In a nutshell, the main problem is that compressed air does not get used (And exhausted) unless you blow ballast. Changing depths with little speed (At higher speeds the dive planes do the job) would need use of compressed air, but in Sh3 is almost unnoticeable. Also, even if you changed depth upwards with the dive planes, a bit of compressed air should be used, as you would need to empty the ballast tanks a bit to remain buoyant at the new chosen depth. Otherwise you would be too heavy and sink again if you slow down.
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1) CO2 production of the crew (and thus the maximum diving time) of Uboats now are strongly affected by Silent-Running status.
While in Silent Running, the crew produces only 50% of the CO2 compared to standard situation, so that diving times are doubled.
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While I have absolutely no historical data to back my opinion, I think that the difference might be too excessive. Silent running as proposed by you sends crewmen who were unnecessary for operating the sub to their bunks with the Dräger device (Which is historically correct in some situations). But if they were not necessary, then they were not doing any physical tasks (The ones where more oxygen is consumed) and it is safe to asume that the difference in oxygen consumption will not be that much.
For example, if we take 100% oxygen consumption as base case for a normal situation, and asuming that a man in physical tasks consumes twice as much as resting, and 4x than when sleeping, it would look like this:
-50% Watch crew on tasks: 75% oxygen consumption
-50% Watch-off crew resting or sleeping: 25% oxygen consumption
Total = 100%
Now, on silent running situation you are reducing by half only the consumption of the off-watch crew, and hence:
-50% of crew active on physical duties: 75% oxygen consumption
-50% of crew resting with Drägers: 12,5%
Total = 87,5%
In a more radical situation, where only a barebones crew is active during silent running, it would look like this:
-25% of crew active on physical duties: 37,5%
-75% of crew resting with Drägers: 18,75%
Total = 56,25 %
Well, those are quick numbers, but you get the idea
