.0		$ 1.2
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. per common share:
Basic (usd per share)	$ 0.00		$ 0.04
Diluted (usd per share)	$ 0.00		$ 0.04