Quarterly Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Sales	$ 312.4	$ 273.2	$ 289.6	$ 301.9	$ 321.4	$ 338.0	$ 287.1	$ 269.0	$ 1,177.1	$ 1,215.5	$ 1,003.9
Gross profit	87.9	78.6	83.3	82.3	75.3	92.9	71.8	57.5	332.1	297.5	259.1
Operating (loss) income	22.5	28.1	25.8	15.8	15.5	23.4	16.2	(3.1)	92.2	52.0	64.5
(Loss) income from continuing operations	37.5	15.6	13.8	2.0	16.5	13.7	6.3	(5.1)	68.9	31.4	32.5
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	220.3	6.1	6.4	6.4	(4.1)	5.0	8.1	6.0	239.2	15.0	55.5
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	$ 257.8	$ 21.7	$ 20.2	$ 8.4	$ 12.4	$ 18.7	$ 14.4	$ 0.9	$ 308.1	$ 46.4	$ 88.0
Basic earnings per common share attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.
(Loss) income from continuing operations (usd per share)	$ 1.06	$ 0.44	$ 0.39	$ 0.06	$ 0.46	$ 0.38	$ 0.19	$ (0.16)	$ 1.95	$ 0.93	$ 1.05
Income from discontinued operations (usd per share)	6.23	0.18	0.18	0.17	(0.11)	0.14	0.25	0.19	6.76	0.44	1.78
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. (usd per share)	7.29	0.62	0.57	0.23	0.35	0.52	0.44	0.03	8.71	1.37	2.83
Diluted earnings per common share attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.
(Loss) income from continuing operations (usd per share)	0.97	0.43	0.39	0.06	0.46	0.37	0.18	(0.15)	1.89	0.89	1.01
Income from discontinued operations (usd per share)	5.72	0.17	0.18	0.17	(0.12)	0.14	0.23	0.18	6.56	0.43	1.72
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. (usd per share)	$ 6.69	$ 0.60	$ 0.57	$ 0.23	$ 0.34	$ 0.51	$ 0.41	$ 0.03	$ 8.45	$ 1.32	$ 2.73