Quarterly Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Sales	$ 290.1	$ 272.2	$ 277.9	$ 244.1	$ 269.4	$ 202.7	$ 199.8	$ 171.0	$ 1,084.3	$ 842.9	$ 722.0
Gross profit	73.9	82.3	72.8	66.9	73.1	57.9	52.4	48.2	295.9	231.6	209.7
Operating income (loss)	26.3	31.5	19.3	15.0	20.9	7.2	8.5	1.9	92.1	38.5	41.0
Income from continuing operations	18.0	21.5	9.9	4.2	27.5	(0.6)	1.2	(1.9)	53.6	26.2	17.0
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	29.7	0.7	2.4	1.6	(0.8)	2.1	1.5	(1.0)	34.4	1.8	11.2
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	$ 47.7	$ 22.2	$ 12.3	$ 5.8	$ 26.7	$ 1.5	$ 2.7	$ (2.9)	$ 88.0	$ 28.0	$ 28.2
Basic earnings per common share attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.
Income from continuing operations (usd per share)	$ 0.58	$ 0.69	$ 0.32	$ 0.14	$ 0.89	$ (0.02)	$ 0.04	$ (0.06)	$ 1.73	$ 0.85	$ 0.55
Income from discontinued operations (usd per share)	0.94	0.03	0.08	0.05	(0.02)	0.07	0.05	(0.03)	1.10	0.06	0.37
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. (usd per share)	1.52	0.72	0.40	0.19	0.87	0.05	0.09	(0.09)	2.83	0.91	0.92
Diluted earnings per common share attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.
Income from continuing operations (usd per share)	0.56	0.65	0.31	0.13	0.87	(0.02)	0.04	(0.06)	1.67	0.84	0.55
Income from discontinued operations (usd per share)	0.91	0.02	0.07	0.05	(0.02)	0.07	0.05	(0.03)	1.06	0.05	0.36
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. (usd per share)	$ 1.47	$ 0.67	$ 0.38	$ 0.18	$ 0.85	$ 0.05	$ 0.09	$ (0.09)	$ 2.73	$ 0.89	$ 0.91