Earnings Per Share - Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Sep. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2021	Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.
Income from continuing operations	$ 12.1	$ 14.9	$ 6.5	$ 25.6	$ 37.5	$ 15.6	$ 13.8	$ 2.0	$ 59.1	$ 68.9	$ 31.4
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax									0.0	239.2	15.0
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc.	$ 12.1	$ 14.9	$ 6.5	$ 25.6	$ 257.8	$ 21.7	$ 20.2	$ 8.4	$ 59.1	$ 308.1	$ 46.4
Earnings per common share – basic:
Income from continuing operations (usd per share)	$ 0.34	$ 0.42	$ 0.18	$ 0.72	$ 1.06	$ 0.44	$ 0.39	$ 0.06	$ 1.66	$ 1.95	$ 0.93
Income from discontinued operations (usd per share)					6.23	0.18	0.18	0.17	0	6.76	0.44
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. (usd per share)	0.34	0.42	0.18	0.72	7.29	0.62	0.57	0.23	1.66	8.71	1.37
Earnings per common share – diluted:
Income from continuing operations (usd per share)	0.29	0.36	0.16	0.63	0.97	0.43	0.39	0.06	1.44	1.89	0.89
Income from discontinued operations (usd per share)					5.72	0.17	0.18	0.17	0	6.56	0.43
Net income attributable to Chart Industries, Inc. (usd per share)	$ 0.29	$ 0.36	$ 0.16	$ 0.63	$ 6.69	$ 0.60	$ 0.57	$ 0.23	$ 1.44	$ 8.45	$ 1.32
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding — basic (shares)									35,610	35,380	33,910
Incremental shares issuable upon assumed conversion and exercise of share-based awards (shares)									340	260	420
Incremental shares issuable due to dilutive effect of the Convertible Notes (shares)									2,760	530	820
Incremental shares issuable due to dilutive effect of warrants (shares)									2,400	280	20
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding — diluted (shares)									41,110	36,450	35,170