<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-03-16</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000892553</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CHART INDUSTRIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GTLS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001220019</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BROWN W DOUGLAS</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O CHART INDUSTRIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>ONE INFINITY CORPORATE CENTRE, SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GARFIELD HEIGHTS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>44125</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-03-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6.6582</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7101</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 717 vested stock units which previously have been deferred.  The vested stock units herein were granted by the Issuer under the Amended and Restated Chart Industries, Inc. 2005 Stock Incentive Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ W. Douglas Brown, by Arthur C. Hall III, his attorney-in-fact pursuant to Power of Attorney dated May 20, 2008 on file with the Commission</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-03-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
