Abstract: A valve assembly comprising a valve body having a flowway therethrough and a seating surface extending radially into the flowway from the valve body. A disc type valve element has a sealing area engageable with the seating surface and is mounted in the flowway for movement of the sealing area toward and away from the seating surface. A fluid passageway extends through the valve body and includes inlet means opening externally of the valve body and outlet means opening internally of the valve body and generally radially into the flowway and positioned such that a fluid may be directed against the seating surface through the fluid passageway.