<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<FilingSummary xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
  <Version>2.3.0.11</Version>
  <ProcessingTime />
  <ReportFormat>Html</ReportFormat>
  <ReportType />
  <ContextCount>17</ContextCount>
  <ElementCount>133</ElementCount>
  <EntityCount>1</EntityCount>
  <FootnotesReported>false</FootnotesReported>
  <SegmentCount>2</SegmentCount>
  <ScenarioCount>0</ScenarioCount>
  <TuplesReported>false</TuplesReported>
  <UnitCount>3</UnitCount>
  <MyReports>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>true</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R1.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>00 - Document - Document and Entity Information</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/DocumentAndEntityInformation</Role>
      <ShortName>Document and Entity Information</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R2.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0110 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/BalanceSheet</Role>
      <ShortName>Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R3.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0111 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) [Parenthetical]</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/BalanceSheetParenthetical</Role>
      <ShortName>Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) [Parenthetical]</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R4.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0120 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/StatementOfOperations</Role>
      <ShortName>Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R5.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0121 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) [Parenthetical]</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/CondensedConsolidatedStatementsOfOperationsUnauditedParenthetical</Role>
      <ShortName>Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) [Parenthetical]</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R6.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0130 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/StatementsOfCashFlows</Role>
      <ShortName>Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R7.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0201 - Disclosure - Organization</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/Organization</Role>
      <ShortName>Organization</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R8.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0202 - Disclosure - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/SummaryOfSignificantAccountingPolicies</Role>
      <ShortName>Summary of Significant Accounting Policies</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R9.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0203 - Disclosure - Merger with CDTI</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/Merger</Role>
      <ShortName>Merger with CDTI</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R10.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0204 - Disclosure - Goodwill and Intangible Assets</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/GoodwillAndIntangibleAssets</Role>
      <ShortName>Goodwill and Intangible Assets</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R11.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0205 - Disclosure - Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/AccruedExpensesAndOtherCurrentLiabilities</Role>
      <ShortName>Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R12.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0206 - Disclosure - Severance Charges</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/SeveranceCharges</Role>
      <ShortName>Severance Charges</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R13.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0207 - Disclosure - Accrued Warranty</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/AccruedWarranty</Role>
      <ShortName>Accrued Warranty</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R14.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0208 - Disclosure - Debt</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/Debt</Role>
      <ShortName>Debt</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R15.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0209 - Disclosure - Stockholders' Equity</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/StockholdersEquity</Role>
      <ShortName>Stockholders' Equity</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R16.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0210 - Disclosure - Warrants</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/Warrants</Role>
      <ShortName>Warrants</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R17.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0211 - Disclosure - Share Based Payment</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/ShareBasedPayment</Role>
      <ShortName>Share Based Payment</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R18.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0212 - Disclosure - TCC Investment</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/Investment</Role>
      <ShortName>TCC Investment</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R19.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0213 - Disclosure - Sale of Energy Systems Division</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/SaleOfEnergySystemsDivision</Role>
      <ShortName>Sale of Energy Systems Division</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R20.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0214 - Disclosure - Related-Party Transactions</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/RelatedPartyTransaction</Role>
      <ShortName>Related-Party Transactions</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R21.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0215 - Disclosure - Contingencies</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/Contingencies</Role>
      <ShortName>Contingencies</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R22.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0216 - Disclosure - Segment Reporting</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/SegmentReporting</Role>
      <ShortName>Segment Reporting</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <HtmlFileName>R23.htm</HtmlFileName>
      <LongName>0217 - Disclosure - Subsequent Events</LongName>
      <ReportType>Sheet</ReportType>
      <Role>http://cdti.com/role/SubsequentEvents</Role>
      <ShortName>Subsequent Events</ShortName>
    </Report>
    <Report>
      <IsDefault>false</IsDefault>
      <ContainEmbeddedReports>false</ContainEmbeddedReports>
      <LongName>All Reports</LongName>
      <ReportType>Book</ReportType>
      <ShortName>All Reports</ShortName>
    </Report>
  </MyReports>
  <Logs>
    <Log type="Info">Process Flow-Through: 0110 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited)</Log>
    <Log type="Info">	Process Flow-Through: Removing column 'Jun. 30, 2010'</Log>
    <Log type="Info">	Process Flow-Through: Removing column 'Dec. 31, 2009'</Log>
    <Log type="Info">Process Flow-Through: 0111 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) [Parenthetical]</Log>
    <Log type="Info">Process Flow-Through: 0120 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)</Log>
    <Log type="Info">Process Flow-Through: 0121 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) [Parenthetical]</Log>
    <Log type="Info">Process Flow-Through: 0130 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)</Log>
  </Logs>
  <InputFiles>
    <File>cdti-20110630.xml</File>
    <File>cdti-20110630.xsd</File>
    <File>cdti-20110630_cal.xml</File>
    <File>cdti-20110630_def.xml</File>
    <File>cdti-20110630_lab.xml</File>
    <File>cdti-20110630_pre.xml</File>
  </InputFiles>
  <SupplementalFiles />
  <BaseTaxonomies />
  <HasPresentationLinkbase>true</HasPresentationLinkbase>
  <HasCalculationLinkbase>true</HasCalculationLinkbase>
</FilingSummary>
