Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Income Statement [Abstract]
Sales	$ 1,177.1	$ 1,215.5	$ 1,003.9
Cost of sales	845.0	918.0	744.8
Gross profit	332.1	297.5	259.1
Selling, general and administrative expenses	178.2	205.7	172.7
Amortization expense	45.7	39.8	21.9
Asset impairments	16.0	0.0	0.0
Operating expenses	239.9	245.5	194.6
Operating income	92.2	52.0	64.5
Interest expense, net	17.7	14.7	21.4
Gain on bargain purchase	(5.0)	0.0	0.0
Unrealized (gain) loss on investment in equity securities	(13.1)	0.1	0.0
Financing costs amortization	4.3	3.0	1.3
Foreign currency loss (gain)	0.9	(0.4)	0.1
Other expense	2.2	0.0	0.0
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	85.2	34.6	41.7
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	13.9	19.0	1.9
Deferred	1.0	(16.2)	5.3
Income tax expense (benefit), net	14.9	2.8	7.2
Net income from continuing operations	70.3	31.8	34.5
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	239.2	15.0	55.5
Net income	309.5	46.8	90.0
Less: Income attributable to noncontrolling interests of continuing operations, net of taxes	1.4	0.4	2.0
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	308.1	46.4	88.0
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.
Income from continuing operations	68.9	31.4	32.5
Income from discontinued operations	239.2	15.0	55.5
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	$ 308.1	$ 46.4	$ 88.0
Basic earnings per common share attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.
Income from continuing operations (usd per share)	$ 1.95	$ 0.93	$ 1.05
Income from discontinued operations (usd per share)	6.76	0.44	1.78
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. (usd per share)	8.71	1.37	2.83
Diluted earnings per common share attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.
Income from continuing operations (usd per share)	1.89	0.89	1.01
Income from discontinued operations (usd per share)	6.56	0.43	1.72
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. (usd per share)	$ 8.45	$ 1.32	$ 2.73
Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic (shares)	35,380	33,910	31,050
Diluted (shares)	36,450	35,170	32,200